In a development that has rocked Trinidad and Tobago politics and left both the main parties scrambling for damage control, Daily and Sunday Express reporter Anika Gumbs resigned with immediate effect, describing in her letter a series of alleged encounters with Opposition Leader Keith Rowley.
The letter described Rowley’s interactions as “inappropriate” and “suggestive’, and goes on to detail the alleged encounters. Rowley denied the incidents as described by Gumbs, telling the Express that they were an “outrageous and shocking conspiracy to slander me.”
As the story gained traction overnight Friday and into Saturday morning, Rowley's lawyer Michael Quamina and PMN spokesman and San Fernando West candidate Faris Al Rawi, weighed in in an emergency news conference earlier today.
Al Rawi describes her letter as being built on “a tissue of lies”, blaming it on a dirty tricks campaign by the United National Congress, with whom it is locked in a close and bitter election battle.
“It is odd that having been in an uncomfortably position before that she would put herself in that position again”, added Quamina.
The UNC moved swiftly to distance itself from accusation that it was involved in a campaign to smear Rowley, and has denied colluding with Gumbs to fabricate any charges.
In a letter to her Editor-in-Chief Omatie Lyder, Gumbs said that her decision to go had not been an easy one.
“However, in upholding the highest standards of journalism and to avoid the Express Newspaper from being brought into disrepute, I have opted to sever all ties with the company.”
“I apologise for the delay of not submitting a written report to you surrounding an incident that occurred in April 2015”, she said, referring to an alleged verbal encounter that occurred when she show up for an interview at Dr Rowley’s west Trinidad home.
Her letter goes on to list and describe other incident in which, in her telling, the Opposition Leader appears to be flirting with her.