Moontown

The busiest airport in the Dominican Republic will receive several upgrades, including a new US$30-million runway.

A new terminal at the Punta Cana airport also will be built to handle what the government anticipates will be a seven per cent increase this year in the number of tourists flocking to the popular region.

The airport processes 58 per cent of tourists that visit the Caribbean island, or roughly 100,000 travellers.

It receives 325 weekly flights during the high season, which runs from October to February for Canadian visitors and April to September for Europeans.

The government said in a statement Wednesday that the 10,200-foot-long (3,110-metre-long) runway will be completed by April 2011.

- AP

Opposition Spokesman on Tourism Dr Wykeham McNeill (left); Wayne Cummings (centre), president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA); and Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett in discussion during the opening of the JHTA’s Jamaica Product Exchange 2010 at Half Moon Conference Centre in Montego Bay, St James, on Tuesday. - Photo by Noel Thompson

Sheena Gayle, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The wave of crime and violence in Jamaica did not go unnoticed at the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Assoc-iation’s (JHTA) 49th staging of Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), as president Wayne Cummings chastised the Govern-ment for its approach to tackling crime.

“While Jamaica has had major challenges with crime and violence through its independent history, the last 30 years have provided the most prolific example of what not to do when the State unofficially provides support for criminal enterprise for political gains,” Cummings said in his address on Tuesday.

He argued that what is playing out currently is the worst form of extortion, drug running, scamming and other manifestations which are due to the strong base of legitimacy that the criminals have secured during these last generations.

“Sadly, we are now faced with independently powerful camps that are exacting dominance and jungle justice as a show of force to protect their ill-gotten gains,” added Cummings, who stressed that the continued growth of the sector and other legal productive ventures are at real risk.

There have been close to 600 murders in Jamaica since the start of the year.

Customer Satisfaction

Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett acknowledged that the social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have empowered travellers to communicate what Jamaica’s tourism product has to offer.

He said that, in a bid to keep tourists interested in Jamaica and visiting the island, “we have to look at ways to keep the product fresh and crisp all the time”.

He added: “Customer satisfaction is very important as they are tweeting.”

Despite the challenges, Bartlett argued that Jamaica continues to display resilience and credited the JHTA for helping to maintain social and economic stability during this period of recession.

“We have to look at how we are going to remain competitive now that more countries are involved in the commercialisation of tourism. Airlift is important in order to remain a destination that is accessible and partnership with the airlines is the way of the future,” he concluded. (Jamaica Gleaner)

sheena.gayle@gleanerjm.com

Collingwood

Sangakkara

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GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC):

For different reasons, the first men’s semi-final of the Twenty20 World Cup today at the Beausejour Cricket Ground is special for England and Sri Lanka.

England have never won a World Cup under any format and they will be hungry to reach the final on Sunday at Bridgetown to hunt their first.

Sri Lanka, on the other, have lifted a World Cup previously, but they were the runners-up in last year’s T20 World Cup in England and in the one-day international World Cup staged in the Caribbean three years ago when Australia pummelled them for a third straight title also at Kensington Oval.

England reached the semi-finals following a three-wicket victory over New Zealand on Monday, which put them at the top of their Super Eight group.

Weather-affected match

Paul Collingwood’s side has played confidently and the only blip on their copybook came in a badly weather-affected match against hosts West Indies, in which they looked set to also win.

“The guys are ready; they are excited,” Collingwood on the eve of the match. “If there was a feeling around the camp that the guys are nervous or anything like that, then maybe something would have to be said.

“But the guys are so focused on the jobs they’ve got to do, roles they’ve got to play. We’ll have a team meeting, but let me tell you, I’m not going to come out with any rip-roaring speech.”

Sri Lanka overcame fellow Asian side India by five wickets when Chamara Kapugedera lashed a last-ball six on Tuesday to scrape into the semi-finals.

Door opener

Their chances had appeared slim following an 81-run defeat to Australia in their previous Super Eight match, but their victory over Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side, and West Indies’ capitulation to the Aussies in the final Super Eight match opened the door for Kumar Sangakkara and his men.

“We put ourselves in a hole after the Australian game,” said Sangakkara. “Even if we had lost, and maintained a good run-rate, we would still have loved to win.

“We had different options in play. After that game it was just about going out and try to win a game.”

