President of the Point Fortin Chamber Ricardo Joseph said the appointment of three ministers of Government, who represent La Brea and Point Fortin, augurs well for the development of the entire south western peninsula.
The elected member for La Brea Nicole Olivierre was appointed Energy Minister, while Paula Gopee-Scoon, a former Member of Parliament for Point Fortin, will head the Trade and Industry Ministry and present MP retired Major General Edmund Dillon, National Security.
Joseph said all those were key positions for the advancement of the chamber and by people who were familiar with their needs.
“That augurs well for us in the sense that they are in the position to not only to articulate our needs but they are in a unique position to know our needs in the first place.
“We hope this would make for a kind of favourable representation on our behalf. But because we have been neglected for so long, at this point in time, any representation at all would be a step up,” Joseph said.
Being in the heart of the energy sector, he said, they would be paying particular attention to what plans and policies the Energy Minister would roll out in terms of the infrastructure as it related to the oil and gas industry and how it would affect us down here.
“We would be looking at how she would treat with the old Petrotrin, Lake Asphalt issues as well as issues as it relates to La Brea Industrial Estate (Labidco) and the Union Estate. Those are things that are most prominent needs to be addressed and addressed early at this point,” Joseph said.
With reference to the double murder in Icacos, Cedros, on Saturday night, which left six others suffering from gunshot wounds, Joseph expressed confidence that the new National Security Minister, who is quite aware of the risks the open seas along the south western peninsula pose, would ensure the necessary infrastructure and resources were put in place to treat with the level of security risks to the national community.