Shut down the country

“Like everyone in this country, except perhaps the Minister of National Security, I am appalled at the way crime is now rampant and where the bandits have no respect again for neither citizen nor law enforcement officers,” Rambachan said.

“And I feel that the time has come for citizens to send a very powerful and clear message to the government that we don’t like it so.

And if that means that the citizens must shut down the country, whether it is for one day or a couple of days, then we the people must begin to take some kind of action that tells the government that you are not serving our interest by the manner in which you are dealing with the crime situation and the criminal elements.” Rambachan was speaking with reporters yesterday after a tour of the constituency’s bridges and roadways which were in need of repair. Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, and a high level team from the ministry’s PURE (Programme for Upgrading Road Efficiency) division were also part of the tour.

He said National Security Minister Edmund Dillion had failed to show the leadership which was necessary to deal with the criminal element saying criminals “are not gaining the upper hand, they have gained the upper hand in the country.” And regarding the constituency tour, Rambachan said the lack of maintenance by certain divisions within the Works and Transport Ministry has led to a deterioration of road surfaces over the past 22 months and cited the Tabaquite to Brothers Road saying this has become a “virtual obstacle course” for motorists.

He said the “fruitfulness” of the tour would depend on the action taken by the Works Ministry to rehabilitate the bridges and roadways in the sprawling constituency.

Meanwhile, Sinanan said the tour was part of his plan to visit all 39 constituencies in Trinidad and this would be used as a guide to address infrastructural problems in the coming year.

And regarding the Tabaquite constituency he said, “There is some work to be done in the constituency and we commit to give him the assistance to have it rectified.” “Some of it we would want to do because if you leave it, it will develop into some major problems that would cost a lot more money to fix down the road,” Sinanan said.