He said: “It’s been good for Sri Lanka, we’ve managed to do well and hold our own in big tournaments. Hopefully, in our game against England, we can maybe convert that into another win and another final.” (Jamaica Gleaner)

West Indies’ captain Chris Gayle.

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC):

Chris Gayle continued to be contrite about West Indies’ meek exit from the Twenty20 World Cup, but believes West Indies cracked under the pressure of being host nation.

West Indies bowed out of the T20 World Cup on Tuesday following a six-wicket defeat by Australia at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

Choosing to bat, West Indies’ batting again flopped when they were dismissed for 105 in 19 overs, and the Australians successfully chased a target of 106 to win with 22 balls to spare.

“There are no excuses,” said the West Indies captain. “I apologise to the fans for the display of cricket we played in this T20 World Cup. We still have to hold our heads high. We have worked really hard, but it was just unfortunate.”

Gayle swiftly dismissed suggestions that there was unrest in the side, a common feature when the side has underperformed in the past.

“There are no problems within the camp,” he said. “The team spirit has been good. It’s just the on-field, inconsistency, that’s where we are lacking and we tried everything to actually get that right, but it just didn’t happen.”

He added: “It’s always going to be difficult for a team hosting any event. The added pressure even though you know the conditions well.

“People spend their money to come to see decent cricket and whenever you don’t give them that sort of performance, it’s always going to be on the back foot for us.”

He said: “That’s more pressure for us as well. It’s a situation, where we will just have to try and overcome these situations whenever this happens again.”

Personal pressure

Gayle, one of the world’s leading batsmen in the Twenty20 format, admitted that he also felt the personal pressure of the responsibility that the fate of the side rested so much in his hands.

“It’s been severe pressure,” he said. “A lot was on my shoulder. I was hoping that someone would take some of that pressure off in the batting department, but it did not happen throughout this tournament.

“It’s been disappointing. I tried my best. Not saying that others did not try their best, but the pressure was there and maybe sometimes I tried to hard and dug too deep and got myself in trouble - wanting to do too much instead of playing my role and letting it come naturally.”

Welcomed support

Gayle welcomed the support his side received throughout the competition and paid tribute to scores of West Indies supporters that attended the matches in Guyana, St Lucia, and Barbados.

“It was really good, man,” he said. “Pot covers and those things beating, sounded good. It brought back memories. The turnout has been brilliant.

“I must commend (the crowds) for this and it’s just unfortunate that we did not carry on to the semi-finals. We can’t complain about the crowd turnout. The support was very good and I must say again, thanks to all the fans who came out and supported us.”

West Indies will need the same level of support, when they tackle South Africa in a bilateral series, starting next week.

They meet the Proteas in two T20 and five one-day internationals, as well as three Tests over the next six weeks.

“We have the South Africa home series coming up, so we still have to focus,” he said. “Hopefully, we can give the fans something about which to cheer then.” (Jamaica Gleaner)

Peart: … which Standing Order prevents a member from asking the prime minister on the specific matter that he spoke? - File

Chuck: A number of issues were addressed that had nothing to do with government. It had to do with party matters and you are seeking to ask questions relating to the party. - file photos

Phillips: … all kinds of … lies and abuse will not make me sit down here and not defend the rights of the Jamaican people.

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PRIME MINISTER Bruce Golding was in hostile territory for just over two hours on Tuesday as the parliamentary opposition went in search of more clues in the Manatt Phelps & Phillips mystery.

Golding admitted he had sanctioned the move to engage the law firm to lobby the United States government in a treaty dispute with Jamaica.

At the centre of the stand-off is the request by the US for alleged crime lord Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke to be extradited.

Coke is also a supporter of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Golding told Parliament that when he sanctioned the move it was in his capacity as JLP leader and not as prime minister.

The following are excerpts from exchanges between Golding and members of his government and the Opposition People’s National Party after the prime minister’s statement to Parliament on the issue.

Dr Peter Phillips (MP: East Central St Andrew) : The prime minister asserts in his answer to the questions that he stands by his statement in this Parliament and quoted to us in Hansard (soto voce from Dean Peart, MP for North West Manchester: Bwoy mi neva know seh man can lie suh). Does the prime minister recalls that he also accused members of the Opposition of various motives, including searching for headlines and other things? My question is simply, if the prime minister had authorised the arrangement which he said that he had authorised Mr (Harold) Brady to enter into this scheme, purportedly on behalf of the Jamaica Labour Party, why did he not say so then?

