‘Gold’ in Laventille Hills

THE EDITOR: My God! What does it take to get the PNM Government to show some active, positive, genuinely helpful interest in Laventille, the land it forgets, but which seems to love being neglected, disregarded, and treated in a sadistic manner? Rowley’s tokenism on Beverly Hills isn’t the answer, merely a bit of braggadocio to make up for sadistic and shameful neglect. Laventille Hill, that supreme spine of hope on which a new city can be built, glistening and proud, a landmark of achievement over impoverishment and slavish dereliction, is pleading and begging for Government encouragement and direction in gathering and pooling property rights as a first step to a major reconstruction. Yet the PNM representative, Eric Williams, has refused to meet and even to discuss this critical but most promising project of harnessing the real estate gold mine that is Laventille Hill.

Why? Is it because the PNM is good at talk, and posturing and threatening, but is unable to get things done, even when they have all the resources? Looks that way, for the Laventille Hill project just needs a little help and facilitating to get moving, and the evidence so far, suggests that a big fat nothing is being done! Does Williams enjoy looking out of his high-rise office, to the hundreds of penurious, grubby shacks, without ever helping them break into the big time that is theirs for the taking with a little help from him?

Williams is the one to catalyse and ignite the project, pulling all the pieces together, Lands and Surveys, Town and Country, and representatives of the thousands of residents of Laventille Hill. Let me put it this way, Minister. You are falling in a key area of representation, and if it has to continue this way, then do the decent thing and hand it over to someone with more dedication and commitment. I’ll go a step further. If you, or your appointee can get the abovementioned together, I’ll personally set about helping raise the private capital to partner the project. Pick up this gauntlet if you can.

LLOYD CARTAR
Westmoorings