East PoS businessmen promise protests

This was the promise from east PoS businessmen spokesman Hayden Roberts who added that 34 affected businessmen made plans for the protest action during an emergency meeting held at Hosein’s Roti Shop at the corner of George and Queen Streets in Port-of-Spain late yesterday afternoon. Hosein’s is a member of the association. Roberts, secretary of the East Port-of-Spain Business Association, said the meeting was called at short notice after a Joint Select Committee of Parliament met with the HDC earlier in the day.

“We called the meeting because of the disrespect the HDC showed us in Parliament. Noel Garcia, the HDC managing director, said he received a letter from a lawyer representing a group of people in East Port-of-Spain,” Roberts said. “And this was only after he was asked if he got a letter from us. He did not even mention the name of our association. We did not expect that,” the disappointed Roberts added. He said the association is looking at next Tuesday as a tentative date for start of protest action against the HDC.

Not willing to divulge much details, he said the closures of business places for half day would be one form of protest. “We are not going to give up the fight. I did an evaluation of my property and was told it was worth under $1 million. They want to take a gold mine from us and give us 12 pieces of silver,” he said.

Roberts also claimed the five South Quay businesses approached by Roy Consultants, which is working with the HDC, agreed to give up their buildings to start Phase One of the redevelopment project, because they “have nothing to lose.”

“They own other properties in Port-of-Spain but our businesses are all we have.” He also questioned the HDC’s use of a consultant firm to enter into private negotiations with the South Quay businesses.

“According to what was said, the Housing Minister is yet to approve the redevelopment plan, yet it appears that the HDC has started the process. Is this legal,” Roberts asked. He further claimed it was illegal to use the 1938 Slum and Housing Act and the Land Acquisition Act, to try and remove the businesses from East Port-of-Spain.

“The Slum and Housing Act relates to areas where there are no roads, electricity and running water and where conditions are unsanitary. This does not apply to East Port-of-Spain businesses.” The association’s secretary also dismissed the idea that a meeting they had with the HDC on April 3, earlier this year was “consultation.”

“It was not a one-on-one meeting with us, which we requested. It was a meeting with everybody in East Port-of-Spain affected by the redevelopment project. Further, we could not even get answers to simple questions we asked,” he claimed.