Rawle Raphael, former Arouca North MP of the NAR Government and parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Enterprise and Tourism at the time of the 1990 insurrection, owes the State $3 million-one million for each time he was warned of the threat of the Jamaat al Muslimeen and dismissed it as "a big joke."
It is shockingly mind-boggling to think that this individual was then chairman of the NAR's "A Team," the body which was allegedly charged with the responsibility of protecting the political leader of the party.
What was the then mandate of this group upon receiving threats from individuals or organised crime groups? Was Lance Small that comical in his warnings to Raphael that he was completely ignored? A nation was held hostage by the Jamaat and Raphael was given not one but three warnings prior to this upheaval? This is madness in its purest state.
Even if T&T did not possess high-tech crime-fighting gear or surveillance material at the time, common sense would suggest that he should have conveyed this information to the Minister of National Security in person, which may have led to increased security on this targeted day of doom. If Dennis Cumo did indeed report this matter to then Minister of National Security Selwyn Richardson and Prime Minister Robinson, what happened afterwards?
To add insult to this national catastrophe, Raphael had the nerve to take the stand at the commission of enquiry and request compensation of $3 million "or more" from the State (and not from the Jamaat) for the trauma he suffered, which could have been prevented altogether? Did Raphael mistake this to be an episode of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? If it's anyone who should be receiving compensation, it should be the surviving victims of the insurrection and the families of the deceased who paid the ultimate price because of negligence.
A Maharaj
Chaguanas