$256M spent to pay pre-rapid rail bill

“If we were to add up (monies spent) for interest rates only for the years 2013 to 2014,” Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj said yesterday. “It will add up to $256.7 million.”

At the sitting of the Senate in Port-of-Spain during the debate on the Bill to establish a Motor Vehicle Authority, Maharaj said PNM senators complain over and over that the People’s Partnership Government has spent billions of dollars on budget after budget, but they do not have the honesty to say how much of the allocation was debt incurred under the PNM.

“Government had no choice, but to set aside $101 million in the 2013 estimate, $97.7 million in 2014, and $58 million in 2015 to pay back the loan for a non-productive exercise,” he said.

That amount spent on the pre-feasibility study, he said, could have bought many hospital beds and buses to operate on the Priority Bus Route to ease traffic congestion.

Noting the PNM was once again talking about reintroducing the rapid rail system if it takes office after the general election, Maharaj said, “any incarnation, past or present, will bankrupt this country.”

If the pre-feasibility would have cost over $500 million, he questioned how much the feasibility study, the compulsory acquisition of land and other property, and the rapid rail infrastructure would cost the State.

He questioned also the PNM’s lack of consultation with stakeholders noting the Maxi Taxi Association last September criticised the party on the reintroduction of its proposal.

“Did they consult the maxi and taxi associations? Did they consult anybody at all apart from the (PNM’s) General Council?” he queried.

Another PNM expense covered, he said, was a $35.5 million debt owed to maxi taxi owners following a promise to them in 2005 when then Works and Transport minister Colm Imbert encouraged them to invest in 25-seater buses instead of 12-seater maxi taxis with the promise of a tax and VAT rebate. Until last week, after almost a decade, Maharaj said maxi taxi owners were waiting for the rebates, which the PNM had ignored.

The debate on the bill was halted after there were calls by Opposition and Independent Senators, including Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir, called for it to be sent to a special select committee because of the need for further consultation.

PNM Senator Avinash Singh said the bill was poorly drafted and needed more attention while Independent Senator Dr Kryaan Singh said it made very little or no provision to improve the lot of disabled persons who can drive their own cars. However, they all agreed the bill was needed.