Highlights of the Political Leader’s Address – MNF Rio Claro
The theme of my speech tonight is the “Bold face two face double speak Rowley Government”
Ever since we put the country on alert that we are in full election preparedness mode, that we’re getting ready to return good governance to T&T; we’ve seen the crowds get bigger and bigger at our events. I have felt the enthusiasm and energy grow.
We want an end to this Government that
stood by and let thousands suffer in Poole, Mafeking, Navet and Mayaro after the flooding last year.
that decimated the oil industry and put hundreds of people in the south east out of jobs. People from Edwards Trace, Saunders Trace, Fonrose, Guayaguayare, Rio Claro have lost jobs that they had in the oilfield service sector because of the Petrotrin closure.
bought millions of dollars of fake oil from their friends using our money! Who up to now can’t be brought to justice!
says there is no money to run Petrotrin, or pay TSTT workers, or pay UTT workers, or pay flood victims; they even have the Police Commissioner begging them for money to pay basic things like police station phone bills –
There’s plenty of money
for PNM Minister’s wives to receive million-dollar state contracts in the health sector.
to buy land in Curepe from the useless PNM Minister Rohan Sinanan!
to settle sexual harassment lawsuits by PNM MP Daryl Smith!
to spend on PNM MP Maxie cuffie but none to buy medicines for you and your families.
For the poor people of Trinidad and Tobago – no money – nothing to help improve your lives.
The people of Trinidad and Tobago are saying:
“We want an end to the lies, deceit and contempt of this Government.”
“We want an end to the incompetence of this Government.”
“We want an end to the Keith Rowley Regime!”
“We want to get T&T working again! We want the United National Congress!”
We hear you, and we are ready! Together, we can build a better future for our country.
Prime Minister’s Interview
His appearance was another bold faced two faced pathetic attempt to deflect, distract and lie to the population.
This is a station that spent two weeks talking about a “buck” but couldn’t be bothered with Al Rawi and his rental. Yes Trinidad and Tobago that is how low some have reached. Thank goodness for social media to get our message out.
It was the usual B K S – Blame Kamla Syndrome – nothing new.
During my government’s term in office we were cutting ribbons to signal the completion and commissioning of projects. This government cutting ribbon to announce projects, they woulda, coulda, shoulda have done…
Rowley made some remarks – saying East Trinidad was “behind God’s back” and that these communities were neglected – trying again to blame my administration.
The PNM has been in power for 42 of our 57 independent years. So Rowley needs to look no further than Balisier House and his own PNM party as the perpetrators of the endless neglect and economic isolation and abuse of east Trinidad.
One such instance is Rowley’s boldface, two face, double-speak on the Toco port.
When they turned the sod last week for the repaving of parts of the existing roadway. (Don’t be fooled there’s no highway, they’re just repaving parts of the existing road and lying about a new highway as usual) the Prime Minister said[1]:
“It matters not how loud we shout or who blames us until that infrastructure is built you will remain behind God back in T&T. Some people will find something to fight about. If not this project, which one? And if not now, when? And if not the PNM who will do it?…We have drilling taking place offshore. Toco could easily become a jumping off point to our eastern reserves.”
When the UNC govt wanted to build a port at Toco and upgrade the road infrastructure to bring economic development to east Trinidad the same Keith Rowley, when in Opposition, on July 28th, 2000 was critical of any activity in Toco.
In Parliament 19 years ago, he said:
“The basis for this port is some Tobago to Toco ferry. Nobody in Tobago wants it; nobody in Tobago or Toco appreciates it; but that is the grease to have the product created… I tell you, Mr. Speaker, this Toco ferry port has nothing to do with the people of Tobago and Toco..It has to do with creating a landing and jumping off point for the oil industry off the east coast.”
You forgot you suffered the people of Toco for 19 years! Don’t try to come now, months before an election to make promises that you know you will not fulfill.
Pure election gimmick! Keith Rowley and the PNM are the reason that port wasn’t started 19 years ago.
He and his party are the reason for this underdevelopment and now coming with his bold face filled with crocodile tears for the people of east Trinidad.
The Govt I led completed the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway Extension, we built new police stations in Piarco, Arima, Maloney started the construction of St Joseph and Besson Streets Police Stations.
We built early childhood centres (ECCE) in Wallerfield, Arima, Arouca, and we started construction of the new Arima Hospital.
We started construction of the long-promised Point Fortin hospital – this was something the PNM kept saying they would do for decades, but it was the UNC that got it started. And we built the Mayaro Fire Station.
The Valencia bypass, which was built by the former Govt, has not only improved access but has significantly eased traffic congestion.
We plan to encourage investment in Resort, Eco and Cultural tourism, and revitalize the agricultural sector, investing in Agro and Fish processing. You would remember that we have built a Port in Galeota and we were building a highway from Mayaro to San Fernando.
