Plummeting oil prices and the arrests of top OAS Construtora officials in Brazil for corruption last night prompted the Highway Re-route Movement (HRM) to hold a candlelight vigil outside the southern residence of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. It was a last-ditched attempt to get the Government to engage in mediation over the controversial Debe to Mon Desir leg of the $7.4 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin project.
From about 7.30 pm, HRM members — Reshana Boodhai, Tara Sharma and Leela Boodhai — went to the PM’s private home at SS Erin Road, Philippine, San Fernando, to deliver a document ,titled “Patterns of Abuse Against the HRM by the Government of T&T”.
However, soldiers from the T&T Defence Force ordered the HRM team to move away from the front gates as they posed a security risk. The soldiers also refused to collect the document, saying it should be delivered during the day. The protestors agreed to return and later left the residence.
At a press conference nearby afterwards, Shereen Boodhai said it was almost 100 days since their leader, Dr Wayne Kublalsingh, began his hunger strike. Calling for mediation, Boodhai pleaded: “The life of a brilliant man, a son of the soil, is hanging on the line and still they do not care about mediation.” She added: “Oil prices are at the lowest and falling daily so the Government must be sensible and curb exorbitant spending.”
Boodhai noted that the Inter-American Development Bank had refused to grant a loan to the T&T Government to build the highway and instead recommended the widening of existing arteries. Saying the Government should consider utilising the HRM’s Optimum Connectivity proposal, Boodhai said that would save the Treasury more than $1 billion.
Boodhai noted that the recent arrests of top OAS officials for money laundering, corruption and bid-rigging should be viewed with concern by the Government. Reiterating her call for an independent mediator to discuss the highway, Boodhai said the HRM would continue its struggle until the Government heeded its cries. Local Greenpeace activist Judith de Verteuil also said the Mediation Act of T&T would facilitate that process.
“Mediation is on our law books so we are hoping the Government will do the right thing,” she said. Industrial relations consultant Wilfred Edwards said the HRM would make one last request to Government for mediation and if that was ignored it would then make a demand. He said that demand would be revealed in due course.