Kamla SLAMS AG Al-Rawi For Alleged Involvement In ‘Floating Restaurant’ Fiasco

In a Media Release on Tuesday (28th December 2021), Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the Attorney General’s latest debacle proves “the Rowley regime needs mandatory truth serum.”

​Police detained 100 persons who were onboard the “Ocean Pelican” vessel in Chaguaramas on Boxing Day (Sunday 26th December 2021). The group was processed and subsequently released pending further enquiries. The organizer of the event is said to be Adrian Scoon, the son of Minister of Trade and Industry, Paula Gopee-Scoon.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Faris Al-Rawi, issued a statement of clarification on Tuesday regarding his alleged involvement in the matter, denying he offered any legal advice to Mr. Scoon about how to bypass the Public Health Regulations.

In her Media Release, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar said, “During the past 6 years, there has been no shortage of ways in which Attorney General Faris Al Rawi has debased himself and the once-respected office he holds. However, Al Rawi’s latest debacle surely seals his fate as the most unethical Attorney General in our nation’s history.”

She continued, “It is simply appalling that while Keith Rowley has now resorted to threatening public servants to either accept mandatory vaccination or unemployment, his Attorney General Faris Al Rawi is simultaneously providing personal advice to well-connected PNM individuals on how to circumvent the Government's own COVID-19 protocols.”

The Opposition Leader said that in this instance, “Al Rawi allegedly advised the son of Minister Paula Gopee Scoon, Adrian Scoon, on a way to bypass COVID-19 regulations so as to throw a fete on a boat by declaring it to be a floating restaurant. This Government continues to lie and spin their way through this pandemic while placing the lives and livelihoods of our citizens in increasing jeopardy.”

She went on to point out, “What is truly pitiful is that the Attorney General is steadfastly denying this took place even though there is documentary proof of Adrian Scoon writing to Terrance Deyalsingh saying he has converted his boat (Ocean Pelican) to a restaurant and is acting on advice from the Attorney General. The fact that our COVID-19 infection and death rates continue to skyrocket unchecked, makes this latest act by Al Rawi a sickening betrayal of the public which elected him to act in their best interests.”

Mrs. Persad-Bissessar added, “Unlike hundreds of thousands of Public Servants and the hundreds of thousands who have suffered during the economic lockdowns, Faris Al Rawi won't be worrying over his job after his outrageous behaviour. Keith Rowley will continue to turn a blind eye to all acts of, lies, misbehaviour, corruption, and malfeasance within his Cabinet. Our nation is facing a crisis that is being made worse by a Rowley Government that has no fear in telling bold-faced lies to the public to cover their tracks.”

Her Media Release concluded by saying, “I advise Keith Rowley before he threatens and berates any more workers for failing to support mandatory COVID-19 vaccination, he and his Ministers should subscribe to the idea of ‘mandatory truth-telling’ for themselves.”

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