(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said there is no evidence of corruption in her Government.
However, she said the day there is evidence, she will take swift action against any member, as she has done in the past.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at a lavish fund-raising dinner and dance at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya, on Sunday night hosted by the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) to raise funds for its upcoming Tobago House of Assembly (THA) elections.
Patrons paid TT$1,000 a plate at the event which was attended by Ministers Jack Warner, Ganga Singh, Anil Roberts, Rupert Griffith, Prakash Ramadhar and Delmon Baker.
TOP leader Ashworth Jack also spoke at the event.
Persad-Bissessar said: “They talk of corruption in my Government and up to today they cannot give me one specific instance of corruption. They call names, they blame people, there’s nothing I’ve seen evidence of and I promise you this—the day any evidence of corruption comes in my face I will deal with it.
“No minister will stand, no councillor will stand and no board member will stand. I’ve already demonstrated my commitment to transparency and accountability.”
Persad-Bissessar said that on May 24, 2010 the people of this country voted for change and a new form of governance.
She assured that her Government remains committed to service and delivery to the people but she pointed out that there are many who are resisting the changes.
“There are those who want no change and every time we do something different there are some persons who say we have done wrong, but you know what it is they fear … the change that you voted for on May 24,” said Persad-Bissessar.
The Prime Minister said in various ministries there is resistance as ministers work towards progress.
“…As your Government, as we seek to make changes, I think the Attorney General, he’s seeking to make changes in the way legal briefs are given out, there’s resistance to that change. I see the Minister of Water Resources making inroads in dealing with forestry and environment, there’s resistance to that change,” said Persad-Bissessar.
She also stated there is resistance to change in the works of the Ministries of Science and Technology, Transport, Ministry of the People, among others.
“We have a Minister of National Security taking a different approach to dealing with the horrendous crime level in our country. Guess what, resistance to change,” said Persad-Bissessar.
Persad-Bissessar said there is also resistance in the education sector but she promised that early childhood education centres will be built and free education will be offered for children ages three to five.
“When you pick up a newspaper, when you look at the TV, when you see the naysayers, remember my words to you: resistance to change,” said Persad-Bissessar.
“But if we do things in the same old way … then our nation would not go forward, our children will not grow and will not develop and so we have to make changes, some of those will be difficult changes but we cannot do things the same old way and expect the nation to change,” she said.
She urged supporters to “let not your voices be silenced by the loud naysayers who wish to have no change”.
Persad-Bissessar noted the words of former UNC leader Basdeo Panday who has said, “Never ever surrender … never ever give ground, never give way.”
She said if the people did not vote for change then the church in Guanapo for former prime minister Patrick Manning’s spiritual adviser (Juliana Pena) would have been completed and the Treasury would be empty.
Persad-Bissessar said the Opposition would come to Parliament and cast aspersions in a “clever way” but she said God does not sleep as she recalled the words of the late former PNM minister Ken Valley, “They can run but they cannot ever hide.”
