Who is popular today?

THE Government of Antigua and Barbuda lamented the delaying of former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley on two occasions recently in transiting through that country's airport, a senior government minister told Newsday via a phone-call on July 22.
At a media briefing at his Glencoe home on July 21, Rowley said his transit through Antigua and Barbuda to go to Montserrat had been delayed in him going on July 13 and on his subsequent return. On his outbound trip, he eventually learnt the delay was caused by him being flagged as being on a watch-list.
On his return flight, an airport supervisor had tried to blame his second delay on a case of mistaken identity, but Rowley's follow-up inquiries to contacts and colleagues in the region indicated he was on Interpol's watch list.
At his briefing, Rowley alleged that his name could only be placed on that list by entities in TT.
“It is on that basis that I am placing this squarely in the lap of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the Commissioner of Police of Trinidad and Tobago and the Attorney General who, in my view, this development is the kind of development I would expect from the Attorney General of TT."
In a response a few hours after Rowley's briefing, Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro said Rowley's name was not on any Interpol watch list.
“The TTPS (TT Police Service), through its Interpol Bureau, promptly initiated a review of internal systems. Comprehensive checks were conducted across Interpol’s secure databases which yielded a definitive result – Dr Rowley is not listed on any Interpol watch list or international notice...
“No alerts, flags, or warrants are associated with his name in Interpol’s systems.”
He added that police had not submitted nor caused to be submitted, any information to Interpol that would justify such a listing.
Guevarro also sought to defend the police as an independent and apolitical institution.
“No evidence has emerged indicating that the organisation, or any of its members, has participated in politically motivated conduct regarding Dr Rowley.”
In her own response later on July 21, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said Rowley should have first checked with the police before making his claims and now must apologise to the people of TT for what she termed his "spurious, unfounded and inflammatory allegations."
She said Rowley should not "fan the flames of paranoia."
Rowley later dismissed Persad-Bissesar's comments citing past instances of political attacks against him.
On July 22, Newsday contacted Interpol, which is based in Lyon, France, on July 22 to ask if Rowley was on its watch list.
Interpol replied, "We will always refer enquiries to national authorities, therefore we would recommend you address your query to the national police of Trinidad and Tobago."
Newsday later spoke to Antigua and Barbuda's Minister of Legal Affairs, Public Safety and Labour Steadroy Benjamin, who is also that country's attorney general. He regretted the incident and supported Rowley's account of events.
Approached by Newsday, Benjamin initially said, "Well, to be quite honest with you, we do not wish to comment on that unpleasant circumstance that arose in Antigua a few days ago, with respect to former prime minister, Dr Rowley. It is unfortunate and deeply regrettable.
"But as far as I am aware, as far as I am aware, Dr Rowley has not misstated anything."
Benjamin said his government had decided not to make a comment on the incident.
"But as attorney general and minister of immigration, I could say that Dr Rowley has not misstated anything.
"But as to who caused his name to be on the Interpol list, we have no idea about that whatsoever. So that cannot be verified at all by us. We know nothing, nothing at all, about that."
Newsday asked if there had been any speculation that the Antigua and Barbuda government might have been the ones responsible for putting Rowley on a watch list.
Benjamin retorted, "Rubbish! This is stupidness! Absolute rubbish!
"Why would my government want to do this to Dr Rowley? Nonsense! Total nonsense!"
Newsday asked if he was confirming that something had happened with Rowley at the Antigua airport. He replied that he did not wish to comment on the matter any further.
"Safe to say that something did happen."
Newsday asked if there was now a need for bridge-building and fence-mending between TT and Antigua and Barbuda.
Benjamin replied, "I think any fence-fixing has to be done within TT."
"We have conducted ourselves properly. He got nothing wrong at all.
"So any fence to be mended, has to be done in Trinidad itself."
He offered some last comments.
"It is most unfortunate. That's all I can say. A most unfortunate incident."
The post Antigua minister: We did not put Rowley on Interpol list appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.