Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar has threatened to take legal action against Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, over statements he made about her.

Speaking at a PNM family day in Toco on Sunday, the PM included the UNC leader as he condemned a recent statement from an Aranguez pundit which claimed that East Indians were being targeted by urban youth.

The Opposition leader calls for an apology and retraction and says in the absence of those, she would sue for defamation.

“Keith Rowley must know that racial tensions can be incited by falsely accusing me of making this divisive statement. It is most irresponsible. It is dangerous and downright nasty politics,” Persad-Bissessar said.

“It is also defamatory of my character and flies in the face of my many years in politics, where I have always celebrated our national unity and our harmonious diversity.”

She added: “As a matter of fact, on the 27th of April 2023, the first paragraph of a press release issued by myself states: Crime does not discriminate. The victims and perpetrators of crime span all political affiliations, ethnicities, religions, social standings, and income levels. No matter which sector of society we identify with, we must have the humility to accept this fact, put aside emotions and work together for all our citizens. All citizens must equally feel safe in Trinidad and Tobago.”

What did he say?

As he addressed attendees at the PNM Family Day on Sunday, Dr. Rowley took the opportunity to respond to inflammatory comments from an Aranguez pundit.

“When the Opposition Leader and two or any other number of pundits want to get up in this country and say that the crime we are all facing, that we are all exposed to, that we are all victims of, when they want to get up and say that it is black people who are attacking Indian people, I say today you all stop that! Don’t go down that road! That’s a road of no return,” he said.

Persad-Bissessar has also called on media houses who carried the comments without seeking a response from her to issue an apology.