Golding: Mr Speaker, the question that I was asked is whether the Government of Jamaica has engaged the services of Manatt. I am going to urge, Mr Speaker, I am going to suggest to you, because it is an approach that I am going to adopt. I am going to start staying scrupulously by the rules. There is a great deal of latitude that is allowed, there are many courtesies that are allowed in this House, including extended statements on questions - a courtesy. And yet in my effort to deliver a statement today, I had difficulty because of the lack of courtesy.

The member ought to be aware that in Standing Order 16 he can only ask a member a question in his official capacity in relation to his portfolio responsibilities. You cannot ask anything in the House, anything about my responsibilities as party leader. (soto voce from Robert Montague, MP for West St Mary: Out of order!).

Phillips: Mr Speaker, I do not appreciate the attempt of the prime minister to intimidate. He once said that political parties are not private clubs and this is the reputation of the people of Jamaica that has been affected. Don’t try come here and intimidate no one. Nobody not afraid and I don’t think it is an appropriate way to treat the business of Jamaica.

Golding: This rule is going to apply to everyone of us in this House, including the member for East Central St Andrew. (soto voce from Luther Buchanan, MP for eastern Westmoreland: You are the prime minister, you talk on everything).

Phillips: Can we ask the prime minister when was this scheme to engage Manatt Phelps & Phillips developed?

Speaker: Delroy Chuck: The prime minister is saying this is a matter outside of Government (soto voce from Dean Peart: It can’t be. foolishness!) (soto voce from Robert Pickersgill, MP for North West St Catherine: Mendacity fills the atmosphere).

Golding: The member cannot be allowed to walk all over the Standing Orders in this way. The fact that I made reference to something in a statement does not mean that you are not obliged by the rule of Standing Order 16. Ask any question of me of my official responsibilities and I am prepared to answer that. (soto voce from Pickersgill: There is no minister of Labour Party).

Speaker: That is why you can’t ask the question if there is no minister of Labour Party.

Phillips: Where in the Standing Orders is it not possible to ask about Jamaica’s relations in the international community where the issues regarding Jamaica’s reputation, the reputation of the government of Jamaica for which he has responsibility, where is it in the Standing Order that it says we cannot ask about it?

Speaker: A number of issues were addressed that had nothing to do with government. It had to do with party matters and you are seeking to ask questions relating to the party.

Michael Peart, MP South Manchester: The prime minister gets up, makes a statement and specifically states that he did something, in whatever capacity he said he did it. Which Standing Order prevents a member from asking the prime minister on the specific matter that he spoke?

Speaker: The prime minister has given a statement which is for information to the House.

Phillips: I want to ask the prime minister whether he considers if the people of Jamaica can continue to have confidence in the attorney general and the solicitor general by virtue of their handling of this matter? (Shouts of “Shut up!” and “Sit down!” come from the government benches)

In light of the fact that the rules of FARA would not allow an observer to be present in the meeting … in light of the public statements. (soto voce from from Karl Samuda, MP for North Central St Andrew: You are a CIA! CIA! CIA!) and soto voce from Montague: Agent! CIA! Agent!)

Phillips: … all kinds of … lies and abuse will not make me sit down here and not defend the rights of the Jamaican people. If they think the name of Jamaica is something to be trifled with, we on this side do not accept it. We hold it sacred. And let dem know dat nuh baddy ova yah nuh fraid a none a dem. Paint up wall as much as yuh like, threaten as much as you like.

Does the prime minister consider it that the government and the people retain confidence in view of the fact that it was obviously not true that Manatt Phelps & Phillps could have attended as an observer?

Shouts from the government benches: Grandstanding! Shut up. CIA.

Speaker: Can you allow him to finish?

Samuda: I will not allow him. CIA!

Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller: The issues that are being raised and the questions asked have relevance on the prime minister’s statement, not only to Jamaica but to the international community of nations. (soto voce from Ernest Smith, MP for South West St Ann: Drama queen!)

Golding: Do I consider whether it is appropriate for the Jamaica Labour Party to engage Manatt, Phelps & Phillips? There is nothing wrong with it. Manatt, Phelps & Phillips is one of the most reputable law firms in the United States. What was wrong is that it was represented to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips that they were acting for the Government of Jamaica when they were acting for the Jamaica Labour Party. That was what was wrong.

