Movement for Social Justice (MSJ)?leader David Abdulah yesterday denounced Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's statement accusing him of engaging in a "naked quest for power." Abdulah did not mince words as he launched a scathing attack on the People's Partnership (PP) Mid Centre Mall pre-budget rally describing it as "quite ridiculous" and "political foolishness."
The MSJ?leader made the statement as he addressed the formal opening of the party's new St Joseph Street,?San Fernando, office last night. In response to the Prime Minister statement Abdulah reminded her of his decision to turn down the Minister of the People post she had offered him after the May 24, 2010 general elections. "I was not on a naked quest for power then?" he asked.
Abdulah said what he saw at Mid Centre Mall was the PP Government going on the "political offensive" which he said was a "spectacle and an obscene demonstration of political foolishness." "It was quite ridiculous people were jumping up and down like a jack in the box, more like a cat on a hot tin roof because they really cannot defend the indefensible,"?he declared. Abdulah defended his party's decision to stand together with the People's National?Movement (PNM) on the Section 34 issue.
"The MSJ, once I am the leader, will stand firm on principles on the issues regardless of who is in Government," he said. He told party faithful gathered that he was standing firm with the PNM for a common cause and refuted Attorney General?Anand Ramlogan's statement that he was a PNM. Abdulah said he remains opposed to the policies of the PNM?both past and present. He added that the Section 34 issue is still alive and he will keep it alive.
Speaking with reporters following the ribbon cutting ceremony Abdulah said he is not bothered by the Prime Minister's statement. "It is a political attack, a personal attack, call it what you want, it does not bother me whatsoever. I am very comfortable. I know what I did and what my contributions have been not just in 2010 but going way back when I was my student days as an activist.?What I am simply saying is that, this is not about David Abdulah or a quest for power. This is a quest to transform and change Trinidad and Tobago,"?he said.
Abdulah declined to comment on the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT). He said he wanted to hear the budget in its entirety because "income is going to be taken away by removing VAT, how is that income going to be replaced?" he asked.