The back and forth political banter regarding death threats against the Prime Minister and Attorney General has prompted a well-known political analyst to call for the police to clear the air on the matter.
During a post-budget political meeting in Belmont on Friday night, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said that in the lead up to the 2015 general elections two hitmen were offered US$2 million to assassinate him.
Rowley also revealed a recent plot to murder Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi. But in his assessment of the issue and the timing of the revelation, Dr Winford James saw the move by the Prime Minister as political.
“So, it seems to me timing in relation to the fact that we have elections coming up in December and we have the general elections next year, so they are hoping that will have a negative fall out for the UNC (United National Congress).”
He said given the important office he holds, the Prime Minister must be believed because there should be a level of authority and credibility when he speaks.
Notwithstanding this, Dr James said the matter is still a political one until the police address the public, which they must.
“These are political charges but they have to do with people’s lives, people’s security and safety, so those charges have to be taken very seriously.
“So, the question must arise what has the police done in relation to these charges these four years; four years have passed I imagine, the status of these charges must have been well-known to the police because, remember the police sit on the (National) Security Council as well.
“So what have they done? The news media needs to find that out, that is one of the questions that should be posed to Mr Griffith.”
But while he confirmed to the Sunday Guardian that there were, in fact, two hits put on Rowley’s life while he was the leader of the Opposition back in 2015, Police Commissioner Griffith said he is not prepared to be drawn into the debate any further by Dr James.
“He could say what he wants. Our job is to enforce the law and do our best to secure every citizen.
“Not to be a dog barking at every car that passes, via clearing the air based on accusations made on political platforms. The TTPS would not be drawn into any political campaign to help or discredit any one side” Griffith said.
However, in response, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that Prime Minister Rowley is aware that he cannot win the next general election “fair and square” and “from the producers of Emailgate comes a last-ditch, desperate attempt to fool the electorate in 2020 with a sequel”.