I will challenge anybody, including those who I know have access to information, to produce one document from an appropriate officer in the Government of Jamaica, whether the attorney general , the minister of foreign affairs, myself, the solicitor general. Any document that represents a formal engagement of this legal firm by the Government of Jamaica.

Manatt Phelps & Phillips cannot produce one single document that represents any authorisation on the part of the Government of Jamaica to an engagement of their professional services for and on behalf of the Government of Jamaica. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Coke

Milton Samuda

Garth

Crawford

Johnson

Samuda

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Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

THE SOUNDS of consternation, shock and fury reverberated around Jamaica into boardrooms and bars, barber shops and parlours, on the streets and into homes as Jamaicans wrestled with the unabashed about-face of Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

After weeks of vehement denials that he had anything to do with the American law firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, Golding admitted on Tuesday that he actually sanctioned the talks.

Leading the chorus of no-confidence against Prime Minister Golding was Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, who yesterday described his admission as the ‘mother of all scandals’.

“The prime minister’s admission that he sanctioned a scheme to circumvent the role of the Government of Jamaica to resolve a treaty dispute with the government of the United States of America and normal diplomatic channels has brought the Government into disrepute.

“The prime minister’s behaviour is disgraceful, outrageous, and out of step with the norms of prime ministerial behaviour and decorum in any democracy in general, and the Westminster system in particular,” Simpson Miller, said as she argued that the “government has lost all credibility”.

Meanwhile, the National Demo-cratic Movement (NDM), which Golding once led, said the prime minister “has com-promised the integrity of the Government that he leads and deceived the people of Jamaica”.

“The members of the Cabinet and the Senate, especially those former members of the NDM, should be particularly ashamed and should walk away if Golding refuses to do the honourable thing. Their failure to do so would make them complicit in misleading the country,” the NDM said.

President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Milton Samuda, also asserted that the credibility of the Bruce Golding administration had been compromised.

The sentiment has been echoed by vice-president of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals, the Reverend Peter Garth, as well as political analysts Richard ‘Dickie’ Crawford and Dr Hume Johnson.

“We feel that the unfolding of the events absolutely vindicate our position that there ought to have been an independent investigation into the matter,” declared Samuda.

The JCC head said Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) General Secretary Karl Samuda’s report two weeks ago has shown beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Government had found itself with a conflict of interest.

“That, plus the prime minister’s statement, make it crystal clear that in the first instance, the issue of the extradition ought to have been left to the courts,” the JCC boss contended.

“And in the second instance, the issue of the so-called treaty matters ought to have been dealt with through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other well-established channels,” he added.

Garth agrees that the latest development has elicited additional questions.

“The situation was quite shocking and alarming because, based on what I heard before, it seems as if the country might have been misled. I cannot understand the play on party and Government,” said the clergyman.

“I believe that the Government needs to put the matter squarely on the table in all honesty because the integrity of our country is at stake,” contended Garth.

However, the JLP’s Samuda, a senior government minister who was called in at the 11th hour to help resolve the matter, appeared quite introspective and meek yesterday in the midst of the turmoil.

“It must be our resolve as a government to ensure that our utterances and actions are not interpreted as being confrontational or overly aggressive, particularly towards the public, on sensitive issues of national significance,” he said.

Meanwhile, Crawford was blunt in his analysis of the situation.

“The prime minister’s comments on the extradition issue and the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips case have landed the Government and the ruling party of Jamaica into an even deeper crisis,” he declared.

President of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, Joseph M. Matalon, admitted that the situation was baffling, but said he did not want to pre-empt any decision of his executive.

Political analyst Dr Hume Johnson argued that the handling of the affair was poor on fundamental levels.

“The protracted delay in addressing the issue, the idea of calling upon his own ministers to investigate the matter, and the ultimate discovery that he wilfully and calculatedly misled the Jamaican people is proof that Prime Minister Bruce Golding does not believe in open and trans-parent government.”

“In highly established democracies, no prime minister could act in such a manner and still retain his or her position. In this regard, I believe Bruce Golding should resign,” said Johnson.

Attorney-at-law Jacqueline Samuels-Brown said she was astounded by the latest development.

“Parliament is the highest court in the land and, while there are rules known as standing orders made to secure the orderly procedure of Parliament’s business, it cannot relieve our leaders of the responsibility to provide the nation with full and timely disclosure in relation to matters of national interest,” she argued. (Jamaica Gleaner)

Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

THE BRUCE Golding administration yesterday retreated behind the bright green cover of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) as it came under increasing public pressure over its handling of the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair.

