OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has criticised the Prime Minister's response to non-compliance with the Integrity Commission's declaration requirements in 2019, describing it as "weak."

Speaking to Newsday on Tuesday afternoon, she said, “The commission's letter clearly stated that he did not file that for the townhouse in Tobago.

“I think everyone is entitled to clear their name, but I do not believe that what he has now put out can stand the test of clearing him. It will not clear him because the Integrity Commission letter is very clear.”

She was referring to a letter from the commission to Barataria MP Saddam Hosein, in response to his query on why Dr Rowley was not thoroughly investigated by the commission over his omission.

Hosein raised with the commission Rowley's alleged failure to declare a townhouse at Shirvan in Tobago which he and his wife had purchased. In July, during a PNM political meeting, Rowley announced that the commission had "finally come to their senses" and cleared him on that matter.

But the commission admitted, in its letter to Hosein, that there may have been breaches of the Integrity in Public Life Act regarding the townhouse but concluded there was no criminal offence, as the PM did not knowingly provide false information in his declaration. As such, the commission said, that matter was closed.

PM MAKES FORMS PUBLIC

In the face of mounting criticisms over the past week, Rowley released confidential documents on social media to counteract what he described as “the persistent misrepresentation” surrounding his compliance with the Integrity in Public Life Act.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon, he posted a five-page declaration of income and assets and liabilities for 2019 to the commission.

He said, “Contrary to what is being portrayed by persistent misrepresentation that was filled in and submitted by me for 2019, I am making these documents public today so that the national community can judge for themselves...”

[caption id="attachment_1021685" align="alignnone" width="1024"] PM Dr Keith Rowley -[/caption]

Rowley’s move was done in response to more allegations made by MP Hosein and Persad-Bissessar at a UNC meeting on Monday night and on the heels of a pre-action protocol letter sent by attorneys for UNC activist Ravi Balgobin Maharaj to the commission.

Rowley stated that the released documents, specifically extracts from the confidential Form A Declaration of Income and Assets and Liabilities for 2019 and Form B Statement of Registrable Interest for 2019 – were submitted by him.

He emphasised there was no requirement on the form to provide details about a townhouse, and the specific section for townhouse and condominium information is found on page 9 of the form.

“Note carefully there is nowhere on this form where one is required to fill in any detail about a townhouse. Note that in Form A it specifically shows where townhouse and condominium is shown (as required by the form on page 9).

He added: “Form B is always open to the public for