“Who wants Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley dead and why are they so desperate to achieve that objective?”
These were the questions asked by San Fernando West candidate Faris Al-Rawi as he addressed supporters at a cottage meeting at Jarvis Street, Vistabella, on Saturday night.
Saying the death threat was no laughing matter, Al-Rawi said there was a “clear and real danger against Dr Rowley that was dealt with by National Security Services.”
“As you have seen, security has been altered for Dr Rowley after a $15 million bounty was placed on Dr Rowley’s head. The very big issue is who wants Rowley dead and why? That is a serious issue that cannot escape us. We are well aware that there is a constant refrain in terms of character assassination attempts against Dr Rowley and that has to be reviewed,” Al Rawi said.
He noted that the No Rowley campaign, the “shameless” personal attack on Rowley’s family in Parliament by Vernella Alleyne-Toppin as well as the latest scandal levelled against Rowley by former investigative reporter Anika Gumbs were all attempts to demonise Rowley.
“The national security mechanisms confirmed that an entity accepted $15 million to kill Keith Rowley. The question is who wants him dead? Why do they want him dead? Why do they want to character assassinate him, his dead father and dead mother? Who stood in Parliament and said they so proud of Vernella Toppin? Who said they blessed the speech? Who stood on March 25th and banged the desk for Vernella? What did Prakash Ramadhar have to say after that? Why they so fraid Keith Rowley?” Al-Rawi asked as the audience cheered.
He pointed out that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was fast losing her popularity.
“Did you notice that last week, the UNC’s internal polls confirmed that Kamla Persad-Bissessar was ten points behind Keith Rowley. Ask yourselves who wants Rowley out of the way. The reason I am raising this is to show that the UNC is getting desperate,” Al Rawi said.
He also accused the government of showing discourtesy to the people of San Fernando West by not selecting a candidate. Al-Rawi said anyone who wanted a chance to represent the people, should be willing to meet everyone house by house and find out their concerns.
Meanwhile, in an interview yesterday, leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Jack Warner said he was aware of the death threats against Rowley.
“I was told by some people about it and I am happy to see that Dr Rowley now has additional security,” Warner said.
Saying the ILP and PNM had nothing to gain from the bounty, Warner reiterated, “It is the UNC who can surely gain. They believe they can get rid of somebody with a cult image but they fail to understand that everything they have tried so far, have backfired.”
He added death threats were made against him in 2013, but he has never allowed this to intimidate him.
“I refuse to let those threats faze me because at the end of the day the work has to go on. All things I have to discuss I have already put in hands of my lawyers. and if I have to pass away these lawyers will reveal them,” Warner added. (RS)