Rowley had 42 months for his Govt to engage the needs of the people of East Trinidad, but instead, his administration brought back property tax, put back VAT on thousands of food items, presided over massive job losses, shut the GATE program and cut other social services.
Some new plans for Mayaro:
Tourism
There is enormous potential for the development of a tourism industry along the Eastern coast.
The PP Govt which I le, was working on a major tourism development project for Mayaro – The Lagon Doux Integrated Hotel and Resort Development 1, which was expected to contribute positive socio-economic benefits for South-East Trinidad by way of employment and income growth.
Apart from developing the tourism sector, the project would have resulted in new housing, new medical facilities and other spin off benefits for the area.
Nariva swamp
We plan to make the Nariva swamp the number one ecotourism site in the Caribbean. This is a severely underutilized natural resource. It has tremendous potential.
We are going to upgrade Edwards Trace to a major road to connect Guayaguayare and Moruga. This upgrade will provide access to the southeastern coastline where we can develop first class beach and eco-tourism resorts.
Agriculture
We have singled out agriculture because of its potential contribution to the nation’s food and security needs, foreign exchange generation, deepening of sectoral linkages, management of the environment and fight against climate change.
People are demanding organic “superfoods” like turmeric, moringa, cocoa, avocado, gluten free flours like cassava flour and green banana flour.
Oil and Gas
We are going to extend the port at Galeota and encourage more oil and gas service companies to set up facilities there. A main part of our aim is to encourage the growth of the offshore platform repair and platform construction as well as pipe yard facilities and ship chandler operations similar to Labidco.
I guarantee you that we will begin construction of the first leg of the San Fernando to Mayaro highway in my second term.
The Mayaro/Rio Claro area is identified as a zone for focused economic growth through the development of the agriculture tourism and oil and gas service sectors.
Natural Gas Prices
This is yet another example of their bold faced, two faced, double speak lies to the people of this country.
This Govt’s complete mismanagement of our Energy sector has meant that NGC is now buying gas at higher prices and selling gas to downstream suppliers at non-competitive rates . We are producing more gas thanks the PP’s incentives and making less money thanks to Rowleys negotiations. This is threatening our Ammonia and Methanol producers at Pt Lisas.
It was none other than Keith Rowley and Captain Treason (or Captain Unpatriotic) the Facebook Police Stuart Young who made this mess.
Rowley and Young went to Houston in 2017 to negotiate prices with BP for gas for NGC. And God alone knows what they got up to. Because now NGC is paying higher prices for Gas. Normally you negotiate to pay less. Rowley “negotiated” to pay more!
Paria Fuel Trading Company
In yet another instance of bold faced, two face, double speak lies the latest debacle involves the Paria Fuel Trading Company.
The Chairman of Trinidad Petroleum Holdings, Wilfred Espinet told the nation that a Request For Proposal for Paria Fuel had been put out – in other words, that Paria Fuel was up for sale. This was unbelievable!
There was not a prior word of this RFP from the Ministry of Energy. Then the very next day the Minister of Energy puts out a press release saying that Paria Fuel is not for sale and that the Chairman may have “inadvertently” put Paria up for sale. How can a Chairman of a state enterprise “inadvertently’ put up an asset that belongs to the people of Trinidad and Tobago up for sale? That is madness! And the Minister of Energy had no sense of shame in putting out a release saying that?
After Rowley returned home from his two week jaunt abroad, the Prime Minister told the nation that Paria Fuel is not for sale.
But – the government may use it as “leverage” in the sale of the refinery depending on the proposals they receive.
So first Paria Fuel was for sale. Then it wasn’t for sale. Now it still not for sale, but it might be for sale based on what offers the government get. You all see the chain up?
It wasn’t Kamla who closed down Petrotirin, put thousands of families on the breadline and the entire economy of South Central Trinidad in jeopardy and who appointed a Minister of Energy who frankly don’t seem to know where he is half the time, far less for what’s going on in his Ministry.
You all need to call him Franklyn Can’t not Franklyn Khan. He can’t do anything, he doesn’t know anything, and he is simply in the Ministry of Energy to rubber stamp Espinet’s dictates...
It’s not Kamla who can’t give the people of Trinidad and Tobago a straight answer as to what is the plan for the future of Paria Fuel.
But I will promise the country that it WILL BE KAMLA and the UNC who cleans up the horrible mess this incompetent Rowley Government has inflicted on the people of Trinidad and Tobago!
Tonight I am once again calling on the Rowley regime to halt any intended sale of the Petrotrin refinery and its assets. These belong to the people of Trinidad and Tobago-and the people will decide what is to become of these assets. Not Rowley and his golfing friends.
Faris – Keeping it in the Family
My last example of bold faced, two faced, double speak lies we have the man who took 8 years to do a four year course in law school, the one and only (hopefully) Faris Johnny Seukeran Al-Rawi.
Two weeks ago, I told the country about the millionaire Attorney General and the Al-Rawi clan rental deal within the cabinet that he is a part of.
