There has been no indication by Turkish authorities to release the nine people, including one child, carrying T&T passports, who have been detained in Turkey since July, Prime Minister Keith Rowley has said.
Replying to these (and other) Opposition queries in Parliament, he said on Wednesday the Government had received official and unofficial information on the nine detained since July.
The people carrying T&T passports were detained along with a Syrian man said to be recruiting for Isis.
Rowley said due to lack of information from Turkish authorities on the situation, the Government had no information on when they would return “if in fact they are holders of bona fide T&T passports.”
He said the situation required a lot of double-checking and T&T had an honorary consul in Turkey “doing yeoman service” and international colleagues who were also not clear on the situation.
Nor had there been any request for relief from anyone in T&T on missing family members, he added.
A child was said to have been born to one person in the group. Rowley said the Government would have to wait to see how the situation developed.
He said he was unaware some police officers have not received promised back pay, which Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar claimed was occurring.
He, however, said while the Attorney General formalised legislative structures for payment of the $1 million death benefit for protective officers who died in the line of duty, the payment would be made to the estates of those who qualified for it from 2013 (when the initiative was announced).
On Paralympic javelin champion Akeem Stewart, Rowley said the Government would avoid the “give-this-and-that” debate and the Sports Ministry would examine new arrangements with accountability for public monies and compensating people.
He said Stewart would be honoured at the appropriate time but did not give a date.
He said the Red House renovation costs would be cut from $600 million (under the PP) to $295 million since the planned companion building for the Red House would be the AG’s Cabildo Building. The AG is moving to the Legal Affairs Complex.
Rowley said talks on the Sandals Tobago investment were in “embryonic stages” and nowhere near talk of negotiation and concessions though it was anticipated concessions would be requested and negotiations done.
Rowley confirmed the promised 20 per cent increase for OJT stipends which was boasted by his party as a first-year achievement was stymied by budgetary constraints. (GA)