Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley on Tuesday night presented two documents purportedly from the Ministry of Transport which detailed that the PP Government had intended to construct a billion-dollar mass light transit rail system from City Gate in Port-of-Spain to Arima. But he said the project came to a screeching halt when ILP political leader Jack Warner parted ways with the Government.
Addressing party supporters at Four Roads, Diego Martin, Rowley said the document showed the Government had instructed Caribbean Legal and Project Advisory Ltd to prepare the request for proposal. “The main object is to provide a mass public transportation solution on the East West Corridor to benefit approximately 150,000 people who travel from east Trinidad to Port-of-Spain on a daily basis.
It was envisaged that the system would be constructed approximately 4.2 metres above the Priority Bus Route, he said. “The whole thing came to a halt in May 2013. That was when the Government collapsed and Jack Warner left and the UNC splintered into a lame duck Government.
“The light rail project, which was a major government initiative meant to solve a problem that the PNM initially advanced, went to the back burner.
“This went out the window. You became unnecessary and what was important was the survival of the Government and in the meantime the transportation remained the same. And if it cost $60 billion I don’t know that,” Rowley added. He said there was a gridlock problem in the country which was only getting worse.
Saying that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was aware of the project, including its cost, Rowley called on her to be truthful to the country. “Madam, this is your document. Stop lying to the people. Lying will get you no where. The rapid rail is not a PNM ‘vanity project’ which is why you undertook the project yourself,” Rowley added.
On the issue of national security he said the criminal element was running waves in T&T, adding that there has been no improvement in the security of citizens between 2010 to 2015. Rowley also took Persad-Bissessar to task for saying during last week’s leadership exchange on CNMG television that the controversial hiring of Reshmi Ramnarine was an “administrative error.”
“When I raised the issue of Reshmi’s appointment, Kamla launched an attack on me, claiming I don’t like women or I don’t like Indian. Now she is saying it is was an administrative error,” Rowley added. Regarding the issue of housing Rowley said under his stewardship as housing minister several squatter communities were moved and high rise towers in Diego Martin were built.
“But after five years of this UNC Government they did everything else but complete the housing units,” Rowley said adding:
“The PNM used some of its revenue under the last administration to build houses. The HDC under the PNM built over 21,000 housing units at various stages of completion,” he added.