(Trinidad Guardian) Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has defended the $50 million allocation to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) for entertainment and functions.
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar had taken him to task during her Budget response last Friday, accusing him of “feteing” while telling the rest of the country to “hold strain.”
In response, Rowley yesterday said he has always been frugal at the Prime Minister’s residence, the Diplomatic Centre. He also insisted that from 2010 to 2015, the People’s Partnership spent much more on operational expenses and events than his Government.
He said when Persad-Bissessar led the government, this totalled to $170 million but from 2020 to 2024, his Government spent a total of $50 million – $37.9 million on operating expenses and $12 million on events.
“Who was spending money while at the Prime Minister’s residence? Who was feteing there? 2010 to 2015, when the UNC was in government, when my friend from Siparia was the head of government affairs, Prime Minister’s establishment operating expenses at the Diplomatic Centre $122.6 million. Add to that, $47.8 million for events. That comes to $170,482,000,” the PM said.
“While they spent $122 million, we spent $42 million. While they spent $47 million, we spent $9 million. The total was, while they spent $170.48 million, we spent $52.15 million and I have to come here and listen to the Leader of the Opposition trying to mislead the country that some kind of splurging is taking place at the Prime Minister’s residence.”
Rowley also bashed the Opposition for hosting expensive events with costly event planners. He said at a cabinet retreat, the event planner was paid $173,000 and the event cost $345,000. At an event for the Venezuelan president’s visit, the event planner’s fee was $96,000 and the event itself cost $35,000.
