Kamla tells constituents her government is creating a legacy of which all can be proud

(PM Kamla's Speech at the launch of infrastructure works in her constituency)

This week we celebrate the second anniversary of our government - YOUR government; the PEOPLE's government - in office. And today, we celebrate yet another milestone; yet another achievement.

As you will recall, when your government took office on May 24, 2010, as Prime Minister, I mandated each Minister and each Member of Parliament to Serve the People, Serve the People and to Serve the People.

Last year, as we celebrated our first anniversary as a government, I gave a second mandate to all MP's and Ministers - Deliver! Deliver! Deliver!

Today, on the eve of our second anniversary, we come here to deliver to the people of Penal and environs!

We are here because we have kept our promise to the people of Lachoos Road, Goodman Trace, Penal Rock Road. And as I speak work is being completed in Katwaroo Branch Trace which opens the entire Katwaroo Trace, Digity Trace area.

I have also instructed that a Bailey Bridge be constructed in Teemul Trace to connect the communities of Goodman rd and Clarke Rd.

You have waited a very long time for these works to be delivered, and it took your People's Partnership Government just two years to bring redress.

And there is so much more that your People's Partnership government has to do and will do to remedy the neglect and the discrimination that rural communities such as these throughout the country have suffered at the hands of the PNM.

Today, we are here to open a New Road Network that will not only give the residents and commuters in these areas smooth roads to drive upon, but a grid of roads that will ease the traffic (on the SS Erin Road - eliminate) and create alternative routes to move about from community to community.

The evidence is clear!

Your Government is working assiduously to raise the quality of life for citizens; to offer every citizen a brighter tomorrow and to create a legacy of which we can all be proud.

Just two years of your People's government and look at the smiles on the faces of the people of Penal and environs.

Our citizens know that they are better off today than they were two years ago.

Community by community, road by road, landslip by landslip, your People's Partnership government is fixing this country.

My friends, if we have not yet reached your community, please do not lose hope. We are coming.

There is so much to be done and we are only human, operating with limited resources. Had the previous government been more prudent and responsible in its spending, we would not face the magnitude of a challenge we face today. Our infrastructure would not be as over-burdened and dilapidated as it is today.

The financial constraints would not have been as rigid as they are now. But I am sure you would agree that today, the governance of our country is in better hands.

I sit in Parliament and listen to the former Minister of Works & Transport who believes that he is the expert on everything and then I reflect on the poor state of roads, rivers and drains we inherited, which he was supposed to fix, and I wonder where did all the money go which was allocated to his Ministry while they were in Government?

With limited resources, our very talented Ministers of Works and Infrastructure and the PURE Unit have been able to deliver what would have been a miracle under any other government.

Roads that were once undeveloped with wooden bridges and slipping sides, and which were in that condition for decades have now been fixed; roads that were plagued with bumper to bumper traffic are now being normalised; roads that often had to be closed because they were unsafe and unusable have been made usable once more.

Today, such roads are smooth allow the life blood to communities to flow.

Several persons and Organisations have already contacted me thanking me for the alleviation of traffic.

And I thank them for their patience.

Residents from Penal are thanking the Government for opening up Goodman Trace which now serves as a detour road for the residents of Penal and if you think that is all, letters of thanks are coming daily from the residents of Barrackpore and Clarke Road because they can now use Digity Trace to escape the S.S. Erin Road traffic.

Our residents cannot comprehend how come a so-called caring PNM Government could not do these simple things to make this positive change in their lives.

The truth is that in this Constituency the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure undertook to complete twenty projects at a cost just under $112 million and it is with gratitude and praise that I take this opportunity to congratulate the Ministers and the PURE Division for a job well done and within budget.

The truth also is that the work that was done was completed by local contractors without much fanfare and with little disruption to the daily lives of the people in the communities where the work was being done and during rehabilitation of these roads commuters who traversed upon these roads to and from work and school were minimally affected.

But the journey continues.

This is just a stepping stone to the next stage of development.

Because of these improvements, residents are now happy that they have easier access not only to their residential properties but also their agricultural lands.

Others are contemplating micro economic enterprise whereas we will see a mushrooming of social, recreational and sporting activities as communities become more accessible and bond even closer together.

This is a new beginning. This is a new start. This is your People’s Partnership Government at work, stronger than ever before. This is the change that we have promised; a Government by the people working with the people; for the people.

It is real and it is happening!

And as I conclude, I wish to state that I am deeply troubled about the carnage on our roads. As we improve the roads, we experience more accidents. Good roads are supposed to ensure that we reach our destinations safely and on time.

We, the people who use the roads, are the solution to this carnage.

We should observe appropriate speed limits; follow regulations and instructions issued on roads.

We should take charge of our own safety.

And we should take responsibility for the safety of our fellow citizens.

As we approach 50 years as a nation, let us be more careful on the roads so that we travel and arrive safely.

Let us be wise, courteous and considerate.

Let us use the roads we upgrade and rehabilitate to improve our lives and not end them.

To the contractors who have done an excellent job I wish to extend hearty thanks to you all as I encourage you to continue giving of your best to build our great nation.

Once again, to you the people of the Constituency of Siparia, on behalf of past Governments I do apologize and thank you for your patience.

Our journey continues. My Government will continue to work for the people of this country to make our lives better and better every day.

I thank you.