I read with interest the hunger strike actions of environmentalist, Dr Wayne Kublalsingh. I would like to warn the nation that a distinction must be made between a martyr and a person with an 'ulterior motive' disguised as one. A 'true' martyr is willing to suffer persecution and death for a cause. But what is Dr Kublalsingh's cause? He has stated, "the people of Mon Desir to Debe are suffering from trauma and exhaustion because of seven years of long struggle."
But what about the tens of thousands of persons who will benefit from the usage of the highway and have been suffering for the last 15 years? What about the young children who are left unsupervised at home because their parents are stuck in traffic every morning and evening? What about the broken homes created as young children feel neglected because of the exhaustion of their parent which leads to a lack of quality family time?
If this is what Dr Kublalsingh supports then God help us all. It is clear that Dr Kublalsingh has his own agenda, which is definitely not the future development of Trinidad and Tobago. The government has broken no laws. In fact, it has a right to acquire land usage in pursuance of the development of our country. The Highway Re-Route Movement's failure to accept the modifications made by the technical team of the Ministry of Works suggests they have no interest in resolving this matter.
Is one person disguised as 300 families worth the sacrificing the loss of money through cost overruns, creation of jobs, economic growth and development to the citizens in South Trinidad? This is the question that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago need to have answered. Its a good thing, however, that Dr Kublalsingh is an environmentalist and not an economist.
Allister Greene
Maloney