Padarath: Minister’s Response to Locust Infestation Totally Unacceptable
Princes Town MP, Barry Padarath slammed Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat for his response to the concerns raised about the locust infestation affecting the constituency of Princes Town.
Padarath said that he took note of Rambharat’s comments to I95.5 FM that this was a reoccurring problem and the locust lifespan will eventually come to an end.
The Princes Town MP indicated that the locust was affecting vegetation and crops in a predominantly agriculture based constituency for the past two weeks and that pleas from both him and his councillors have fallen on deaf ears at the Ministry.
The MP has called for the immediate intervention of the Ministry of Agriculture to have the areas sprayed as well as assessed for compensation to be paid to farmers for the loss of their crops and livelihoods.
He further indicated that this approach taken by the Minister reeks of political discrimination. In the General Election of 2020, every single day government Ministers found themselves in Princes Town in a bid to wrest the seat from the UNC candidate. Today, that same vigour needs to be applied when the people of Princes Town needs the resources of the state to assist them in addressing this problem.
Padarath said that despite his advocacy for assistance, the Minister has not even given the courtesy of a response and that demonstrates the contempt that the PNM not only has for MPs not belonging to their Party but also constituents who do not support them.