Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath is rubbishing social media claims that he held a birthday bash in Tobago, which led to Caribbean Airlines being forced to remove confirmed travellers off flights to accommodate his guests.
Speaking with Guardian Media yesterday, Padarath called the allegations a “complete LIE!”
Padarath celebrated his birthday on Saturday (July 19).
A picture on social media appeared to show the minister among the crowd of spectators viewing parts of the Heritage Festival.
Over the weekend, there were claims online that a prominent minister’s birthday celebrations in Tobago prompted CAL to “pull legitimate travellers off flights to ensure room for other ministers, friends and financiers” to attend.
However, Padarath, trashing the social media claim, said, “I have no intentions of playing into concocted stories by the PNM (People’s National Movement) and their agents.”
On Sunday, Caribbean Airlines also dismissed the claims. In a statement, it said no confirmed passengers on the airbridge were displaced to accommodate Government officials. CAL explained that all passengers holding confirmed bookings on both days were on their booked flights and several people travelling on standby were also served. CAL also pointed out there were 182 unused seats on the airbridge last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Padarath didn’t reply to questions for his views on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s call for her ministers and Government officials not to engage in partying and feteing during the State of Emergency. Padarath also did not respond to queries on whether or not the Prime Minister’s instructions came before or after the alleged party in Tobago.
Persad-Bissessar’s directive followed the attendance of several ministers at a US Embassy cocktail party on July 18, hours after the SoE was called.