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Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has made a startling accusation against two Independent senators in the wake of the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) Bill, 2026, failing in the Senate on Tuesday night.

In a Facebook post titled “My Government will not buy votes”, Persad-Bissessar claimed that two Independent senators approached a senior government senator seeking personal favors in exchange for supporting the Bill. The Prime Minister said these requests were rejected, adding, “They know who they are. They must live with that shame.”

Using a laughing emoji, Persad-Bissessar also mocked the People’s National Movement (PNM), saying her government could have simply called another State of Emergency (SOE), and that the PNM “outsmarted themselves” by celebrating the Bill’s defeat.