PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – The main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) has criticised National Security Minister Jack Warner over disparaging remarks he made regarding President George Maxwell Richards.

Warner, who is also chairman of the United National Congress, (UNC) the biggest member in Trinidad’s four-party coalition People’s Partnership government, told reporters over the weekend that Richards “will forever be remembered as the man who politicised the distinguished office of the presidency and compromised the traditional independent role of the position”.

Richards had earlier requested information from Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar over the early implementation of the controversial Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act.

Warner accused the Trinidad head of state of being extremely silent during the reign of the last PNM administration on several issues.

“The mask of President Richards has fallen and the entire nation can now see him for who he has always been, a political puppet of the former administration, placed there to bolster the political fortunes of the People’s National Movement,” Warner said.

But the PNM said that Warner’s criticism of President Richards, who demits office in March was an attack on the presidency “and more particularly the impartiality of the presidency”.

“Every attack constitutes another layer of obfuscation and they dance around answering the real issues,” PNM public relations officer Faris Al-Rawi told reporters.