Sports Minister Anil Roberts yesterday confirmed he had met with Congress of the People political leader Prakash Ramadhar on two occasions in the last three days.However, he declined to divulge the details of the meetings with his political leader.Roberts was summoned to the meetings with Ramadhar after a controversial video surfaced showing a man, believed to be a government minister, rolling a marijuana cigarette with two women in a hotel room.Roberts has neither confirmed nor denied that the man in the video is him.
Yesterday, Roberts, who was on hand for the ceremonial "topping off" of the final steel beam on the national velodrome in Couva, told reporters the controversial video was now in the hands of his lawyers.The minister, who was accompanied by his wife Shandell, said he would not be distracted from his duties."I will not be distracted by video, music video or voodoo, understand. You are seeing projects here and seeing the People's Partnership delivering like never before, you are seeing that Dr Keith Rowley, who has been described as Mugabe, cannot answer who are his friends and investors," he said.
Roberts said the Government was heading into election year and he would not be distracted by anything.The minister, who did not mince words, said he was prepared to take a drug test if (Rowley) was ready to take a DNA paternity test."I am ready to take any drug test, any test in front of all of you," he said.Roberts also welcomed Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's decision to remove the Life Sport programme from his ministry and place it under the National Security.He added: "The scrutiny is very good. Once you are involved in public funds and programmes, scrutiny is fantastic."There is a probe from Ministry of Finance. I welcome the probe. This is what it is about, nothing is wrong with a probe."Everybody is entitled to information but we must always be clear that factual information must be given, especially by members of my beloved media."