With the airwaves bombarded with criticisms of the prime minister over his belated admission of his role in contracting the United States law firm, government ministers ducked and pointed questions to the party.

The usually smooth-talking information minister, Daryl Vaz, bobbed and weaved as he faced journalists at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing.

No comment from Vaz

With the echo of the infamous Portia Simpson Miller quote during the Trafigura saga, “Ask the PNP”, in the background, Vaz, the JLP’s deputy treasurer, argued that he was at the media briefing as government spokesman and not speaking on behalf of the JLP.

“I’m not going to sit here at post-Cabinet and deal with those internal party matters,” he said. “You have a general secretary of the party and that is where the matter has been put, and I suggest you pose those questions to the party.”

According to Vaz, he stood by the statements he had presented to the media since the issue first surfaced, as those comments were related to the role of the Government.

“The prime minister has made his statement. I really have nothing to add or subtract from that further than to indicate that I sit here as the spokesperson for the Government on information matters, and any other matters that you might want to speculate on I’m not prepared to go there.”

However, Vaz was quick to jump to the defence of Golding, who is facing calls for his resignation.

“The prime minister has been forthright. He has been 100 per cent honest and he has put the matter clearly and squarely out in the open,” Vaz said.

Supporting the pm

“As far as I’m concerned, the prime minister did what he had to do, and the fact is that those who are calling for the prime minister to resign and for the Government to resign have no moral authority to call for anybody to resign based on their past and their history,” added Vaz.

He argued that even as the JLP deputy treasurer, he would not necessarily know who paid the US$50,000 to Manatt, and pointed to the prime minister’s claim that the money came from financial contributors to the party.

Vaz also indicated that the decision to contract Manatt had been considered by the party’s central executive, which is its highest decision-making body outside of the annual conference.

“You are carrying me into areas which I have no knowledge of and I would suggest that you pose those questions to the relevant ministers or the party officials,” said Vaz in response to questions about the role of Attorney General and Justice Minister Dorothy Lightbourne in the affair.

The information minister would also not be drawn on questions about how the Government had handled the matter.

“I don’t want to comment on that. What I can say is this situation has been further complicated by the misrepresentation of the Government.” (Jamaica Gleaner)

arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com

Water flows from the mountains to valleys through rivers, over land, and, as groundwater, to the sea. How the water flows and what it carries depends on many factors, among them the climate, geography, economy and politics of each country. Countries are intrinsically tied to their natural history and their patterns of development, including the management of their lands and coastal areas.

Caribbean states are highly dependent on the marine environment for their economic, nutritional and cultural well-being. It is almost inevitable that conflicts would arise when several human activities that depend on the same area and/or resource are incompatible.

In Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Trinidad and Tobago, most of the population and economic activities are concentrated along the coast. Not only is the country’s current infrastructural development situated along the coast, but proposed developments are also concentrated in this area. This puts pressure on already degraded ecosystems and high priced coastal lands. As reported by the Central Statistical Office in its First Compendium of Environmental Statistics, 2007:

l more than 70 per cent of the population resides in coastal areas

l 80 per cent of industrial activities of strategic national importance is located within coastal areas

san Fernando Wharf: Fishermen and the water taxi. Photo courtesy: IMA

l 60 per cent of small scale economic activities significant for the support of human lives is located within coastal areas

l 80 per cent of urbanized land is located within or adjacent to coastal areas

In recent years conflict among the different stakeholders has increased. While it is a constant between the oil and gas sector and the fishing industry, more recently, fisher-folk in Claxton Bay were concerned about loss of fish habitat to facilitate construction of a port, while residents in Point Fortin were concerned about the loss of a recreational beach to the oil and gas industry.

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) is a continuous and dynamic process that addresses the use, development and protection of coastal areas. It aims to manage human activities within the coastal zone and consequently address conflicts among the different resource users. The process unites government and the community, science and management, sectoral and public interests.

The overall goal of ICZM is to improve the quality of life of citizens who depend on coastal resources, while maintaining the biological diversity and productivity of coastal ecosystems.

ICZM aims to achieve a balance between development and conservation. This is because human populations share a common suite of needs and demands that include employment, housing, education, health care and basic utilities. They also require a healthy natural resource base that can maintain the ecosystem services that sustain communities.

