Gary Griffith's new position as National Security Minister may be short- lived, if allegations made by ILP leader Jack Warner that the position has been offered to Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne for him to contest the St Joseph seat for the PP is true.Warner, speaking on an ILP political platform at Market Square, Point Fortin, on Thursday night, accused the PP of undermining Griffith.
He claimed that after losing two elections, the PP was so desperate to win the St Joseph seat that it approached Alleyne, dangling the National Security post before him if he accepted the offer. Warner added: "Things are so bad with them (PP), last Thursday the AG calls Ian Alleyne. He puts Kamla (Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar) on the other line and the AG is begging Ian to go up for St Joseph, telling Ian that if he accepts, they will make him Minister of National Security.
"And they appoint one two weeks ago. They have begun to undermine the very man they appointed two weeks ago."Warner challenged the AG to deny the claim."They want Ian Alleyne to go up in St Joseph and then give the ILP wetting, after wetting, after wetting," he added.Alleyne's attorney, Om Lalla, is tipped to be the ILP candidate for St Joseph.
But Alleyne, in a subsequent interview with the T&T Guardian, denied receiving a call from Attorney General Anand Ramlogan offering him the position of National Security Minister.He, however, said if offered the opportunity he would think about it."If it means taking Crime Watch to a next level in dealing with the crime from a parliamentary level I have no problem with that," Alleyne said.He maintained he had the skills and the contacts to get rid of crime, especially in St Joseph.
He added: "Jack Warner needs to get his facts right. The Prime Minister has never asked me about anything pertaining to St Joseph."However, in the interest of country, I don't really give a hoot about party and what not but I can tell you Jack Warner bringing that on the platform is a clear indication that he is fearful of that." Alleyne said he heard rumours his name was being called as a candidate to contest the St Joseph seat.He added: "I have known the Attorney General even prior to [his] assuming the role of Attorney General.
"On numerous times the Attorney General and other government officials have assisted me with certain crime victims with whatever level of assistance they could offer."It's not really a strange thing that I am having a conversation with the Attorney General."He said he had also had "cordial discussions" with Persad-Bissessar in the past. "I assume we have a very good relationship as in the past I texted her. I have called and she would return my call.
"But I have never really have a cause to call her in recent times but that doesn't say we have a strained relationship," Alleyne added.Griffith, who was appointed to the post recently after a third Cabinet reshuffle, did not answer calls to his cellphone yesterday.A message was sent to the AG asking for his comment on the claim but there was no reply.