MONTSERRAT — A routine trip to the Montserrat Volcano Observatory’s 30th anniversary took a dramatic turn for former Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, who disclosed Monday that he was detained during a stopover in Antigua and Barbuda — flagged unexpectedly on an Interpol watch list.
The revelation, which has sent shockwaves through political circles, comes months after Rowley’s departure from active politics in April. The former prime minister, also a trained geologist, denounced the incident as an orchestrated campaign to destroy his legacy and credibility.
“This isn’t some clerical error,” Rowley said during a press briefing. “This is an intentional act of political warfare, executed through international humiliation. My name didn’t end up on Interpol by accident.”
He stopped short of naming specific individuals but placed the burden squarely on state institutions back home. Rowley demanded public accountability from Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar and Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro, accusing both of being either complicit or complacent.
“Tell the people what I am accused of. What crime am I supposed to have committed? Because I haven’t even been questioned, much less charged,” Rowley said. “If this is how a former Head of Government is treated, what does that say for ordinary citizens?”
The development has ignited a flurry of commentary among legal analysts, opposition figures, and members of the public — many calling it a grim warning about the misuse of state power.
Meanwhile, Interpol has yet to comment on the origin of the watch list entry or the criteria under which it was triggered. The silence only deepens concerns about how easily political vendettas might be internationalized through official channels.
As Rowley returns to private life, the implications of this incident may have only just begun. The question now looms: who controls the levers of international law enforcement — and to what end?