ICZM is a participatory process that requires co-ordination and cooperation among relevant government agencies as well as non-governmental stakeholders and coastal communities. It would therefore require a new approach that adopts the concept of co-management, where stakeholders share aspects of governance with the government, and community participation is an essential part of the management process.

In addition, our islands are vulnerable to natural hazards including impact due to climate change because of its small land mass, high population densities and development along the coast. An ICZM programme can be also used as an adaptation strategy to reduce the effects of climate change and to build resilience of coastal ecosystems.

The Insttitute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is committed to facilitating the establishment of an ICZM programme for Trinidad and Tobago. To this end, a 10-day training workshop on the processes and mechanisms required for an effective ICZM programme for Trinidad and Tobago was hosted by the IMA in March 2010. The Workshop was funded and facilitated by the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Rahanna Juman

Senior Research Officer (Ecology) (Trinidad Express)

Joel Julien joel.julien@trinidadexpress.com

ISHA Hosein’s suspected killer was arrested by police in Sangre Grande yesterday.

The 44-year-old suspect was held by detectives around 4.30 p.m. yesterday while seated in a food outlet, Home’s Restaurant Ltd, located at George Street in Sangre Grande, police said.

The man is believed to have fatally beaten and stabbed Hosein, 41, while she slept with her nine-year-old daughter at the home of her sister at Narinejit Trace, Mon Desir, South Oropouche, around 5.30 a.m. on Monday.

Hosein was the mother of two girls, Janelle and Shanelle. She died from puncture wounds to the lungs, according to autopsy results.

After the fatal stabbing, Hosein’s killer is said to have fled into some bushes.

in happier times: A family portrait obtained from relatives at yesterday’s funeral shows Isha Hosein, right, her husband, Majeed, and their daughter, Janelle.

While on the run from the law, the killer made several phone calls.

He reportedly called Hosein’s sister, Anita Narinejit, and promised to kill all those who interfered in his relationship with the dead woman. Hosein had a restraining order against her attacker.

The suspect telephoned the police after he attacked Hosein and said he was going to commit suicide. These cellphone calls are said to have led the police to the suspect yesterday.

The man was seated inside the restaurant when he was approached by detectives from the Sangre Grande Police Station.

He is currently detained at the Sangre Grande Police Station and is being questioned in relation to Monday’s attack, one detective said.

After the suspect’s arrest, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service yesterday reconfirmed its commitment to ’ensuring the safety of the public in any situation, including circumstances of domestic violence’.

Investigations are continuing. (Trinidad Express)

Kern De Freitas

Free squatting for all.

That is likely to be the United National Congress coalition’s policy for housing if they are put into power on May 24, according to Diego Martin West People’s National Movement (PNM) candidate Dr Keith Rowley last night.

With a fiery contribution that fully endorsed his Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West counterpart, Patricia McIntosh, at the PNM’s political meeting at Piggott’s Corner in Belmont.

Rowley warned the crowd against voting because of affection for a candidate, and told them they must first understand the policies such a candidate stands for.

’When you have to choose a government,’ Rowley told the gathering at the heart of Belmont, ’yeah you can choose a man like me because you like me. If you don’t like me, you not going to vote for me.’

riding high: Supporters cheer during the People’s National Movement meeting last night at Piggott’s Corner, Belmont. -Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK

He added that such an approach to voting could ’wreck your life and your future’.

’You have to pay attention to the policies that the candidate represents,’ he said.

He accused the UNC of encouraging ’lawlessness’, saying that UNC coalition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s comments on the platform on Tuesday night lend supports to lawless squatting.

’Would you believe that the same person who is now wanting to be Prime Minister of this country, who had to swear on the Gita, or the Bible or whatever…she in an election campaign last night, in an attempt to win votes, is saying ’to hell with the law the Parliament pass… go out and squat wherever you want, and the government won’t touch you until they find a house for you.’

Persad-Bissessar at a public meeting in Gasparillo on Tuesday night said that under a UNC government no houses would be torn down.

Rowley described that as ’a little snippet of what the new policy is likely to be’ if the UNC coalition is elected to government.

’Someone who knows the law should not be so cavalier with the law. But that gives you an idea of what they will do if they get into government.’

Rowley boasted that the PNM, since it first took power in 1956, has turned this country from a ’backwater’ colonial island into a leading industrial force. (Trinidad Express)