Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley has dismissed claims made by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar about Trinidad and Tobago facing possible US sanctions, as a delusional rant.

The Opposition Leader had expressed concern in regard to a shipment of gas fuel from the State’s Paria Fuel Trading Company, which left Trinidad &Tobago’s shores on April 21st, to go to Aruba. Referencing global reports which suggest the fuel may have eventually been sent to Venezuela, Mrs. Persad Bissessar called on the Prime Minister to “come clean” on the matter.

In a statement on Friday, Dr. Rowley dismissed the comments as nothing more than fear tactics. “For the Opposition Leader to be out front in scaremongering and giving life to rumours that Trinidad and Tobago has dangerously broken US sanctions against Venezuela and we have failed to answer allegations of that nature is as low as Mrs Persad-Bissessar has ever gone,” he said.

Dr. Rowley pointed out that the matter was already addressed in the public domain. “I as Prime Minister, on Wednesday in the Parliament, answered a UNC question and I denied any knowledge of Trinidad and Tobago fuel business making any sales to Venezuela. The Minister of Energy also responded saying that we sold fuel to Aruba and cannot be held responsible for the end user of that product. The Chairman of state company Paria also explained how it has transacted business and all of these responses are clear and truthful denials,” he said.

Dr. Rowley lamented that notwithstanding all of this, the Opposition Leader in her “desperation for relevance” insists on fueling unfounded allegations against her own country in the hope that it will result in damaging sanctions which would destroy our economy and our friendly relationship with the United States.