Opposition Chief Whip Marvin Gonzales has disputed the Attorney General’s claim there was heightened protection for government officials and increased security for parliamentarians on Friday..
AG John Jeremie made the revelation during debate on the Parole Bill on Wednesday in Parliament.
He said he was authorized by the Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro to disclose that a gang “sparked a national security incident” causing additional protection for Parliamentarians and certain officials in the government.
However, speaking at a Peoples National Movement media conference on Thursday, Mr Gonzales says Opposition parliamentarians were not informed of any such incident.
“When we left the Parliament on Friday night, there was no heightened sense of security, or presence around the Parliament. When we stayed in the Parliament from 1:30pm to about 7:00 pm, no on briefed us as Members of Parliament,” he said.
“No one briefed the Leader of the Opposition, that there were specific threats surrounding the Parliament, against Members of Parliament, and therefore certain actions had to be taken to ensure that we were safe.”
Mr Gonzales went on to claim that the government was attempting to deceive the public, using the office of the Commissioner of Police.
“It is nothing but a great and a grand deception being led by none other than the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, and bringing into play the Office of the Commissioner of Police,” he said.
“I want to advise the Commissioner of Police do not allow your office to be used as the mouthpiece of propaganda by this UNC government.”
