FITUN: Minister George in breach of trust

Minister of Works, Emmanuel George

WORKS Minister Emmanuel George yesterday stood accused of misleading the public with statements Thursday that the report on the extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin was in favour of Government going ahead with the project.

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUN), a member of the Highway Report led by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), in a media statement yesterday said George — and by extension the Government — had committed a "grave breach of trust" in speaking publicly on the document before time.

George made a blanket statement during Thursday's post-Cabinet press conference that the report's only reprimand stemmed from the State's poor approach to civil society in carrying out projects of that magnitude.

The report, in fact, advises that if Government decides to proceed, major shortcomings in the assessment of the social, environmental and economic impact of the project must first be resolved.

George also broke an embargo imposed by the JCC that the report or its details were not to be released until noon yesterday, when it was said the report would be published on the JCC's website.

"The Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non Governmental Organisations would like to publicly condemn the obscene political spin that the Minister of Works, Mr Emmanuel George, has attempted to engage in with respect to the Report of the Independent Review Committee that was set up to look at the contentious issues surrounding the Debe to Mon Desir Link of the Highway to Point Fortin," stated FITUN.

"We feel compelled to say to the public that the Minister was very economical with the truth when he stated that the Highway Review Committee gave the go-ahead for the Debe to Mon Desir Link of the Highway.

"From the Report that we have read, it is pellucidly clear that there was never any statement by the Committee to that effect.

"FITUN would also like to condemn the Minister and by extension the Government for committing a grave breach of trust. We recall that there was an understanding by all parties involved in the process that the report would be first submitted to NIDCO for its attention and parties were to refrain from making any public statements on the contents of the report before it was published by the JCC.

"As far as FITUN is concerned, all other parties held firm to their side of the agreement with the exception of the Government."

FITUN said it was also concerned that an attempt to mislead the population was made immediately after a Cabinet meeting, suggesting that George's views reflected those of the entire Cabinet.

The report was to be withheld until procedural issues are sorted out between the JCC and the National Infrastructure Development Company (Nidco).

"We thought that after all the previous governance blunders, that on such an important issue as the Highway Reroute Review Committee Report, that the Government would have at least learnt its lesson," FITUN said.

"But it seems that once again, the Government has destroyed whatever remnants of trust that the population has left for them after a series of missteps and apparent acts of deception."

FITUN said it will not allow the Government, through "political grandstanding", to destroy the commendable work of civil society and the group that produced the report.

Kublalsingh Ends Hunger Strike after 21 days

Dr. Kublalsingh, Activist, and Re-route Hunger Striker

After 21 days without food and water, environmental activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh ended his hunger strike yesterday.

Kublalsingh, who was protesting the Debe to Mon Desir section of the Point Fortin Highway, said he agreed to the terms of reference hammered out after a two-day mediation meeting between the Joint Consultative Council (JCC) and the Government.

Just before 6 p.m., the Kublalsingh family announced the activist had accepted the changes to the initial proposal and had ended the hunger strike.

In a media release, Kublalsingh said the Highway Re-Route Movement read the details of the proposal and found that it contained the relevant particulars they had requested, including the undertaking of a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed Debe to Mon Desir section of the highway, a social impact assessment and a hydrological, terrestrial and marine ecological report of the affected area.

“If I am to put into words how I feel now, it would be that I feel an enormous gratitude to the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” Kublalsingh said in brief telephone interview.

The newly detailed terms of reference that the parties agreed to are not too different from Kublalsingh’s initial proposal and request that was sent to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar weeks ago.

The one bone of contention remained over whether work would continue on the now contentious segment of the highway during the two months the independent committee would need to undertake its own review.

“No work shall be done on the proposed Debe to Mon Desir highway since this has not been officially handed over to the contractors,” said Kublalsingh.

In an addendum to his statement, he said the National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (Nidco) told the review committee that “preliminary works will be done on the Fyzabad and Siparia exchanges, but that no compulsory acquisitions will take place and no homes removed during the period of the review”.

