If the People's Partnership Government is re-elected for another five years, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar promises major infrastructural development for south Trinidad, including new highways, a hospital and a tourism site.
Boasting that 95 per cent of the PP's 2010 election promises were fulfilled at the UNC's Monday Night Forum at Debe junction, Persad-Bissessar warned against voting the People's National Movement (PNM) into office, saying the party was opposed to development south of the Caroni Bridge.
Among the election goodies she promised was the development of the San Fernando waterfront, a specialist hospital in Clarke Road, Penal, and a highway from San Fernando to Mayaro, all of which she said would boost business and bring jobs.
Citing progress made, she said the $7.5 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway extension to Point Fortin and the University of the West Indies Faculty of Law, in Debe, were well on the way, whereas the sod would soon be turned for the construction of the Arima and Point Fortin hospitals. She said the Port-of-Spain General Hospital would be upgraded.
"We will build the highway from San Fernando to Princes Town and down to Mayaro. Work has already begun and we will turn the sod for the Point Fortin Hospital. We will turn the sod for the Arima Hospital and in south Trinidad, we have opened the first-ever teaching hospital at Chancery Lane, San Fernando.
"In Penal/Debe region, we will develop a specialist hospital centre in Clarke Road, Penal. They will say we are building hospitals in Arima, Point Fortin and Penal, and what about nothing in Port-of-Spain? We already have a hospital in Port-of-Spain and in Mt Hope, but we are going to refurbish and modernise the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.
"We intend to do the waterfront development project for San Fernando. Cabinet will this week consider and finalise one of the largest government projects, the San Fernando waterfront development. The feasibility study for the project has been completed...T&T must be the jewel of the Caribbean."
She said the PNM had forgotten that it had supporters in south Trinidad, noting that San Fernando East, Point Fortin and La Brea were all PNM constituencies. Despite this, she said, they would all be taken on board in the PP's drive for development. She said her promises were not an election gimmick, but part of the party's vision onward to 2020.
Launching his attack on Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal said while the PNM boasted of building the failed Las Alturas apartment complex in Morvant, the party was upset when the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) began distributing 100 houses per week.
Moonilal said it had been a PNM tactic to use the former National Housing Authority (NHA) to effect voter padding.
He said checks within the HDC showed that some tenants were in arrears by as much as $13,200 for an apartment costing $100 per month because they had not paid rent in 11 years. He said this was because of the PNM's practice of giving away houses as if they were theirs.
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt