Rumours of an attempt to overthrow the People’s Partnership Government caused panic among some people in the capital city, who left at mid-afternoon yesterday. It was around 3 pm that the rumour spread causing some people, including staff at the Ministry of Legal Affairs, to leave for home. Communications Minister Vasant Bharath later issued a statement denying the rumour.
“This serves to officially advise that there is no coup attempt upon the Government of T&T,” he said. “These malicious rumours of a coup are totally rejected and are nothing more than a theatrical attempt to create panic and alarm.” The regular sitting of the House of Representatives was taking place at the time the statement was issued, and continued into the evening.
“There is absolutely no truth or evidence with any security threat or breach and members of the public are assured that normal conditions prevail in the (capital) city and across the nation,” the minister stressed. He said the National Operations Centre had “explored all avenues of information-gathering and spoke to all law-enforcement and intelligence agencies and there is no information to corroborate this rumour.”
Bharath said this is the second such rumour that had surfaced in this past week and it “seems to be a part of an orchestrated campaign of mischief aimed at disturbing the public peace.” He said National Security Minister Gary Griffith would continue to align all resources to ensure the safety and security of the State and its citizens.