The Movement of Social Justice (MSJ) is not ruling out that the break-in at their San Fernando headquarters on Sunday was orchestrated by their political opponents.
The incident comes on the heels of claims by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that on two occasions before the 2015 general election contract killers were offered the job to kill him but they both refused. Rowley also claimed that recent threats were made to kill Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi.
MSJ’s president David Abdulah, chairman Gregory Fernandez and their local government candidate Kizzy Monsegue said they realised the building had been broken into when they arrived at their Lord Street office for their 1.30 press conference.
Entry was gained by breaking a window in the front office. Fernandez said, “I don’t want to speculate (about the motive). We are hoping it is not part of the attacks we are seeing on MSJ now. We are in the election season and it may be part of the campaign against the MSJ.”
Hopeful that that political mischief was not the motive, he said, “It would send a very bad signal at the start of this election campaign.”
Upon opening the door, he said they recognised that the place was disturbed and called out because they thought someone was still inside the building. They got no response.
“Then we went into a couple of the offices, including his (Abdulah) and it was disturbed, drawers were ransacked.”
They immediately called the police. They were waiting for the police to complete their crime scene investigations before investigating if anything was stolen. Fernandez said they do not conduct financial transactions at the office. The open drawers contained party documents and policies.
Responding to accusations by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal that there were underhand deals regarding OWTU’s Patriotic Energies and Technologies Company Ltd acquisition of the Guaracara Refinery Company, Abdulah said Moonilal was seeking revenge against him and the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union.
Abdulah said Moonilal was feeling miserable and trying to tarnish his name for walking away from the “corruption of the Partnership government” and helping to remove them from power.
He said the MSJ was about transforming governance in T&T so that the aims of the preamble to the Constitution of T&T can be achieved.