Chaguanas and Point Fortin to be made cities

In a wide-ranging address which also focused on Govern-ment’s development plans for the south west peninsula, Manning said the time had come for elevation of Chaguanas and Point Fortin, as both regions were experiencing phenomenal growth rate.

“Chaguanas is by far the largest of the towns. It is larger that Port of Spain, it is larger than San Fernando, it is larger than Point Fortin. Chaguanas has the first call in being identified as the next city,” he said, adding that such status “is not far off,” with Point Fortin’s elevation to follow soon after.

The Prime Minister promised that construction of the San Fernando/ Point Fortin highway will begin shortly.

Manning, who apologised for his late arrival due to the developments in Parliament involving the United National Congress (UNC). He mained that the UNC remains a “strong” parliamentary opposition party. “There is the perception that there is no effective Opposition party, but there is an effective Opposition party in the nation’s parliament,” he said.

“And this Government will not engage in any excesses but will abide by the nation’s constitution and the law.”

Manning spoke about the country’s US$4. 9 billion reserves, including the Stabilisation Fund, which he said had grown substantially due to the policies of successive PNM regimes. He urged the Chamber to give its support to the proposed aluminium smelter plants at Chatham and La Brea saying the plants would act as “nodes of social development” within the communities.

He referred to the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, which he described as “an extremely successful experiment,” which had drastically reduced unemployment in Couva and surrounding areas.