July 21, 2025
JamRadio Newsdesk | Caribbean Desk
Former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley was detained during a layover in Antigua and Barbuda last week after discovering his name had been flagged on an Interpol watch list—a move he is calling “state-sponsored slander” and a blatant act of political persecution.
Rowley, who stepped down from politics in April, was en route to Montserrat to attend the 30th anniversary of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory when he was stopped by immigration authorities. At a press conference on Monday, he described the ordeal as a “deliberate, calculated attempt to tarnish my name on an international stage,” accusing Trinidadian state entities of orchestrating a “vicious defamation campaign.”
“If this can be done to a former prime minister, imagine what can be done to the average citizen,” Rowley warned.
He has publicly called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General John Jeremie, and Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro to explain how and why his name was submitted to Interpol. The People’s National Movement (PNM) has also demanded full disclosure, calling the incident a stain on Trinidad and Tobago’s democratic integrity.
Rowley has not been charged with any crime, and no formal allegations have been made public. The incident has sparked regional concern over the potential misuse of international law enforcement systems for political retaliation.
JamRadio UK will continue to monitor this developing story.
