PORT  OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) –  The  Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Monday said that the name of the former prime minister Keith Rowley had not been placed on an International Police (Interpol) Watch List and that it remains “committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all citizens, and will continue to provide clear, factual updates as the matter develops”.

Rowley told a news conference earlier that he had been detained and questioned on arrival in Antigua and Barbuda while enroute to Montserrat last week.

“This is not just a mistake, it is a deliberate, calculated attempt to tarnish my name on an international stage,” Rowley told a news conference, adding “it is state-sponsored slander”.

Rowley, who said he was stunned to learn that Trinidad and Tobago authorities may have caused his name to be flagged internationally, has since called on both Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and Police Commissioner, Allister Guevarro, to indicate what role they played in having his name placed on the Interpol watch list.

In a statement, the TTPS said that it had “taken note of recent public statements” by Rowley “ who alleges that he was flagged on an Interpol watch list during his recent travels”.

The TTPS said that in calling upon national authorities, including the commissioner of police, for an explanation, suggests “that his placement was not erroneous, but rather a calculated attempt to defame him on the international stage.

“In light of these assertions, the TTPS, 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. Moreover, the TTPS confirms that it has not submitted, nor caused to be submitted, any information to Interpol that would justify such a listing. There is no record, directive, or procedural action from any department within the TTPS that supports the allegation of local involvement in the matter,” the TTPS said.

It said that it is vital to clarify the nature of Interpol’s governance, saying that the organisation functions under rigorous protocols that require judicial documentation or formal prosecutorial requests for any individual to be listed.

“These procedures are managed exclusively through each member state’s National Central Bureau. The commissioner of police does not hold the authority to unilaterally add or remove individuals from Interpol systems. Such actions are governed by international legal standards, not domestic discretion.

“With respect to the suggestion of political interference or state-sponsored defamation, the TTPS firmly maintains its position 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.”

The TTPS said it “urges responsible dialogue in the public sphere, especially when reputational harm and institutional trust are at stake.

“ While public scrutiny and transparency are vital to democratic processes, it is equally important that commentary is grounded in verified fact. The TTPS remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all citizens, and will continue to provide clear, factual updates as the matter develops,” it added.

During the news conference Rowley told reporters “if this can be done to a former prime minister, imagine what can be done to the average citizen”.

READ: Former Trinidad PM detained in Antigua, placed on Interpol list