The possible release without charges today of 16 people held for allegedly plotting to assassinate the Prime Minister and three ministers will not augur well for the Government says political scientist Dr Indira Rampersad. "The Government will lose some popularity...I don't think the plot has worked to their advantage," she said. "I don't know if it's true or not...The way they disseminated information has led to doubt. "This will not augur well for the Government. "I think they lost some credibility over the way it was handled."
The 16 were detained under detention orders and when the state of emergency is lifted tonight, they would have to be released if no evidence has been found to charge them. Rampersad said the Government lost some popularity with release of people arrested under the Anti-Gang Act during the state of emergency. She said if it happened again, it would exacerbate the incredulousness of the population. She said the general sentiment would be that the state of emergency was a waste of time. "The feeling will be that if the state of emergency gave the security forces extra powers, and if they arrested people, detained them and then released them what is the purpose of the state of emergency?" Rampersad asked.
She said the state of emergency started to become unpopular in the latter stages, even among members of the business community. "There were images of people being arrested and released," she added. Rampersad said if crime did escalate after the state of emergency was removed, it would be to the Government's advantage. Commenting on the security evaluation report, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley found in his mailbox which dismissed the assassination plot, she said: "There is a lot that is blurred about the plot. "The public needs more information," she said.