The Opposition has commended its members of Parliament for bringing pressure on the Government, which it believes was the resaons for the halting of the disconnection drive.
The following is a statement by the UNC.
The UNC commends our Members of Parliament, Saddam Hosein, Dinesh Rambally, Vandana Mohit, Arnold Ram, and Senator Wade Mark, in addition to the many citizens who voiced their objections on social media and elsewhere, for pressuring WASA to halt its cruel disconnection drive during lockdown and pandemic.
If the UNC did not raise its voice, the PNM would have continued its programme of locking families in their homes from 7pm on Friday, for virtually the entire weekend, without a supply of water. Notably, this disconnection drive was only happening to residents in Chaguanas, San Juan and Barataria, areas represented by UNC Members of Parliament.
These actions by WASA constitute the most inhumane tyranny, and cruelty beyond belief. Minister Marvin Gonzales and WASA’s Executive Chairman Lennox Sealy saw nothing wrong when objections were made by UNC MPs. They disparaged the MPs’ interventions as “typical UNC behaviour”, and doubled down on WASA’s actions in media interviews, including on Friday morning on TV6’s Morning Edition. There was no indication that they saw any problem, and they continued with their heartless programme.
When asked in the Senate, the PNM Leader of Government Business, Clarence Rambharat, coldheartedly and flagrantly refused to answer Senator Wade Mark’s question on the effect of the WASA disconnections on sanitisation during the pandemic.
The UNC continued applying pressure to the matter and raising public awareness. Marvin Gonzales was correct that this was “typical UNC behaviour”. The UNC is always compassionate towards citizens and acts accordingly.
On the other hand, disconnecting families from their water supply, threatening to seize their homes, locking them down for approximately 48 hours from Friday at 7pm to Monday at 5am, not allowing so-called “non-essential” household heads from earning an income to pay their water bills (in fact, arresting and imprisoning them if they attempt to do so), all during a pandemic when washing hands and maintaining a clean environment is crucial to saving lives in this country, is TYPICAL PNM BEHAVIOUR. Absolutely sickening and disgusting.
Marvin Gonzales and Lennox Sealy should hang their heads in shame.
Thank God that the UNC continues to fight for the people of Trinidad and Tobago, or else one would shudder to think what more the PNM would be allowed to get away with.