The Opposition UNC has condemned Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley for his lack of public appearances amid flooding which has seriously affected parts of the country over the past week. 

“Once the devastation began last Thursday, Keith Rowley and the PNM displayed the exact same level of ‘casual brutality’ to the people of Trinidad and Tobago as their appointed managers at Paria showed to the trapped divers while they were still fighting for their lives in the underwater pipe,” the UNC said in a statement.

Referencing a situation on Tuesday when Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan was verbally attacked by angry residents who urged him to “stop and talk to the people” as he toured the community, the party added: “The people at Bamboo No. 2 were righteously angry when the Ministers passed through on Tuesday, particularly at Rohan Sinanan for telling the country the previous day that he was “comfortable” with his government’s and his Ministry’s response to the nationwide devastation.”

Referencing a pile up of traffic which saw many people in hours of traffic as flood waters crossed the roadway, the UNC said the situation could have been avoided.

“Citizens had to suffer up to an unbearable 6 hours in traffic last night, due to a lack of foresight, planning and care by Rowley and his Ministers. The Northbound lane could have been used as a dual carriageway.”

“In the midst of all this Government-made suffering, the Prime Minister is nowhere to be found. Once again, as in all other national disasters, he is hiding from the public,” the UNC added.

Last Saturday, the Prime Minister issued a statement about what he described as “a bad weather emergency”, telling citizens: “Excessively heavy rains are upon us and all our water courses are at or are close to capacity… Citizens are requested to be very alert to these dangers and, as far as feasible, restrict your movements until the dangers have passed or are abated.”

He further assured: “All arms and agencies of the state have been fully mobilized and are on alert under the instruction of the Prime Minister and under the monitoring guidance of a team of Ministers from Local Government, Works and Transport, as well as National Security.