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  • 6 months ago
Opposition Leader Penelope Beckles is not backing down. At a political meeting in Beetham Gardens, she defended her past role in CEPEP, pushed back at personal attacks and, took aim at the government's handling of the Indian Prime Minister's recent visit.

Achsah Gulston reports.
Transcript
00:00The People's National Movement took its public meeting to Beatham Gardens in Laventhal West on Thursday night.
00:07Addressing supporters, opposition leader Penelope Beckles pushed back against recent government claims,
00:13particularly surrounding her family's ties to CPEP.
00:16I was the minister with responsibility for CPEP from 2003 to 2007.
00:22You would have seen recently they put up a post that my father has five CPEP gangs.
00:30My father died more than 10 years ago.
00:34Yes, he was a CPEP contractor like everybody else.
00:37He got a contract as though, well, you know, my father, like others, could not have had a CPEP contract.
00:45But they want you to believe for some strange reason that he's still alive.
00:50And he has five gangs.
00:55Desperation is a hell of a thing.
00:57Beckles defended the value of CPEP workers, stressing their contributions not only to local communities,
01:04but also during regional crises, such as in Grenada after Hurricane Ivan.
01:10She reaffirmed the PNM's commitment to the program and its workers and promised to seek justice on their behalf.
01:17She also reflected on her own rise from humble beginnings,
01:22crediting PNM policies for giving her the opportunity to serve
01:25and encouraged residents to believe in hard work and integrity.
01:30Beckles also addressed what she called a misrepresentation of her comments
01:34regarding the recent visit by India's prime minister.
01:37She pointed to a long-standing diplomatic relationship between the two countries,
01:42one she says which championed by past the PNM governments since Indira Gandhi's visit in 1968.
01:49If you listen to the Honourable Kamala Passat-Bissessa in the Parliament
01:55taking credit for what we call positive trade with India, 1.2 billion,
02:05you would feel that in two months they did that.
02:08No credit to Dr. Rowley and the People's National Movement.
02:11I want you all to remember that when Dr. Rowley spoke about having a cashless society,
02:21the UNC objected.
02:23Aksha Galston, TV6 News.
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