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After criticism of Kublalsingh’s hunger strike...
Cabinet stays clear of UNC statements
Published:
Friday, November 30, 2012
Gail Alexander
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Wayne Kublalsingh
The Kamla Persad-Bissessar Cabinet has distanced itself from statements made at UNC’s Monday night forum in Debe about hunger striker Wayne Kublalsingh. The entire Cabinet yesterday said a prayer for Kublalsingh to eat so he can “continue fighting, not only for the Point Fortin Highway issue but many other issues,” Sport Minister Anil Roberts said.
Speaking at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media briefing Roberts said Jack Warner, Minister of National Security, was present when the prayers were said. Warner, chairman of the UNC, and UNC deputy leader Roodal Moonilal, at UNC’s Monday night forum, criticised Kublalsingh’s action. Yesterday’s briefing took place at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair, obliquely opposite Kublalsingh’s strike camp.
At yesterday’s briefing, Communication Minister Jamal Mohammed distanced the Cabinet from statements made about Kublalsingh at the forum. He said the only position of the Cabinet on the Kublalsingh issue was the Prime Minister’s statement, which was delivered last Thursday at the PM’s media luncheon, where she spoke about the matter, saying Kublalsingh didn’t want to meet with her.
Asked if the statements at Monday’s UNC meeting were a Government position, Mohammed said: “No. The statement by the Prime Minister at the Diplomatic Centre last Thursday remains the official position of the Government.” He had no comment on whether Government was shunning the statements made at the UNC forum.
Asked about statements by their COP colleagues distancing themselves from the UNC statements, Mohammed said: “Even if we belong to the COP, that’s a different kettle of fish. Last Thursday at the Diplomatic Centre the Prime Minister made the most definitive statement on the (highway) issue and we believe it’s a very definitive and complete statement on behalf of Government.”
Asked if it was protocol for ministers to speak out against something the Prime Minister had said, Mohammed said the Prime Minister’s statement was the Government’s position and “we stand by it and that position hasn’t changed at this time.” He said it would be unfair to say if any minister would be chastised for speaking out at the UNC forum on Monday.
On the fact that other ministers were saying different things from what the PM said, Mohammed said: “The statement by the Prime Minister last Thursday is the complete and definitive statement on behalf of the Government.” He repeated that when asked if the hunger strike or highway issues arose at the Cabinet yesterday.
To that, Roberts added: “Before the Cabinet notes were brought, the entire Cabinet stood and, as is customary, we said a prayer and in our prayers we prayed for the health of Dr Kublalsingh, for him to take sustaining liquids and that he would be A-OK and we also commended his stick-to-itiveness and his will.
“But the entire Cabinet would love for Dr Kublalsingh to eat so that he can continue fighting, not only for this issue but many other issues as he moves forwards. So we all prayed for him.” \
Roberts was intially asked to comment on the distance that his COP colleagues— Prakash Ramadhar, Winston Dookeran and Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan—have put between themselves and the UNC’s statements on Monday but he repeatedly ducked the query until Mohammed was asked the same question.
He said no note was brought to the Cabinet about the request by the JCC and other civil society groups for the report on the highway issue and for an independent inquiry. He said they did not write to the Cabinet. Mohammed added: “We shall make an effort on behalf of the Government to provide copies (of the documents) to the media.”
Mohammed said the documents were public papers and available through the courts. Roberts recalled Kublalsingh had protested with him against the smelter and Alcoa issues and that former PNM prime minister Patrick Manning never met with the protesters.
Roberts recalled Kublalsingh had been thrown out of the lobby of former PNM minister Conrad Enill’s ministry. “I shall pray for my friend, colleague and soldier, Wayne Kublalsingh, tonight, not only during Cabinet,” Roberts added.