Moonilal blasts failure to complete Ramai Hindu School

OROPOUCHE East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal yesterday criticised government for it’s inability to complete the Ramai Trace Hindu School in his constituency and called repeated delays “obscene” in light of repair works at Stollmeyer’s Castle in Port of Spain being completed.

Speaking with reporters at the ANR Robinson East Room in Parliament yesterday, after a sitting of the Special Select Committee to inquire into the selection process for the Commissioner of Police and his deputy, Moonilal slammed government for pursuing what he described as a “Napoleonic and imperial agenda” by placing the refurbishing of Stollmeyer’s Castle as a higher priority over the completion of the school.

“I think it is now obscene that this government has found $16 million to complete Stollmeyer’s Castle where will we have a photographic exhibition but cannot complete a school in the constituencies in rural Trinidad. To us, and to me in particular, that is obscene. It is contemptuous and it’s speaks to some Napoleonic, imperial pursuit of looking at paintings rather than providing education and medical care.”

Moonilal said while the refurbishment project of the castle began under the People’s Partnership government, financial constraints led to a realignment of resources in 2015 towards social development and utilities and urged the Rowley administration to reassess it’s own priorities.

He said while restoring historic and culturally significant monuments were important, he believed the money used in the castle’s refurbishment could be better spent elsewhere.

“My issue is not finishing these projects. I believe at the end of the day, the Magnificent Seven buildings, the President’s House all carry symbolic importance and real meaning, but where you have a question of scarce resources there must be priority and there can be no higher priority than water, health and education.”

Responding to reports of inflated price estimates given by school contractors, Moonilal accused government of politicising the issue of education. He said the excuse of officials not being able to find records of payment and work done was not good enough and called on the government to take action.