OPPOSITION Leader Keith Rowley has accused the government of "over-reacting" to Tropical Storm Tomas, saying Friday's nationwide shutdown cost the country more than a storm would have.

Speaking at the People's National Movement (PNM) Women's League seminar at Balisier House, Port of Spain, yesterday morning, Rowley was critical of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar's handling of the storm warnings but assured the gathering that he was in no way "anti-woman".

Rowley said the entire country was shut down "because of a cloud".

Meteorological warnings early Friday that Trinidad and Tobago was possibly in the path of Tomas resulted in schools, public offices and most businesses being closed by midday, on Persad-Bissessar's advice.

Many events planned for later that night were also cancelled, including a number of Divali celebrations at constituency offices, community grounds and private businesses.

Around 9.30 p.m. Friday, Persad-Bissessar also led several government ministers in a press conference, which was televised live, to assure citizens that the emergency gears were ready to turn should the night bring severely adverse weather conditions.

By that time, the Meteorological Office at Piarco had advised that while Trinidad was not in line with the eye of the storm, it could still feel the effects of the system's "feeder bands". Tobago was said to have been in greater danger.

Rowley, who began by saying he was one of many who assumed yesterday's seminar had been cancelled, said he hopes never to see a repeat of Friday's shutdown.

"When I say that because there is a woman in charge, things will automatically go right, I don't want you to think it is because I am anti-woman," Rowley said, stating previously that he was speaking as a husband and father of two daughters, of whom he thought highly.

"But the country was shut down since yesterday morning because we overreacted to a cloud."

Stating that it was a "governance issue", Rowley went on to accuse the Government of using the recent floods around the country to "play themselves" before the public as do-gooders.

He then said that had there been good governance, the staff of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), would not have been humiliated by the Government, with some staff later leaving in disgrace.

Many new staff members, in their efforts to please the government, he said, also overreacted on Friday.

"In their desperation to please, they shut the country down since yesterday morning, causing millions of dollars in losses—more than what would have been caused by a storm," Rowley said.

He also said business professionals should use their judgment and not be taken by the drama that occurred on Friday, in their efforts to pander to politicians.

Rowley added that his constituency, Diego Martin West, was particularly displeased at having to cancel a fund-raiser that was being held by the charity group, Friends of Diego Martin West.

The event included an excursion on a small sailing vessel into the Gulf of Paria on Friday night but was put off after they were warned not to go far from the Port.

"We suffered losses," Rowley said, later adding:

"I hope that every time it looks like it's going to rain we will not shut the country down and be subjected to a 20-minute speech by the Prime Minister, who clearly is not in charge of the situation."