Kublalsingh Arrested For Protest

Wayne Kublalsingh

Environmental activist and head of the Highway Re-Route Movement, Dr Wayne Kublalsingh, was arrested this morning as workers attempted to resume construction of the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin.

Kublalsingh had led a group of protesters to the proposed construction site of the Mon Desir interchange.

Resident Fazila Ali told the Express "This morning we came here because we heard they were going to start work on the site. We gathered at our camp and the workers were at (Construtora) OAS camp. Then we saw about 15 police officers, so we knew something was happening." Ali said the officers kept vigil as a backhoe operator entered the machine.

"When the driver went inside the backhoe, we walked over and stood in front of the vehicle. We formed a human barricade and refused to move. The driver got out and left and we returned to our camp. A few minutes later he (the driver) went inside the backhoe again and we went in front of it again," she said.

'Eat ah Food' vs Hunger Strike

Some legal luminaries have suggested that Dr Kublalsingh be suppressed or jailed. Others have said that no one should stand in the way of progress, while others have lamented that his goals are either poorly articulated or unfeasible. Our PM wrote a letter and sought to provide medical assistance.

We are totally missing the point. As a people, I think the important question is not what are his demands, but rather why?

Why would an able-bodied, intelligent man starve himself? Why is it that in order to be heard in T&T one has to take such drastic action? It certainly is not because of a highway.

The only answer I can find is pure frustration.

The politics of the day is the politics of neglect. We have seen successive governments act with impunity. Mismanagement and corruption abound. We continue to be divided over the frivolity of race.

We are disenchanted. There are no explanations, only advertisements. Nothing to see here — move along.

It is not a matter of demands, it is a matter of dealing with someone as a human being. We have forgotten what democracy means, or perhaps we have never really thought about it too much. It is not a principle of rule by majority, and the minority must put up or shut up. Everyone should have an important voice, and our leaders should be accountable to everyone.

This situation should never have arisen, and it is an embarrassment to T&T and an indictment of our leaders. We have to ask ourselves how we have been allowed to become so callous and insular a people.

So Wayne I sincerely thank you for not eating ah food. Your sacrifice is a voice for those like myself who feel we have no say. Your struggle is not in vain, and you will never be forgotten.

emailed from Jarryd Haynes reproduced from express Trinidad