Grasp dry dock deal

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has impressed upon the party’s general council the significance of the proposed dry-docking facility in La Brea, urging residents of the south-western peninsula to grasp the economic advantages of the mega project.

So said outgoing PNM chairman Franklin, yesterday, while speaking to reporters at the post general council news conference at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain.

Khan said Rowley, who is also PNM political leader, spoke extensively about the multi-million dollar project, which was signed recently between China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) sand the National Infrastructure Development Co (NIDCO).

CHEC had previously been blacklisted by the World Bank for corruption but the suspension has since been lifted. “It is a major piece of investment that will be coming to Trinidad,” Khan said of the project, adding that many of its details have already been made public.

“But, in the context of general council, he (Rowley) spoke directly to the La Brea constituency and the Point Fortin constituency to grasp this opportunity with both hands and to not let a minority of residents disrupt work.”

Khan added: “La Brea has now become famous for these sorts of industrial and quasi-industrial unrest where major investments sometimes get into jeopardy for behaviour of that nature.

“From a party’s point of view, we are calling on the La Brea constituency to monitor these developments and to seek to communicate to the residents, the positive nature of projects like these and how it can have long term positive effects on the communities of La Brea and Point Fortin and the south-west peninsula in general.”

Khan said La Brea must start to market itself as a prime area for direct foreign investment as well as capital “because it is only with capital injection can your economy continue to grow and turn around.

“And if you don’t get these types of major capital injection, our potential for economic growth will be very dim.”

Khan said Government has, over the last three years in particular, been putting in place projects for major diversification-type investment, be it Sandals, La Brea docking facilities, Phoenix Park Industrial Estate and Moruga Agro-Processing Plant.

“Some of these projects are major capital investment, that is independent of oil and gas.”

The proposed dry-docking facility, to be constructed over a four-year period, is projected to position as an industrial centre for maritime traffic.