Minister Padarath Criticizes Independent Senators, Defends PM’s Special Operations Bill Position

Minister of Public Utilities and Leader of Government Business in the Lower House, Barry Padarath is standing by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s criticism of President-appointed senators over their positions on the proposed Special Operations Bill.

“Some, not necessarily all, some of the president’s picks have their own self-serving interests. When you have persons sitting on the bench, hand-selected by the president, receiving state briefs, receiving board appointments, and I can point you to at least two of the sitting senators of the president’s picks sitting on that bench, receiving those state briefs, receiving those state board appointments, and other, some may call it inducement, I will not call it inducement, but I will allow Trinidad and Tobago to judge for themselves.”

Minister Padarath has accused some independent senators of pursuing personal or political interests instead of providing what he describes as an independent voice.