ROWLEY WRONG ON LIMITD SoE

PRIME Minister Dr. Keith Rowley was wrong in telling the Parliament that “there is no such thing as a limited State of Emergency.” 

In fact, a PNM administration of which he was a member declared a limited SoE in August 1995 to restrict the movements of renegade Speaker of the House of Representatives Occah Seapaul. 

The limited SoE was declared so the House could pass a constitutional amendment that permitted the Government to oust her. 

The limited SoE was declared by Acting President Emmanuel Carter, on the advice of then-Prime Minister Patrick Manning. 

Manning’s Government had accused Seapaul of conspiring to overthrow the ruling regime by suspending Members of Parliament and eliminating its majority. 

The matter became entangled in Court, and Seapaul later agreed to demit office. 

As Prime Minister, Rowley spoke publicly some years ago on the matter, following which Seapaul said she would take legal action against him for allegedly misrepresenting the facts. 

As he wound up debate on an extension of the SoE in the House on Wednesday August 25, 2021, Rowley said there was “ no such such thing” as a limited SoE. 

But that is disputed by the Seapaul matter, with which he was familiar. 

Then-Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday had criticised Manning for that course of action. 

In August 2011, then-Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar declared a limited SoE in certain crime hotspots in an effort to confront a spate of violent acts of lawlessness. 

Ms. Persad-Bissessar was condemned for the measure by Rowley, who was Opposition Leader at that time.