raising a flag: Environmental activists from the Highway Re-Route Movement and the Point Lisas East Resource Development Association and villagers of Mon Desir Road in Debe march outside the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Port of Spain yesterday. —Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY
Activists bid today to reroute 'Point' highway
Banking on meeting with PM...
By Joel Julien joel.julien@trinidadexpress.com
ENVIRONMENTAL activists requesting the re-routing of the Point Fortin Highway and the relocation of a chemical plant from Savonetta, overcame a "significant" hurdle yesterday as they have been scheduled to meet today with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whom they yesterday described as "the last bastion of integrity in this government".
Over 100 people, including members of the Highway Re-route Movement and the Point Lisas East Resource Development Association, converged outside the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Port of Spain, yesterday.
Armed with flags and placards, the protesters staged a peaceful demonstration, following which they delivered a letter requesting a meeting with Persad-Bissessar to discuss their plights.
The aggrieved activists claim that since January last year they have been requesting a meeting with the PM to discuss their proposals.
On February 25, scores of residents from the Debe/Mon Desir, South Oropouche, area gathered outside Persad-Bissessar's private residence at SS Erin Road, Phillipine, to deliver a letter calling for a meeting.
Dr Wayne Kublalsingh yesterday told the Express he received a telephone call from Persad-Bissessar's adviser, Barry Paradath, informing him of today's meeting.
Kublalsingh and three members each from the Highway Re-route Movement and the Point Lisas East Resource Development Association are scheduled to meet the PM at Tower D of the International Waterfront in Port of Spain at 3.30 p.m.
Tower D is where the Parliament is being temporarily housed while renovations take place on the Red House. A Parliament sitting is scheduled to start from 1.30 p.m. today.
Kublalsingh said yesterday the construction of the Point Fortin Highway over the Oropouche Lagoon in the Mon Desir to Debe section, which is its planned path, will destroy 300 homes, cause permanent flooding and destroy agricultural land.
He described it as an "atrocity" and "shameless".
The Highway Re-Route Movement has suggested an alternative route for the highway which they claim will save taxpayers $4 billion and have less adverse effects.
The activists are also protesting the construction of a chemical plant by Carisal in Point Lisas among the residents.
"We thought we had finished with that battle with the riddance of the smelter, with the industrial port, with the riddance of the steel mill but they have come back and they want to do the same thing," Kublalsingh said.
"After having made many, many attempts to meet with the Prime Minister, including going to her private residence, meeting with her key ministers, meeting with her advisers, submitting letters, texting her adviser, calling on her we have got an unsatisfactory answer, she has referred us back to (Works and Infrastructure Minister Jack) Warner and back to (housing Minister Roodal) Moonilal, whose position we already know. It is very clear," Kublalsingh said.
"So we have come to deliver a letter asking for relief ... because we feel that she is the last bastion of integrity in this government and the ministers are basically playing the fool with us," he said.
The activists braved sun and rain as they prayed, sang, marched and chanted until 3.45 p.m. when Padarath told of Persad-Bissessar's intention to meet with them.
Over 100 people, including members of the Highway Re-route Movement and the Point Lisas East Resource Development Association, converged outside the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Port of Spain, yesterday.
Armed with flags and placards, the protesters staged a peaceful demonstration, following which they delivered a letter requesting a meeting with Persad-Bissessar to discuss their plights.
The aggrieved activists claim that since January last year they have been requesting a meeting with the PM to discuss their proposals.
On February 25, scores of residents from the Debe/Mon Desir, South Oropouche, area gathered outside Persad-Bissessar's private residence at SS Erin Road, Phillipine, to deliver a letter calling for a meeting.
Dr Wayne Kublalsingh yesterday told the Express he received a telephone call from Persad-Bissessar's adviser, Barry Paradath, informing him of today's meeting.
Kublalsingh and three members each from the Highway Re-route Movement and the Point Lisas East Resource Development Association are scheduled to meet the PM at Tower D of the International Waterfront in Port of Spain at 3.30 p.m.
Tower D is where the Parliament is being temporarily housed while renovations take place on the Red House. A Parliament sitting is scheduled to start from 1.30 p.m. today.
Kublalsingh said yesterday the construction of the Point Fortin Highway over the Oropouche Lagoon in the Mon Desir to Debe section, which is its planned path, will destroy 300 homes, cause permanent flooding and destroy agricultural land.
He described it as an "atrocity" and "shameless".
The Highway Re-Route Movement has suggested an alternative route for the highway which they claim will save taxpayers $4 billion and have less adverse effects.
The activists are also protesting the construction of a chemical plant by Carisal in Point Lisas among the residents.
"We thought we had finished with that battle with the riddance of the smelter, with the industrial port, with the riddance of the steel mill but they have come back and they want to do the same thing," Kublalsingh said.
"After having made many, many attempts to meet with the Prime Minister, including going to her private residence, meeting with her key ministers, meeting with her advisers, submitting letters, texting her adviser, calling on her we have got an unsatisfactory answer, she has referred us back to (Works and Infrastructure Minister Jack) Warner and back to (housing Minister Roodal) Moonilal, whose position we already know. It is very clear," Kublalsingh said.
"So we have come to deliver a letter asking for relief ... because we feel that she is the last bastion of integrity in this government and the ministers are basically playing the fool with us," he said.
The activists braved sun and rain as they prayed, sang, marched and chanted until 3.45 p.m. when Padarath told of Persad-Bissessar's intention to meet with them.
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