M.P. Ameen calls shame on PM crocodile tears

Member of Parliament for St. Augustine, Ms. Khadijah Ameen is questioning Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s decision to throw the PNM controlled Diego Martin Regional Corporation under the bus after he claimed that he almost lost his Goodwood Park house due to a drain that the Regional Corporation was unable to fix. According to Dr. Rowley, the shortage of sand and cement prevented work from being done. MP Ameen says the Prime Minister’s audacity to make this selfish complaint while he and his Government continuously ignored the pleas from the Opposition, members of the public and Local Government officials over the past seven years to address these exact same challenges surrounding lack of resources and funding for Regional Corporations is indicative of a leader disconnected from the common occurrences in the nation. The St. Augustine MP is accusing the Prime Minister of crying crocodile tears in a shameful attempt to ‘mamaguy’ the population into property tax ahead of the debate on a Bill to establish the Borough of Diego Martin and the Borough of Siparia on Friday.

According to MP Ameen, this Bill will not address the issues plaguing the sector as it stems from the continuous undermining of Local Government by the Central Government. MP Ameen reminded the public of a recent incident where Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan cast blame on the Siparia Regional Corporation for a landslip that residents were calling on the Minister to repair.

MP Ameen is praising the Councillors and Aldermen for stepping up in the absence of Government support by going above and beyond the call of duty to serve their burgesses with limited resources. MP Ameen is asking the PM to spare a thought for areas such as Mandingo Road (Princes Town), Skinner Trace (Fyzabad) and Claxton Bay where homes have been ravaged by landslides and Regional Corporations are starved for funding. She says she hopes the Prime Minister will take meaningful remedial action across all Local Government bodies now that it hit home.

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Regards,
Khadijah Ameen
Member of Parliament
St. Augustine