Manning: UNC neglected Sando East

A deliberate policy of neglect had been formulated towards the constituency of San Fernando East by the former UNC administration. This was the charge levelled by Prime Minister Patrick Manning as he delivered the feature address on day two of the constituency’s 37th annual conference of delegates on Saturday evening at the San Fernando Technical Institute. Manning, who is also the constituency’s parliamentary representative, said that between 1996 to 2001, the area had not been accorded “equitable distribution of funding” as part of a concerted effort to destroy the “head” of the then Opposition PNM. “But we all know how that strategy turned out,” he said, then to resounding applause he announced that the long-anticipated “Cocoyea Sporting Complex” would become a reality within the next two years.

“The preliminary work on the Complex was started in 1995, but between 1996-2001, all work was halted and we now have to play catch-up with the rest of the country,” he said. “We have now awarded a contract for the Complex, which would also include an Olympic-size swimming pool, complete with glass sides for training purposes,” Manning said. He also observed that sport would be divided into two categories: Sport for recreation and Competitive Sport, and would be administered by the soon-to-be established National Sports Commission and overseen by the Ministry of Sport, which would be responsible for policy formulation. In a wide-ranging address, Manning also focused on the issue of flooding and squatter regularisation.

“In fiscal 2004, work will be done on both the Vistabella and Cipero rivers so that residents would not be fearful of flooding whenever the rain begins to fall, and for those living near the Vistabella playing field, they would have better access to the facilities,” he said. And, while acknowledging that the problem of illegal squatting had continued to grow at an ever increasing rate, Manning said that the Land Settlement Agency had been mandated to deal exclusively with the “containment and regularisation” of illegal squatters. Also addressing the conference was Works and Transport Minister, Franklyn Khan, while the installation of officers was overseen by Senator Christine Sahadeo.