Minister Khadijah Ameen vows to keep doing her job and praises state security protection following alleged death threats against her and three other officials.
00:00I know that today we are speaking about handing over some equipment, but P.S., I want to ask both P.S.'s for us to arrange. You know, I like to go outside. I want us to arrange a day when we will launch the use of this equipment on a beach in the East Coast.
00:19Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Amin speaking during a ceremony that marked the handing over of tractors to the government from Japan via its embassy in Trinidad and Tobago under the Improving National Sargasm Management Capacities in the Caribbean Project.
00:36The event took place one day after the Express newspaper reported that there is a $2.8 million collective bounty plot against Minister Amin, Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarat, Defence Minister Wayne Sturge and URP Program Manager for Rose Khan.
00:53I will not be intimidated by any threats. I want to commend those who are responsible for our safety, for their continuous advice, their continuous information gathering, intelligence gathering, and putting the necessary systems in place to keep us safe.
01:09Minister Amin told the media she is committed to doing her job.
01:13Our government has always been very hands-on in terms of governance, in terms of meeting with people, in terms of consulting, working with stakeholders, and we will continue that.
01:22I want the public to be assured that the threats or perceived threats will not hinder our work and our commitment.
01:30I also want to commend the Prime Minister for that taking that firm stand against corruption.
01:35The Express newspaper quoted the Prime Minister, Kamala Pesad-Besessa, as having said on Monday that,
01:41quote, the gangs are being starved of funds due to the clampdown on European CPEP, as well as the actions taken by the police to dismantle their operations.
01:51They are attempting to retaliate and create disorder, but the protective services will respond swiftly and mercilessly, end quote.
02:00The PNM, now in opposition, has criticized the government with its clampdown of European CPEP contracts and the resulting termination of employment of thousands of workers.
02:09There are several places in almost every ministry where you can find contracts being given for exaggerated amounts,
02:19where you cannot find value for work, where very little, if any work at all, would have been performed,
02:25where you had legal fees being paid, I mean, millions of dollars for consultation, legal consultations, and so on.
02:32And all these are ways that the last government would have siphoned money from the Treasury that could have been used for providing more food cards,
02:42for providing support for our school children, for providing laptops.
02:46Minister Amin said there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of people, who are very happy with the stand the new government has taken.
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