Kamla tells supporters: We will build the highway

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stated on Saturday that she would not allow the issue of the highway to Point Fortin degenerate into a a "side show" for those who have an anti-government agenda.

Speaking in her role as political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) at the party's national congress on Saturday she noted that her government is under constant attack for all the development taking place "south of the Caroni".

She suggested that there is more to that than meet the eye.

"I say no more of that because the comments were filled with undertones and overtones designed to create public mischief and dissonance. "They seem to have conveniently forgotten that the North of Trinidad has been the greatest beneficiary of the oil wealth from the South and that the South has remained underdeveloped," she stated.

"This is also why it is important that nothing must stand in the way of the Highway to Point Fortin. The highway is about economic opportunities and social transformation as it is about the ease of movement.

"Let not the highway debate get lost in the side shows and side talk," Persad Bissessar added.

The highway under construction (Photo courtesy Anand Ramlogan)

Wayne Kublalsingh is engaged in a hunger strike outside the Prime Minister's office in St Clair to press demands to stop construction of one section of the highway and use and alternative route.

Government has remained firm that it will build the highway.

Works Minister Emmanuel George has scheduled a meeting on Monday with the Joint Consultative council (JCC) to discuss a proposal that the organisation sent to the Prime Minister with recommendations on ending the impasse.

Kublalsingh has said he would end his hunger strike if the government accepts the JCC proposal, which includes the establishment of an independent team to do an evaluation of the project.

Government has already conducted an evaluation and presented the findings to Kublalsingh. However the Highway Reroute group that Kublalsingh heads has rejected the report as useless.