As members of civil societies meet with Works Minister Surujrattan Rambachan today, leader of the Highway Re-Route Movement (HRM) Dr Wayne Kublalsingh says his fate lies in the hands of the Government. He said the outcome of today’s meeting would determine if he stops or continues the hunger strike.
In an interview with the T&T Guardian at his home at D’Abadie yesterday, Kublalsingh urged the Government to accept the alternative route as outlined in the HRM’s optimum connectivity proposal. “It’s very solid. It’s very comprehensive. It’s very workable and moderately priced compared to the Government’s alternative,” Kublalsingh said. On whether he believed today’s meeting was an attempt to mediate the environmentalist disagreed.
“Mediation is when you have a third party and the third party intercedes and tries to look at the sides of both parties and trash out issues and tries to see if you have compromises if required and come to the best optimum solution... so this is not really mediation. “It is basically two sides meeting as a first step to resolving the issue and of course has the interest of nation at heart,” Kublalsingh said.
But Kublalsingh applauded the Government for its effort, saying today’s meeting was a step in the right direction. However, he was still skeptical whether the Government would accept the alternative route as proposed by the HRM. “The Prime Minister said they have considered the Armstrong Report and we want to know how they have considered and to what extent they have considered it.
“Again that is nothing really because we have not yet been given anything from them so the hunger strike continues,” Kublalsingh added. Asked if he believed today’s meeting was a genuine attempt by the Government to listen to the concerns of the HRM Kublalsingh made references to previous meetings. He said: “The past has been decisions already being made and the Government basically saying déjà vu and holding on to their positions and not willing to make any adjustments.
“And there has been in the past a great deal of insincerity and stonewalling... basically refusing to answer questions, saying that you forget, saying that it is in the hands of other people, saying that you couldn’t remember those details... just giving answers to get rid of the person. That has been our dealings with the government,” Kublalsingh added. He said he hoped that situation had changed so as to have more fruitful discussions on the issue.
Those expected to attend the meeting include leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah and founder of the Adult Literacy Tutors Association (ALTA) Paula Lucie-Smith.
Fuad wrong
On statements made by Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan which cast doubt over Kublalsingh’s health, the HRM leader said such comments only strengthened his spirit. He said: “I don’t think that Dr Khan’s version is at all relevant. He has not seen me and he has not examined me. That is not an issue here. That is a diversion.
“The issue here is the Government is ransacking part of the northern range to ransack part of a lagoon, to ransack communities, to attack the treasury in the most serious kind of way and I’m standing with my body between the Government and those type of actions. I’m using my body as an instrument of social attrition.” Saying he had to keep his body intact, Kublalsingh urged his detractors not to abuse it with “such verbal mis-statements.”
“Yes I am strong but perhaps the reason why I am strong is perhaps because he (Khan) is weak. The reason why my handshake is strong is because his handshake is weak. “I didn’t feel any how when Dr Khan made those statements because they do not bother me. They make my spirit stronger,” Kublalsingh added.