Prime Minister Keith Rowley didn’t bring residents one assistance grant or even one hamper when he recently toured flood-ravaged Southern areas, Opposition MP Roodal Moonilal declared yesterday.
“He (PM) just fly past and his Prado (SUV) wet up people,” Moonilal said in Parliament yesterday.
He made the complaint as he spoke in debate on amendments to the Motor Vehicle legislation. Moonilal said proposals for red-light cameras to penalise speeding drivers, should be reconsidered since motorists can get killed or robbed when stopping at red lights late at night in T&T.
Focusing on damages following the recent passage of Tropical Storm Bret, Moonilal said, “As of now, I’ve not heard of one person who’s gotten an assistance grant for this from any agency.”
Moonilal said if there had been a proper drainage plans for rivers and drains “we wouldn’t have had this week’s catastrophe.”
Moonilal said if Government raised $2.1b from the proposed motor vehicle fines, “I suggest 50 per cent of those road and traffic fines be used to clear drains and fix roads...(as it is ) we have a $1.3 billion (Lara) Stadium whose opening ceremony cost $2.3 million.” (See box)
Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was successful in obtaining agreement for Parliament to debate Government’s handling of storm issues as a definite matter of urgent public importance.
A motion on the issue which she raised cited Government’s “failure to provide adequate resources and relief in a timely, effective and efficient manner to alleviate the hardship, suffering, anguish and distress of the population.”
House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George agreed to allow debate on the motion last night.
Persad-Bissessar had said many areas were affected and Government had failed to address issues amid the devastation.
She said people “were suffering hardship, unable to provide food for families; homes in entire areas have been destroyed; others have been flooded out and people remain marooned in some areas without any assistance from Government.
“There is an urgent need to provide water and basic food supplies to persons living in these areas. Families need urgent help to clean their homes and drain it of contaminated water. Rivers, drains and waterways need to be immediately cleared and cleaned to provide flood relief.”
Persad-Bissessar said: “Men, women and children who live in these flooded areas are at risk of contracting diseases because of the contaminated water entering these areas. Tens of thousands of families are presently suffering—Bret has transformed the affected parts of our country into virtual disaster zones.”