National Security Minister Stuart Young is not at all swayed by the motion of no confidence filed against him by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar- and he says he believes civic minded citizens will see the move for what it is.

“It is noted how much time and energy the opposition spends focused on me. They have even resorted to lies and misinformation as their usual tools of trade when referring to me. So, the motion filed by the Leader of the Opposition, attacking me, is simply part of their continued misconceived and desperate plan,” Young said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon in response to Persad Bissessar. 

“As an individual who once held the post of Prime Minister of this country, it saddens me to see Mrs Kamla Persad Bissessar now struggle for relevance,” he added.

The Opposition Leader announced her filing of the  motion earlier on Wednesday, claiming Young had “failed to faithfully discharge his duties to the people of this nation”.  

Continuing her critique of Minister Young’s handling of the exemption process since the closure of borders in March of last year, Persad-Bissessar said: “The confused and muddled manner in which Minister Young continues to preside over  the Government’s exemption process represents a new low for himself.”

In response, the National Security Minister said: “It is downright shameful that a Senior Counsel is not seized of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago. The borders of Trinidad and Tobago have been legally closed since March 2020 based on the advice of our public health experts. This measure is a pillar of the public’s protection in the face of a global pandemic (COVID-19). The closure of the borders is legal and done in accordance with our laws.”