The Express Newspapers shamelessly continues their biased reporting to promote Keith Rowley and to try to attack anyone opposed to him.
This has been the norm almost every Sunday, and in total contrast to basic independent journalism, they publish articles to attack opponents of Keith Rowley without even contacting those being written about, to get the truth, as the truth and facts seem to be irrelevant in their reporting. This is the first principle of journalism.
The hatchet crew of Ria Taitt and Denyse Renne continue their boring and failed plot, in their assignment to attack anyone politically opposed to Rowley, with yet another biased article relating to the acquisition of critical assets leased by the TTPS, that were instrumental in ensuring the highest reduction in crime, and which provided safety and security that was unmatched for decades, in our nation’s history.
The technologies and leadership principles that saw the record reductions in crime were never used before, because the present Government, the National Security Council and Police hierarchy, before me, lacked understanding and the capacity to embrace change, and they simply did not know how to use the available technology, to properly secure our nation. And regrettably, the extreme escalation in crime that we have seen in the past 8 months or so is clear evidence that they haven’t learnt a thing about what it takes to effectively manage crime.
So, the pathetic attempt by the Express to question what was used to secure a nation successfully, is quite hypocritical and in contrast to Minister Hinds recent comment, just a few days ago, when he was asked for the cost of the Command Centre built in a San Juan Police Station, and he stated, “you cannot put a cost on securing a nation.”
Acquiring such technical assets have been done for years, with examples being the PNM purchasing over 300 million in Intelligence software , on the Friday before the 2010 General Election through the same National Security Council. The only difference being that what was acquired before me was virtually useless compared to what was acquired under my watch, and the crime stats show this.
But this pathetic plot to try to discredit those politically opposed to this Government has been tried over and over and continues to fail, with another example being the Government using people who work for them, and handpicking people to do investigations or audits, then acquiring findings in the reports that the government wanted, or as in this case, using the Ministry of Finance to conduct an audit specifically on the Police Service during my tenure. So, if they see me as a threat, then all it takes is for the line Minister to direct what to put in the report, as baseless as it is, because not one thing done in the acquisition of these items was done in an illegal or improper way. And I have the evidence to prove that and more importantly, I can make this claim in the public domain, not under parliamentary cover as Keith Rowley is now infamous for doing. Let us not forget Emailgate.
A politician in this Government, directing his Ministry to say what he wants, and nothing, is the same thing, and it would be no different to if I become Prime Minister in 2025, and I direct the Minister in the Ministry of Finance to do an audit on the same ministry from 2015 to 2020, and have my Finance Minister submit a report to state massive red flags and irregular activity occurred in the previous Government , via the spending of over 3 million dollars to build a lookout in Paramin, which comprises of nothing, other than a few booths and a platform, that possibly really cost under $500,000, or the construction of the Carenage Police Station, stationed in the Constituency of Keith Rowley, that cost the taxpayers over 50 Million dollars for a basic building, but which more likely should have cost 10 million to construct.
I ask those level-headed citizens to be prepared that the relentless attacks on anyone opposed to a dictatorial Government would not end, and they will continue to use the Express to assist them in their agenda.
Ironically, these personal attacks on me, to sully my good name, are not working, and if it is anything, they have increased my support and strengthened my political resolve. The majority of the citizens are seeing the pettiness of this government, the leadership failure, and the utter disregard for citizens who continue to suffer because the government tore down and dismantled infrastructure that was working, thinking they would hurt me, when its fact it leads to unprecedented bloodshed.
So, my advice to Express, adhere to the basic tenants of journalism, and to the public I say, take these baseless Express articles with a pinch of salt, because even a blind man could see that the Express Newspapers has an agenda
By Gary Griffith
