(Trinidad Express) Sports Minister Darryl Smith is responding to a video posted on social media sites that shows him in an embrace with a woman.
The footage, taken from a security camera, has caused a furor, with members of the public raising questions of invasion of privacy.
In a statement issued overnight, Smith said the video footage from his home security camera was taken by a relative and leaked via social media.
He said that a television station that maliciously reported on the story that broke on social media.
“Not content with reporting the story they also embellished it and created fake news. My lawyers are presently reviewing this 5 minute footage and we will have more to say on that in the not so distant future” wrote Smith.
“My entire focus continues to be on the emotional well-being of my children but I have now been forced by this leak and the further embellishment of this story to clarify the facts”.
Smith confirmed that he was the person in the video footage inside his home.
He said it was a family setting in which his father and other family members were present. He said the rest of the video footage, which was deliberately not leaked, clearly shows the context.
He said it was unfortunate and sad that his relative had, not for the first time, revealed personal information “to try and destabilise the family unit in this manner”
Equally as shameful, stated Smith, “is that some of my political opponents on social media have chosen to use this to pontificate and preach about moral behaviour in public office for their own myopic and self-serving agendas”.
Smith thanked his family, friends, constituents and well wishers for the texts and calls of support.
