GRIFFITH: DIFFICULT FOR ME TO CRITICIZE YOUNG

CCNTV6

Former Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith was in high praise today of the PNM’s pick for the next Prime Minister, Stuart Young.  Speaking at a press conference hosted by his political party the NTA, Griffith says when he worked alongside Young as minister of national security, his leadership skills left no room for criticism.  Reporter Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh was at the party’s Lord Street, San Fernando office and tells us more.

Transcript

00:00When I worked with Minister Stuart Young in that capacity as the Commissioner of Police,

00:05I think the country would have seen we made a very good team.

00:07We were able to handle COVID, we were able to handle security,

00:11and he provided me with the support, the leadership, organizing meetings.

00:16So I have seen him work in his capacity as a leader,

00:20and it is difficult for me to criticize him on it.

00:23Political leader of the National Transformation Alliance, Gary Griffith,

00:27had only praises for Minister Stuart Young following the PNM's General Council decision

00:32over the weekend to support him as the country's next Prime Minister

00:36when Dr. Rowley steps down this year.

00:38Responding to TV6 at a news conference held at the NTA's San Fernando office on Monday,

00:44Griffith said his confidence in Young's leadership capabilities

00:48does not suggest the prospect of an alliance between his and the ruling party.

00:53The PNM has always been one to go alone, so this is not the NTA in any form or fashion

00:57having any intention to say that we intend or would like to work with the PNM.

01:01It is not on the table. The PNM is a very powerful party, very respected.

01:06He says one issue he continues to find distasteful is certain individuals and entities

01:11trying to taint the minister by associating him with the drug charge of a woman a few years ago.

01:17What these attacks do, Griffith says, is also to negatively impact a woman

01:23who happens to be a relative of his.

01:47The NTA hopes to contest all 41 seats in this year's general election.

01:57So far, the party has announced seven candidates.

02:01Asked about NTA's intention to join hands with other parties like the COP and HOPE,

02:07Griffith says, for now, they are being very cautious about such a decision.

02:12An alliance of bodies, if we have the same vision, the same principles, the same ideologies,

02:17we will work together. We are just being very cautious because I was aware

02:22that a political leader was meeting with someone else for weeks before that person

02:27was recently appointed as a newly appointed political leader of another party.

02:31And you see that marriage of convenience, you want to use the parties, bring them in,

02:36say they're working with us, to get the floating voters to vote for your candidates

02:40in the marginal seats to have a 21-seat UNC government, and then spit us out

02:44and then we'll have no participation, no involvement. That can't happen.

02:48Cindy Raghubar-Tikkasing, TV6 News.

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