PM Rowley slams opposition for questioning his foreign travels, calls it 'beneficial for people'

Trinidad and Tobago: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has responded to criticism by the opposition regarding his travels for government business. He highlighted the benefits these trips yielded for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. PM Rowley was speaking during the Post-Cabinet Media Briefing held at Whitehall on Thursday when he spoke on the matter. He said that the facts are being misrepresented and it is being said that over a period of almost four years, 19 trips made by a delegation led by the Prime Minister that those 19 trips costs $10 million.

PM Rowley added that this is a fact that has been established, but what the population needs to know is that it is a significant improvement in the reduction in travel costs.

He said that the meetings that he has been attending have been very valuable to the country, so he is not a Prime Minister who is traveling for leisure purposes.

"I indicated to this country that I am the country's number one salesman, and I led from the front in renegotiating and opening terms of contracts that were extremely important to Trinidad and Tobago," noted the PM.

He also highlighted that the expense of 10 million for 19 delegations is in talks and is being called scandalous, but the past administration has been utilizing over $2.6 million for one trip and added, "Throughout my tenure as Prime minister, no delegation cost $2 million. None."

PM Keith Rowley mentioned that there was delegation who went to India in 2012 and that costed around $12 million but he did not saw any banner headline in this country about scandal then.

He further added that it usually takes a series of meetings to negotitate for different deals which is why such travel trips are necessary. PM Rowley added that he visited Melbourne at the invitation of the Australian government for an official visit and took the opportunity to meet with the head of BHP, who was just about to sell out their interests to the new company.

"But BHP was sitting on an oil field here in the country, which was not producing any oil because the investment was not being sanctioned," he noted and said that the visit to Australia resulted in that field rugby being sanctioned and triggered a $500 million investment in that field.

He further mentioned that during that visit, the delegation was also able to tap into an Australian funding mechanism for military equipment following which Trinidad and Tobago became the first country to have tapped into it of which came the two CAPE Class vessels including the KG 41 and KG 42.

"And, of course, we were able to negotiate and introduce the purchase of the two new ferries, the Buccoo Reef and the APT James, funded from Australian credit arrangements," he added.

PM Keith Rowley said that these were actual benefits of a delegation led by a Prime Minister to Australia for the benefit of the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

Talking about his visits to the US, he said that every single one of those was a continuation of his engagement either with Trinidad and Tobago issues or Caricom issues, which made them necessary to visit.