Padarath: Minister Admits Failure, Buck Stops With Kazim
Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath slammed Minister of Local Government and Rural Development for the closure of several shelters in south Trinidad during Tropical Storm Bret.
Padarath stated that the poor coordination among state agencies, lack of proper and accurate information and unpreparedness resulted in the slow relief efforts experienced by many, especially in South Trinidad by the central government.
The Princes Town MP lamented that several government MP’s whose constituencies were also affected, were absent and nonresponsive to the plight of constituents during this distressing time.
While Padarath congratulated and thanked the Regional Corporation, he noted that little assistance was provided to them from the central government and that they were operating virtually on their own. He questioned where were the Ministries of Social Development, Health, Works and Transport, Public Utilities and Community Development.
The Princes Town MP said that the Minister needed to take responsibility for what occurred and that the buck stops with him. The Minister in effect has admitted that there was no proper checks and balances to ensure that the plan he had was a working plan. For instance, the Ramai Trace School was listed by the ODPM as a shelter however the school remains a construction site up to this time.
The Princes Town MP stated that the government’s handling of the before and after of Tropical Storm Bret demonstrates their continued incompetence and lack of compassion for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.