Disclosing that he did not doubt the money to fix roads in Point Fortin would come, Works Minister Jack Warner yesterday said he received $250 million as a first tranche from the Government for the project.
Last Sunday, Warner said he planned to resign if he did not get money to fix Point Fortin's roads in two weeks. His ultimatum came after protests from residents of the PNM stronghold. Yesterday, he said he did not think that resigning was ever on the cards and that he was a bit disenchanted (when he made the statement). Asked if he was bluffing, he said no. Warner also ignored questions on whether it was a ploy to get money from the Government. He said he got $250 million and expected to get a balance of $500 million in a month or two. The Government's Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency (Pure) earlier this year received $750 million raised by the National Insurance Property Development Co Ltd.
Warner made the disclosure at a press conference he said he called to let the nation know that his ministry was constructing a $2 million flood alleviation detention pond in South Quay, Port-of-Spain, opposite the Central Market.
He said roadworks would begin in Point Fortin at 9 pm Thursday. He invited the media to dinner at 10 pm in the area. He said the media could overnight since works were going to begin on the Tarouba Link Road at 2 am on Friday. Responding to questions from the media on another matter, Warner said he did not think Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley's figure of $2.4 billion in payment to residents for land for the Golconda to Point Fortin highway was correct. Rowley on Monday said before the Government came into office, preliminary costs were estimated to be $800 million. He claimed the figure has now jumped to $2.4 billion and insinuated that it was to pay constituents of Government MPS. Rowley said these MPs were put on what was supposed to be a Cabinet sub-committee to oversee the $7 billion highway project. Responding, Warner said yesterday: "I don't think the figures are quite correct. I am not aware of any $2.4 billion. "But I do know that the price of the land has increased dramatically over the past two years."
He added: "The committee has not even met. The land has not even been surveyed as yet. I can't see how what Rowley is saying has any merit."
Warner said he could not see any corruption in the project because of the level of transparency that had been pledged.
Noting that the value of land had increased over the past two years, he recalled that when the Mamoral Dam was to be built four years ago, it was agreed that $49 million would be paid to citizens for land to be used in the project.
The dam was never built and Warner said those same properties were now valued at more than $200 million.
"And if you wait longer, it will pass $300 million," he said.
Warner said market prices dictated what the Government paid.
He also dismissed Rowley's charge that the Cabinet sub-committee overseeing the highway project was comprised of people who were not Government (and Cabinet) ministers.
Rowley singled out Stacy Roopnarine who he said was only a minister in the Ministry of Works and not a Cabinet member.
Warner said: "I don't know about junior or senior. Stacy is a minister. Everybody (on the committee) is a minister.
"From my little education in school, I know it's an inter-ministerial committee."