Tancoo tells Sinanan: STOP victimising South Trinidad

Residents of Oropouche West in particular and South Trinidad in general, continue to be put at risk by the refusal of the Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, to undertake desperately needed repairs to the roads in San Francique.

MP Tancoo and Councillor for the area Doodnath Mayrhoo have been highlighting this issue repeatedly to the Minister, who continues to ignore the frustrated pleas of residents. The attached photographs and video show the state of the road at the corner of Pluck Road and Santa Cecelia Trace. This is a main road used by thousands of persons daily. The Minister is fully aware of the situation for years now and instead of taking the issue seriously, has chosen to engage in cosmetic patching of what is clearly a structural issue requiring proper attention.

“Residents are infuriated by Minister Sinanan’s silence and his repeated ignorance of their pleas. Is it because Rohan believes we are too passive? ” asked Councillor Mayrhoo.”When homes and vehicles are being affected, there is a limit to what people will tolerate” he warned.

MP Tancoo reiterated that this is not an issue of the government not having money but a lack of political will. He said that the Procurement Regulator told the PNM government that about $5.2 billion is lost to corruption every year in state contracts because of the failure to fully implement the Procurement Legislation. ” In one year that 5.2 billion could have fixed every single landslip and road in Oropouche West, Fyzabad, Naparima with billions left over to fix the drainage in these areas to prevent flooding. Instead the state is asking taxpayers to pay property tax, VAT and higher fuel costs to finance the corruption.”

Tancoo and Mayhroo challenged the Minister of Local Government and the Minister of Works and Transport to visit the area and explain to the residents why they are being ignored.