IMPACS (the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security) says that Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was misquoted in the Trinidad Express on July 5, 2011 in its article that attributed the following statement to her: “CARICOM Heads ….have agreed in principle to waiver immunity from cocaine prosecution for individuals at the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security.”
IMPACS said in a press release that subsequently the agency has been in touch with journalist Akile Simon to whom the article is attributed, and his response has made it quite clear that the words published did not originate with him and were wrongly attributed to the Prime Minister.
According to the release, further checks with Express Daily Editor Darren Bahaw have confirmed that there was indeed no basis for the inclusion of the word “cocaine” in the quote.
And he has since advised of his intention to issue a correction as quickly as possible to the grievous error which though unintended, has resulted in tremendous unwarranted negative reaction regionally and internationally to IMPACS and its employees, the release added.
Since the communication with the Express Daily Editor, IMPACS has noted that the offending word has been removed from the online edition of the newspaper.
