Elias agrees with PM Kamla that conditions should be attached to aid

Emile Elias agrees with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the emergency aid to the Caribbean should have some benefit to Trinidad and Tobago.

Elias, who heads one of the major local construction companies, made the statement in response to negative comments about the Prime Minister from Opposition Leader Keith Rowley and others who have said Persad-Bissessar should not have put any conditions on providing assistance to countries devastated by Hurricane Tomas.

The Prime Minister said on Monday that where there are opportunities for local businesses to be involved in rebuilding and reconstruction in the islands they should be involved.

"If we are giving assistance with housing, for example...then we may be able to use Trinidad and Tobago builders and companies, so that whatever money is given, rebounds back in some measure to the people of Trinidad and Tobago," she said

Elias said Wednesday he strongly supported the statement. In an official statement released to the media Elias, who is a close ally of Rowley, said he "strongly supports the Prime Minister's statement that all such assistance should be structured so that the food supplied is manufactured in Trinidad and Tobago such as flour, biscuits, jams and a wide range of other canned foods and bottled goods".

"I strongly support linking assistance to what is produced in Trinidad and Tobago. We cannot send cash to an island to buy Venezuelan cement, or reinforcing steel from China," he said.

Elias said with respect to aid for construction aid could be tied to the use of Trinidad and Tobago engineers and architects, as well as local construction companies "so that our generosity to our Caribbean brothers and sisters could also act as much needed stimulus to the local manufacturing and construction sectors who are all in recession".

He recalled that many years ago the country wrote off a US$500 million debt owed by Guyana and got "absolutely nothing for it".

The businessman said there is a need for humanitarian aid, which should include donations from citizens. "We need as a people to consider how we could be of assistance in the urgent reconstruction efforts that would be required utilising the goods and services we manufacture and have available in surplus at this time."

Winston Riley, head of the Joint Consultative Council for the Construction Industry of Trinidad and Tobago also agreed, noting that aid is always determined by the donor country.