Pastor wants Gary for PM
■ Alexander Bruzual
alexander.bruzual@trinidadexpress.com
PASTOR Ian Albert Ezekiel Brown, who says he was a spy employed by the Strategic Services Agency (SSA), has thrown his support behind former commissioner of police Gary Griffith to be the next Prime Minister.
Brown was speaking recently on the Mentalk programme, hosted by Prof Noel Richards on 98.1FM.
Griffith, political leader of the National Transformation Alliance (NTA), was also a speaker on the programme.
During the interview, Richards and Brown discussed the prospect that Griffith could lead the country from a 'Christian perspective'.
Brown, who shot into the spotlight last week following the shake-upattheSSA aswellasthe searches of his Arima home and his churches -the Jerusalem Bride (JB Church) in Malabar, Arima, and the Eden Restored Church in Caratal - said that Griffith was a man 'bent on doing things differently'.
Brown said he believed that Griffith would be someone who could lead the country from a righteous perspective.
'He is a man of God, a man of character and a man bent on doing things differently. Again for what Gary knows, for what he is bent on doing differently. I am supporting him to build a Christian perspective; in how God is going to honour his activities because he will know God's ways,' Brown said.
He said that a Christian perspective, in his mind, was one of righteousness, and one where persons would be willing to do all that is necessary for the benefit of the country.
Brown said that he was deeply embedded in bringing this country to a better place.
'I am here because my voice must be kingdom. His voice, he will now know is also kingdom. that is what he is learning. and what I am saying to this nation... is if you are given one session to tell you what our plans are, what I have been involved in, what we know will bring this nation together... you will start to listen to what everyone has to say differently...all across the board...let's do it right,' Brown said.
Griffith: A soldier to my God In his contribution, Griffith did not directly respond to Brown, however, he described himself as a servant to God and the people of Trinidad and Tobago. He said that was why he would never 'sell his soul' for political gain and would always stand on principle.
'You will hear even as it pertains to police commissioners, those before me and after me, they continue to see their big crime plan as divine intervention. It can't be divine intervention. God is not going to put on camouflage and jump down here and just smite and strike all evildoers. No. God helps those who help themselves. And that is where I myself as a police commissioner, I understood that I was not a soldier to man, but a soldier to my God. And a servant to my God that I have to operate in such a manner to fight and be prepared to give my life for my country for the average citizen for a stranger. That is what is required. And by me doing that I will never, never turn a blind eye to accept wrongdoing because of political affiliation. Maybe that's probably why I was fired on two occasions. I stand firm in principle, I stand firm for what I believe in. I am not going to be politically manipulated and I am not going to sell my soul to evil to remain in power,' Griffith said.
The former police commissioner also reiterated that politics in this country needed an overhaul, as he believed that most persons only appeared to act with 'agendas'.
However, he said that he would be willing to work with anyone and any opposition party, who would be willing to serve this country to ensure that it can be made better.
'The best persons, whatever their role or background, once they can be brought together and are willing to work, who are not just opportunists and want something from the country, but are rather willing to serve this country and serve their God, I will work with them all. Once it is for the betterment of this country,' Griffith said.
'PRINCIPLE': Pastor Ian Brown
'RIGHTEOUS': Gary Griffith
