Letter: Works Minister, NIDCO must explain payment for JCC review

After twenty four hours I thought no way or the other Afra Raymond would have responded to my letter to you on the matter of who pays the cost of the review of the Highway to Point Fortin. 

I note that the blogs have only two responses and I am left to wonder why. Is it because they are finding it difficult to expalin that they started the intervention as a public interest group and then suddenly are demanding payment? 

I ask again who the hell is Carson Charles to say that NIDCO will contribute. I am preparaed to file an action in court to deal with this wanton waste of public expenditure without the necessary approvals. 

The Line Minister Emmanuel George must also explain his role and whether he had anything to do with the decision of NIDCO. Where are the voices who were licking up the PP government for what they described as a lack of compassion to Kublalsingh? Where is the voice of Winston Dookeran and Carolyn Seepersad Bachan? Are they in agreement with the JCC wanting as I understand it six million to do this review. Let me state again:

• The government did not ask for a review
• The JCC invited themselves into the process as mediators without a fee
• No mention was ever made of fees in the letter of understanding signed by both parties
• The government has already done its home work
• according to Carson Charles nothing is built unless first designed and reviewed by the NIDCO Consultants AECOM
• The EIA and the CEC were done. These answered the very questions asked by the JCC and the RE-Route movement
• The words "Eat AH Food" is an apt description of the JCC and Senator Armstrong

Let us hope that those around the PM who have been settling the oppositional forces to govt will not on this occasion commit the PM to pay $6 million. If this happens, then justice will require me to go to the courts for a determination on bad spending and seek redress.

Chandra Harnanan | St John's Road via Cipero Road San Fernando