In 2009 the clan rented #1 Alexandra Street to the PNM govt for $690,000 a month. Faris drafted the agreement.
Faris Al-Rawi’s wife is one of the directors of the company that owns #1 Alexandra Street.
There were claims that we left the building empty, but here is what the PNM tries to hide; do you know when they rented the building it was a shell, it was not outfitted for use and it lacked statutory approvals.
Rohan talking all over the news about building approvals, but the PNM rented a building for $690,000 a month without approvals.
Now they will be collecting $1.4M every month!!
I had to mention #1 Alexandra Street tonight, because the PNM has tried to spin the #1 Alexandra building issue and merge it with the property next door, #3 Alexandra Street.
The morning after I exposed this new lease, where just weeks before, Faris Al-Rawi was named as the 50% shareholder of the company, the talk was that this was an old issue.
Trying to make everything on Alexandra Street, look like one and the same.
The Prime Minister pathetically bold faced and two faced defended his AG this morning, claiming everything is above board.
But he defends the Al-Rawi clan.
This is a Prime Minister who is a stooge of the elite in this country. He is just there to do their bidding. He only has a mouth to bully workers and the poor. Wicked! Incompetent! Useless government! The facts are clear, the AG and his wife owned Zaman Enterprises and they bought the property next to the one that his wife and her family owned.
The AG is trying to defend his corrupt actions by saying that he is not a director of the company anymore.
But his wife and son, are the directors… But he was a shareholder at all material times?
The $23M question is, “Why did he try to hide that he has ownership in the property by taking off his name from the list of directors just before the lease agreement?”
Minister Macdonald told the Parliament that 3 Alexander Place was being rented from Faris for the CPO’s office. While the CPO was occupying a building in Barataria at $9.00 a square foot. A particular Minister frustrated the negotiations for renewing the lease when it came up for renewal.
Tonight I want to ask whether or not Minister Maxie Cuffie has any knowledge about the details of the lease for the CPO office in Barataria.
Maxie was the Minister of Public Administration before Marlene. Did a particular Minister make sure that the CPO didn’t stay at the Barataria office so Faris’s building could be rented.
On Tuesday March 19th 2019 in an interview on i95.5 Attorney General Faris Johnny Seukeran Al Rawi said that the property at no 3 Alexander was being rented at $7.00 a square foot or $7.50 thereabouts. The cabinet note for the rental of the property in black and white reflects that the property 3 Alexander is being rented at over $14.00 a square foot.
So you left a properly functioning property that you were renting for $9.00 a square foot to rent for $14.00 a square foot spending over $8 Million more in rent for the same period as value for money. What a bold face, two faced lie!
I am sharing the information with you so you can see for yourself what is happening in Trinidad and Tobago under this PNM.
When you see a Cabinet writing off millions of dollars in medical bills for a Minister understand how and why? Is this a case of you help me and I will help you?
If you are a UNC supporter…if you are a PNM supporter… and even if you are an undecided voter… Ask yourself… Is this right? I ask you, WAS IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO?
Prime Minister said this morning he is okay with this but then this is a man who is okay with over 50000 persons losing their jobs.
The AG is saying that because his wife and son are directors, he does not benefit from it.
They all living, eating and sleeping in the same house, but he won’t benefit.
What these people are doing is disturbing. They are filling their pockets, eating steak, champagne, cake and ice cream and you are out here catching your tail to put the most basic food items on the table. This Faris Al Rawi is all Greed personified!This PNM Jack Spratt…could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean, and so betwixt them both, they will wipe the Treasury clean.
Wasn’t one building rental for $690.000.00 a month enough Faris?
You just had to go get a next $644.000.00
People out here making $15.00 an hour. $3000.00 a month to take care of all of their needs i.e food, shelter, clothing, medicine, school books, transportation .
Faris you Lickrish!!! AND A GREEDY DISGRACE TO THE COUNTRY.
And then he and Young saying is okay, he left the room during the discussion.
That my friends is unethical Greed.
They are taking you and this country for fools.
Prime Minister, this one not going to just die down with time. Either you revoke and cancel the contract with the Al-Rawi clan or remove the AG from office.
You can’t have it both ways.
The Way Forward
My friends, it is clear that this Govt led by Keith Rowley has failed, and the time has come for a return to good governance in order for Trinidad and Tobago to progress. And it is a UNC Govt that will return our nation to a path of growth, to stability, and get our country working again.
We have a vision of a stronger, more prosperous Trinidad and Tobago, and your party will continue to work towards achieving this vision.
We plan to return our country to growth, make our homes and streets safer, improve access to health care and education and create more jobs by rebuilding our economy with a drive powered by the innovation and creativity of our people.
We can do it, together we can fix the mess this bold faced two faced Rowley government has made and build a better future for our children.
So tonight, let us recommit to making this a reality. Let us move forward, united in purpose, and return good governance to our beloved nation.