Stuart Young Calls for Investigation into Rowley’s Diplomatic Passport Incident

Former Prime Minister Stuart Young is advocating for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s recent flagging while traveling on his diplomatic passport. This incident occurred at Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport, leading to Rowley being temporarily detained on two occasions during his transit to Montserrat. Young expressed his concerns in a Facebook statement, questioning who had placed Rowley on a system that flagged him and why he was denied uninterrupted passage. He emphasized that the issue transcends political lines, affecting the integrity of Trinidad and Tobago’s diplomatic credentials. Young also queried whether the Trinidad and Tobago Government had sought clarification from Antigua regarding this matter, highlighting a public statement from Antigua’s Attorney General confirming Rowley’s detention and linking it to Trinidad and Tobago’s actions. Rowley responded, suggesting that informal surveillance might have triggered the incident, and that there are those aware of the actual events leading to the diplomatic breach. He reiterated that his passport was unjustly scrutinized and referred to the situation as a reflection of societal issues, quoting former Prime Minister Eric Williams about the presence of ‘ragamuffins’ in society. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has since confirmed that Rowley is not on any INTERPOL watch list, asserting their independence and denying political interference.