THE Prime Minister has defended a young professional against allegations made against him by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal.

Dr Rowley, who is in the US for routine medical check-ups, did so in a Facebook post on September 10.

At a UNC news conference on September 8, Moonilal was critical of Keron Rose, an information communication technology (IT) specialist and columnist with Newsday's Business Day magazine.

Moonilal thought Rose was a director of a company that was allegedly awarded a contract by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) to build a box drain. Moonilal said the contract was signed by an HDC official, and then showed what he claimed was a cheque dated April 17 for $4.8 million.

"How did $3.7 million reach to $4.8 million? What is that, interest, transactions cost? It is a government cheque. What did they receive this cheque for?" Moonilal asked.

Moonilal claimed the company that was awarded the contract is based in his constituency.

He then asked HDC managing director Jayselle McFarlane to shed light on the matter, asking if the project for which the contract was signed was ever started or completed.

On the claims against Keron Rose, Rowley said Moonilal is once again "busy there pleading public interest and free speech."

Referring to an event about the digital domain which the Heliconia Foundation held at Balisier House in May, at which Keron Rose was a speaker, Rowley described Moonilal's claims against Rose as unwarranted.

"In this case, instead of encouraging these young people to do these good things, he jumps in to destroy reputations with lies."

Rowley hoped Moonilal "will be made to acknowledge his lies and his disgusting political style."

He said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Opposition Senator Wade Mark regularly engage in the same practice. Rowley added these are well known strategies which the UNC uses against its perceived political enemies.

[caption id="attachment_923749" align="alignnone" width="683"] Keron Rose. - Photo courtesy Keron Rose[/caption]

"Those are the UNC’s understanding and practice of organised wrongdoing in the hope of deliberately damaging people's reputation."

In a subsequent Facebook post on the same day, Moonilal acknowledged that he had confused Keron Rose with a businessman, Kerron Rose, writing: "At today’s press conference I asked several questions concerning serious allegations of mismanagement and improper corporate practices by the HDC. A name found on the company documents for 'Rose Capital Investments Ltd' was James Rose, who is also known as James Kerron Rose.”

Moonilal added that he did not intend to bring the wrong person into question.

"Any semblance between the Roses by name or appearance is regrettable and unintentional as far as the central issues raised are concerned.”

James Kerron Rose could not be reached for comment.

In a Facebook post on September 9, Keron Rose dismissed Moonilal's claims against him.

"This has to be the craziest most asinine, wreckless (sic) thing I have ever witne