Opposition MP: I was blanked at VIP entrance
By Anna Ramdass, Express
Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee claims he was turned away from the VIP entrance of the Hasely Crawford Stadium on Tuesday because he was identified as an Opposition MP.
Lee made the claim at the launch of the election slate of United National Congress (UNC) incumbent leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday night, at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation.
Lee said he was sent a special invitation to attend the World Cup qualifying match between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States, and was given VIP passes as well as a VIP car park sticker.
He said when he arrived at the venue, a man at the gate told a police officer to not allow him to enter because he was an Opposition MP.
“The kind of person I am, I said thank you and I went and park (somewhere else) and went in the grounds,” he said.
Lee did not reveal more about the incident, except to say this tells the country where it is today and the need to return Persad-Bissessar to Government.
Need for better management
However, speaking to the Express yesterday, Lee said he did not want to prolong the matter as he was not casting blame on anyone. He however felt there should have been better management.
He said after he was blanked at the VIP entrance, he parked his vehicle in the vicinity of Fatima College and walked to the stadium.
He said he did not even bother using the VIP passes but instead utilised ground tickets his friend had.
Lee said he did not want to “risk” being blanked again at the VIP entrance as he was at the parking entry point, even though he had a sticker to grant him access.
He said he did not ask for any special invitation and it was sent to him. He said he is not one to demand any special treatment and he had no problem viewing the game from the ground, which he did, but the issue of management was one of concern.
“I don't consider myself better than anyone else. An invitation was sent to me, I went there; I was told I could not get in because I am an Opposition MP and I said okay; I went and park somewhere else,” he said.