“We have spoken to Dr Carson Charles (head of Nidco), asking him to respect the sensitivities of people in the area, and we are satisfied that no home acquisitions would take place in period. They will also confine their works to earth removal and grubbing,” Kublalsingh said.

The independent committee will also accept submissions from the Highway Re-Route Movement and affected residents and take those into consideration as well. This was part of the Kublalsingh’s original proposal but was not included in the initial draft proposal between the Government and JCC after their meeting on Monday.

By 7 p.m. yesterday, the JCC, the body at the centre of the mediation talks between Kublaslsingh and the Government, issued a statement outlining the frame of reference to which Kublalsingh agreed.

Afra Raymond, head of the JCC, said in the release that they regarded the finalisation of this issue as a “solid framework for the transparent ventilation of the matters in dispute”.

“After consultation with the Government and the Highway Re-Route Movement, the JCC is pleased to confirm that it has appointed an independent working group to examine the several matters of concern on the disputed Debe to Mon Desir segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin,” he said.

The terms of reference include the appointment of Dr James Armstrong as head of the independent committee that will undertake, inter alia, the three studies as suggested by Kublalsingh, and include persons from various disciplines.

“This is a real advance in the development of our country, so we would like all parties to work in good faith within this process. The Independent Working Group will be inviting oral and written submissions within this exercise. The civil society groups are inviting Dr Kublalsingh to stop his protest action now, so that we can have his submissions and active participation in this important matter,” said Raymond.

Reproduced from  Trinidad express

BREAKING NEWS:- Samad Arrested for Making a Citizen Arrest of Kublalsingh

Human rights activist Ishmael Samad was detained by police earlier today for attempting to make a citizen's arrest of environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh at his hunger strike camp on Gray Street in St Clair.
The reports are that Samad approached Kublalsingh who was lying on his gurney and made an attempt to pull him off. However, Kublalsingh supporters intervened sparking a confrontation with Samad.
Police quickly stepped in and detained Samad to appease the situation. He has since been taken to the Port of Spain Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further questioning.

Reproduced from Express Trinidad

Jack: Kublalsingh Killing Himself, and he Should Do it Quickly!!

Minister of National Security,
Jack Warner addressing supporters last night
at a meeting at Debe High School.

In a meeting for supporters at the United National Congress (UNC) last night, National Security Minister Jack Warner defended Government's decision to build the Mon Desir segment of the Point Fortin Highway, describing hunger striker Dr Wayne Kublalsingh as a conman who was attempting to blackmail the country.

Warner said Kublalsingh, now in his 13th day without food or water, was eating at night He told party supporters that Kublalsingh was staying at homes in Maraval and Marabella and "eating more hearty than you".

He indicated that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will not be held responsible if Kublalsingh dies. 

What was surprisingly said by Warner was, "They say the Prime Minister is killing Wayne Kublalsingh, but he is killing himself and he better do it quickly! Don’t feel sorry for him. Kublalsingh is trying to blackmail the country and blackmail the Prime Minister."

Kublalsingh's father, Ray Kublalsingh, refused to respond to Warner's statements. Ray said that Warner was "a non-entity.  indicating that his family is respectable, and that they have worked hard to achieve what they have and they are supporting his son. "I heard everything he said about my son and my family and I don't even want to entertain that. I will not respond," he said.

Warner then attacked his supporters and visitors, "Look at the people who are trying to ride the Kublalsingh bandwagon! What is their motivation? Is it that they are against the highway? Or are they there because they have some grudge against the Prime Minister? Every one of them has a political wound and they are looking for revenge. Every single one of them has an axe to grind against Kamla. Their presence, kissing Kublalsingh’s hand and patting his forehead, Verna spitting up, has nothing to do with the highway. They see him as a stepping stone for their own political agendas and aspirations."

Persad-Bissessar at the same meeting did not address Kublalsingh's hunger strike in her speech. Instead she told supporters about the benefits of the highway to Point Fortin. She indicated that a meeting was held with the Highway Re Route Movement in March and a technical report was produced.