It “certainly” was the appearance of Sea Lots community leader Cedric “Burkie” Burke with Marlene McDonald at President’s House last Friday which caused Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to fire her.
And Rowley wouldn’t have reappointed McDonald if he’d known that situation would have become an issue, he confirmed yesterday.
“It certainly did ...” Rowley told reporters during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair, when asked if firing McDonald on Sunday had to do with Burke’s appearance during her swearing-in.
Rowley, who leaves today for the annual Caricom summit in Grenada, spoke about his rehiring of McDonald in last week’s Cabinet reshuffle and why he fired her two days after she was sworn in at President’s House last Friday.
He also slammed the Integrity Commission and detractors who felt he didn’t consider the commission and police probes concerning McDonald in reappointing her.
Rowley fired McDonald on Sunday after concerns arose about her appearance at her swearing-in function with Burke among her supporters. Criticism of the situation swirled on social media.
Burke was detained in the 2011 state of emergency and charged with being a gang leader, but was eventually freed.
But while Rowley’s statements indicated it was McDonald’s decision to take Burke to the event which caused her removal, he also had a response to queries on whether—with hindsight—he was prepared to admit he’d made a mistake in reappointing her in the first place.
“Well, had I known that it would have ended up in this way, had I known the swearing-in would have become the national conversation, I may not have done that,” he said.
“Had I known that the swearing-in would become an issue—if I had a crystal ball to look into it and ask if I appointed her, the swearing-in would have resulted in this— clearly I wouldn’t have.
“But the bottom line is I had no way of knowing the swearing-in would have resulted in this situation. However, that’s a different question to whether I should have brought her back. I made a decision based on my overall view of the landscape and there are those who agree and those who don’t.”
He later declined to respond on whether he would have made the reappointment.
“I’m not going down that road. I responded to a development that required intervention on my part. I’m not having a press conference to debate whether I knew who was coming to a swearing-in or not,” he added.
But Rowley confirmed the circumstances around what happened at President’s House had resulted in revocation of McDonald’s appointment and there was “sufficient information for rejection of the developments” there.
On why McDonald’s affiliation with Burke was such an issue, Rowley said, “Let me spell it out: it’s very easy for one to say and to remember that in the issue of responding to crime and criminality in T&T, there’s a view in many quarters that the Government’s inability—other governments also—to properly respond to the threat of criminality is because of a closeness and an association between government personnel and people engaged in criminal conduct.”
The PM stressed: “Nothing that supports that is to be encouraged in any form or fashion.”
He added, “The minister had a responsibility not to do anything that would prevent the Government from engaging the national community— those law-abiding and those law breaking—in such a way the Government preserves its ability to discharge its responsibilities to the population.
“This Government will retain its ability to speak with moral and other authority in its fight against crime and criminality and we’ll jealously preserve our ability to do so by ensuring we don’t compromise ourselves in any way.”
Pressed further, he said: “When I speak or take action on this matter, suffice to say I speak as Prime Minister and chairman of the National Security Council—who more than likely will have a bit more information than anyone else. And the decisions I make are decisions made against that background.”
On whether any other Cabinet members will be probed for such affiliations, the PM said: “Anywhere it’s found that there is support for that kind of allegation, which will result in great discomfort to the national community, there would be a need for a response.”
Security protocols at President’s House need urgent review
On the breach of protocol by Burke, Rowley said there were certain “imperatives” that needed tightening, including observances of protocols and ensuring water-tight systems at President’s House.
The situation there last Friday resulted in his having discussions with McDonald and his decision not to have her as a Cabinet member, he said.
Rowley said as a result of the situation, security arrangements at President’s House need review, more rigorous protocols are required and procedures should be more forcefully followed so that last Friday’s situation doesn’t recur.
Detailing what occurred hours after he left President’s House, Rowley said, “I spoke to Ms McDonald on this matter as soon as it came to my attention. I attended the swearing-in and left it promptly as the documentation was completed and the official photographs taken, so I had no idea that had gone on.
“I then travelled to Tobago on Friday night and about 7.45 pm that night I was informed of these developments. I immediately sought to communicate with Ms McDonald. I wasn’t able to communicate with her until midnight and we had some discussions on the matter and I expressed my concern and indicated to her on Friday night how I intended to deal with it.”
Rowley said she had the option then of resigning.
“That’s always available when matters like this are in the process of coming out. When I expressed my concerns, the option of resignation was always there. But the bottom line is that as Prime Minister I couldn’t turn a blind eye to that development.”
When he met with her on Sunday morning, Rowley said, “My relationship and my conversations with Ms McDonald was very civil and very forthright as it has always been.”
On Burke’s protestation that he could not understand the claims being made about his character since he had no convictions, Rowley said he wasn’t prepared to debate on Burke or others, “all of whom have entrenched rights to live in T&T, without certain kind of harassment.”
“However, in treating with safety, security, crime and criminality and citizens’ comfort, I hold the office of National Security Council chairman and I may have a little more information on these matters than any other citizen,” the PM said.
He said he also wasn’t broadening the issue to probe people who may have gotten contracts from McDonald.
“Those issues are always there as we look at the general management of T&T. But all of us as MPs represent all the people in our constituencies. So having a constituent who may have questions to answer or may have run afoul of the law isn’t an offence in itself,” he said.
“If you represent people you have to interact with them. But you have a requirement and responsibility to ensure that interaction doesn’t become part of the problem.”
On perception that it’s an indictment on his judgment that he wasn’t aware of McDonald’s relationship with certain community leaders, he said “there was a lot he didn’t know, but the action I took is based on what I know.”
The Prime Minister said he knew there DIAZwas disappointment in many quarters regarding McDonald’s dismissal, “but the situation first and foremost involves Government and not party matters. There may be consideration for the party, but this is a Government action regarding a Government office.”
He said he wouldn’t be taking issue with PoS South’s selection of her as MP. On her deputy leadership, he said the PNM deals with its deputies at convention and noted that deputies assist the leader.
