Kamla stands by $12M contract claim

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley had denied this claim and has alleged that the deal was done under a former United National Congress (UNC) regime, but Persad-Bissessar dug her heels in, addressing a UNC local government election campaign meeting in Sangre Grande.

She claimed the $12 million contract was awarded without tender and incurred 150 percent in cost-overruns, as she denied Rowley’s claim that she is confused about the facts.

“While the millions of dollars are being paid out to a few, those are the dollars that can feed a child, those are the dollars that could have saved a life, those are the dollars that could have prevented a death, but it is millions to some and zero-zero-zero to the many,” she said.

Persad-Bissessar said since last year it is as if a dark force has taken over this land that has no respect for life, adding there have been “over 400 murders so far in this year.” Saying the country is going “down, down, down,” she said this must be opposed. “No more must children go to bed hungry, no more should they do without books, no more should persons have their food cards taken away.

No more must the vulnerable in our country be pushed out so the few could make the millions of dollars.” She urged Rowley to emancipate himself from “big party people” in the PNM, urging him to not protect the parents of gun-toting children, the man who is laughing at poor people, the million-dollar wives of the Cabinet, or the land for highway sellers. “Set our country free from these big party people,” she said, urging long-suffering voters to express their frustration on Election Day.

Persad-Bissessar said the PNM that voters had elected last year has now become a puppet on a string run by big party people.

“You voted for change but the only change we are seeing is big party people getting millions in contracts.” She blamed the recent firing of government ministers on them being cast aside to make way for big party people.

Persad-Bissessar played a video clip to the audience quoting Toco/Sangre Grande MP Glenda Jennings-Smith purportedly saying, “Do not trust the PNM.” The Opposition Leader said the Rowley-led administration does not care for people, even as the country is going down, including the health sector.

She related the tale of the downfall of Dr Seuss’ Yertle the Turtle who advanced himself by climbing on his friends’ backs — to their discomfort — only to then come crashing down.

“Send a message to the PNM that you will not carry the Rowley Government on your backs any longer because the pain is too great. People cannot take that pain forever; it is 14 months.

You must send a message on November 28 that you will not take the pain anymore. Enough is enough.” Refuting PNM claims that the former UNC government had only helped UNC areas, she said the UNC had built the Valencia Bypass, done work on the Arima and Sangre Grande Hospitals, and the North Eastern Regional Sports Centre.

“We established longer hours for all health centres from Valencia to Matelot. The new pharmacy at the Grande Hospital is almost ready.” She said people enticed to vote PNM last year had in return received “zero, zero, zero.” She urged, “Don’t let them fool you again. For two weeks they’ll be like red ants all over the place begging for your vote, but when the voting is done you’re not going to see them again. When you voted for them last September 2015, did you see any of them come back to help you? You (PNM) had 14 months, so why are you coming on the platform now to make more promises?” She urged voters to decide in the upcoming polls on the basis of the Rowley-led Government’s track record.