PP government paying too much to buy lands for Point Fortin highway: Rowley

Opposition leader Keith Rowley charged on Monday that the government of Trinidad and Tobago is paying too much to acquire lands for the highway from Golconda to Point Fortin.

He said prior to the People's Partnership government taking office the preliminary estimate for the lands to be acquired was $800 million. He claimed that that has now increased to $2.4 billion. 

He also charged that some of the land to be acquired belongs to constituents of MPs who are on the Cabinet sub-committee appointed to oversee the project and suggested that the increase in the cost of the land is for the benefit of those constituents.

Rowley said he is warning that the opposition would take every step to ensure that the Government acquires only those parcels of land that would be used for the highway.