INDARSINGH: GOVERNMENT’S EJECTION OF TOBAGONIANS FROM THEIR HOMES AN ACT OF POLITICAL SPITE AND SIN AGAINST TOBAGONIANS BY PNM GOVERNMENT; CALLS ON THE PRIME MINISTER TO ANSWER URGENT QUESTIONS.
August 12th, 2022.
Today, I am appalled by the news that the Government of Trinidad and Tobago moved in a high-handed, oppressive, vindictive manner to eject Tobagonians from their homes in pursuit of the Tobago Airport expansion project.
When I saw images of the personal effects of hardworking, honest citizens being placed on the sidewalk by agents of this PNM Government, my heart was filled with anguish, and I hung my head with hurt.
Even more painful was the insensitive, misplaced, arrogant statement by the Minister of Finance who chose to meddle in a matter that fell under the purview of Rohan Sinanan, the line Minister of Works and Transport, as the airport expansion project is a project under the said Ministry.
Even more troubling is the silence of the Prime Minister, who watched on silently and contemptuously as our fellow countrymen were thrown out of their homes under the orders of his Government. It was Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley who placed a Division of Tobago Affairs under his stewardship in the Office of the Prime Minister.
I am also pained that the two Members of Parliament for Tobago, Shamfa Cudjoe (Tobago East), and Ayanna Webster- Roy (Tobago West), have offered their silence on this matter as their consent to this vicious, anti-humanitarian move.
It is abhorrent that this move to kick persons out of their homes comes with absolutely no regard for the harsh economic times in which families find themselves as a result of the mismanagement of this PNM Government.
The Prime Minister, the Minister of Works and Transport, and the Minister of Finance who has now for some known reason has injected himself into the fray, must now answer several questions about yesterday’s developments.
1) When did the Valuation Division of the Ministry of Finance assess these properties, and what were the recommended valuations?
2) Were the services of any independent valuator procured? If not, then why not? If so, what were their recommended valuations?
3) What is the status of the lands to which these homeowners were to be relocated as far as the Development of Infrastructure is concerned?
4) Who are the contractors involved in the phases of this project, and how much are they to be paid and by what deadline are they expecting part and full payments?
It is clear to me that the PNM and its financier friends are getting anxious about their ability to execute works so that they can claim payments.
It is also clear to me that Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, Tobago MPs Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister Colm Imbert and Minister Rohan Sinanan, who is the PNM’s Campaign Manager, are creating this opportunity to exact political spite against Tobagonians for their stands taken by them against the PNM in the last two THA elections.
Yesterday’s action was a clear display of the PNM’s political sinfulness against anyone who opposes this ‘raging bull’ Prime Minister and his spineless Government.
We in the Opposition have been reaching out to Tobagonians on this matter so that we can monitor this matter on an ongoing basis in the interest and defense of Tobagonians and the citizens at large.
Respectfully submitted,
RUDRANATH INDARSINGH
Member of Parliament for Couva South and SHADOW RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR. 681-2525, rudranath43@gmail.com