MP AMEEN: “Captain Obvious” Faris wasting citizens’ time
Minster of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al Rawi wasted an hour of our citizens’ time this morning as he said nothing significant in his press conference as tens of thousands of affected citizens waited for some form of solid relief from this Government.
This is the view from the UNC’s shadow Minister for Rural Development and Local Government, St. Augustine MP, Khadijah Ameen.
The Minister of Rural Development and Local Government is responsible for 14 Disaster Management Units, one at each Municipal Corporation. Ameen said Planning and preparing for disaster takes place long in advance as was done under the Kamla Persad Bissessar led government.
The MP for St. Augustine who herself spent over ten years as a Local Government Councillor, Chairman of Tunapuna Regional Corporation and later Advisor to Minister of Local Government, reiterated that the Minister has failed to have shelters in order, evacuation plans for at risk communities, trucks, backhoes and other equipment to clear debris as well as landslips.
Miss Ameen says the Minister has further demonstrated his incompetence by failing to swiftly collaborate with the Ministry of Works and Transport to ensure pumps, levies and banks are in place to protect flood prone areas and even to provide sufficient equipment to first responders.
“Captain obvious Faris” spent time stating the obvious that “the soil is saturated”, “rivers have reached their capacity” and “there was flash flooding”. Citizens were fully aware of this as they faced the catastrophe head on. What they wanted was answers and solutions for relief.
The Minister sought to give the impression that all systems are in order for pumps but as of now, areas such as Bamboo Settlement 1,2, and 3, in the vicinity of Grand Bazaar and other areas within the Caroni River Basin have had mechanical problems with their pumps and flood gates as a result of this Government’s failure to have them maintained.
Weather Conditions are not man-made but the catastrophe and burdens citizens are facing today from this flooding has been created by the incompetence of this Government. She is calling on Minister of Faris Al Wari to focus less on trying to impress with words and to get into action as flood prevention is not an overnight PR project
Khadijah Ameen
MP, St. Augustine