00:00Former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley is dismissing suggestions that he benefited from any special arrangement at TNTech.
00:08Responding after Prime Minister Kamala Pesad-Besasa read out a list of individuals she claimed were on a protected customer
00:16list,
00:17Rowley maintained he was unaware of any such arrangement.
00:21Producing photos of his latest bill paid, Dr. Rowley said,
00:25I am unaware of being on any list at TNTech. I pay my electricity bills as and when they become
00:32due at properties in Trinidad and Tobago.
00:36Rowley also insisted he never sought or received special treatment from the utility company, adding,
00:43I never requested nor was offered any protection from TNTech billing operations.
00:48The former Prime Minister went on to criticize the government's handling of the issue,
00:53accusing Prime Minister Pesad-Besasa of focusing on political attacks rather than national affairs.
01:00Meanwhile, Attorney Renuka Sagram Singh Soklal also rejected the Prime Minister's claims.
01:05In her social media post, she said her electricity bills are fully paid and denied receiving any special privileges.
01:13She said, quote,
01:14For the record, my bills are paid up with money I honestly earn. No special list, no protected status, no
01:21privileges, end quote.
01:23But she argued the controversy was distracting from more pressing national concerns, adding, quote,
01:29The only bill Trinidad and Tobago should be concerned about is the old $100 bill.
01:34My bill is settled. The country's bill is outstanding.
01:38Former Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzalez also strongly rejected the Prime Minister's allegations,
01:44describing them as false and misleading.
01:47Gonzalez said he had made inquiries and was informed that TNTech maintains an internal database
01:53of certain high-profile customers, including ministers, judges and diplomats,
01:59so the utility can make contact if accounts are flagged for unusual activity or possible disconnection.
02:06He stressed that customers are not informed if their accounts are flagged, explaining, quote,
02:12Those customers are not aware that their accounts are flagged for this purpose
02:15because it is an internal matter with the commission, end quote.
02:20Gonzalez challenged the government to release his billing records, adding, quote,
02:24I can personally say for a fact that no one in TNTech informed me that my account was flagged in
02:29this manner,
02:30and I have consistently paid my bills before and after holding ministerial office.
02:36The former minister also accused the Prime Minister of using parliamentary privilege
02:41to selectively name former government officials while omitting others allegedly included on the list.
02:48The government has not yet responded to the latest criticisms.
02:52Arvishi Tiwari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
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