As Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar opened a $500 million gateway to the controversial leg of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project, she confessed to spending sleepless nights over environmentalist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh’s hunger strike.
Speaking at the Debe Interchange yesterday, Persad-Bissessar thanked God that Kublalsingh, the leader of the Highway Reroute Movement, survived his fast which spanned nine months.
In September 2014, Kublalsingh embarked on his second hunger strike in two years after the Government refused to review the construction of the disputed Debe to Mon Desir segment of the highway. Despite criticism from lobby groups and political parties, Persad-Bissessar remained adamant that the Government would not give into Kublalsingh’s demands, saying that the majority of the country would benefit from the $7.5 billion project.
She said, “Even myself at times, felt a little bit weakened with the hunger striker because I was very scared that this man would die. It really bothered me. I would go and I would pray and sometimes I could not sleep because as a human on a human level, I was really concerned. I thank God that 200-odd days later he is still alive.
“I thank God for all of that but I also thank God that I had the courage and the strength to say that I would not let one or two or a few stop the progress for the majority and that is what a democracy is about, the majority will determine how we go. I took that decision. I said we will build the highway and we have built most of the highway and we will continue to build right to Point Fortin.”
Nidco stated in its brief that 55 per cent of the highway has been completed to date with only $4.6 billion being spent so far.
Highway vs Rapid Rail
Persad-Bissessar said People’s National Movement (PNM) vice-chairman Colm Imbert seemed to be confusing US and T&T currency when he said his party’s proposed rapid rail transit system would cost as much as the highway.
At a PNM meeting at Guaico on Tuesday, Imbert said the People’s Partnership claimed that the rapid rail project would cost $60 billion.
Persad-Bissessar said the highway remained within the $7.5 billion budget and supposed that Imbert thought the highway was US$10 billion.
But she said her biggest concern with the rapid rail system was found in a $500 million feasibility study commissioned by the PNM. She said the report which was handed over to the Government in 2010 shows that there are no economically viable designs and the project should be ended at phase one.
Debe Interchange
The Debe Interchange now extends the Golconda-to-Debe leg of the highway to Gandhi Village with an additional 1.6 kilometres of four-lane roads. It includes ramps leading into the M2 Ring Road, Debe; the Debe bridge, which was begun in June 2013; and gas corridors to facilitate NGC pipelines. The interchange means that vehicles will no longer have to divert to the SS Erin Road and into Debe. Vehicles will now be able to use the highway until Gandhi Village where work is continuing.