De Coteau: Tableland/Moruga must return to UNC

Speaking at the United National Congress’s Monday Night Forum in Moruga Composite School, yesterday, former government minister Clifton De Coteau said it's time to return Moruga/Tableland to the fold of the UNC.

He described party leader Kamla Persad Bissessar as the best prime minister this country has ever seen, saying she delivered regardless of race, colour or creed.

"It was the past government from 2010 to 2015 that delivered mass infrastructure to the nation.”

He listed the accomplishments of Moruga/Tableland under the UNC as the new police station, the fishing facility, the new Kanhai Road PresbyterianSchool and the Marac Community Centre.

Co-ordinator of the Moruga/Tableland seat Randy Ramadhar Singh took to the podium, saying he heard the cries of the people in the area, “One of the major issues being that the government stopped the supply of regular gas and Moruga fishermen can barely go out at sea. “There in that of the lack of employment here and youths are turning to a life of crime to survive."

The government was against the people, he said, selling out state assets to a favoured few while the rest of the people suffer.

"If we were not as strong a people that decades of struggle has forced us to become, we could have very well lost hope.”

Councilor Rafi Mohammed said TT is witnessing the worst government in history, whch has done nothing to uplift or improve the life of the people. In his area, he said, 15 major roads were paved during the period 2010-2015 and within the last five years, under the PNM, roads are just being patched, with no landslides being repaired, or bridges or roads properly built.

Alderman Azim Bassaratsaid there is a rising tide of discontentment affecting citizens, brought on by the inhumane policies of the PNM government.

“There is a sense of hopelessness sweeping over everyone,” he said. Under Kamla Persad-Bissessar's administration, he said, concern for citizens was first priority.

Dr Carlene Sookoo called on the people of Moruga to unite and vote in the UNC for better governance.

Councillor Joseph Lorant said when you hear about Moruga you hear about the sports taking place there.

“It is a place where cricket, football, basketball and netball were once popular,” he said, but the sports groups were quickly fading away as there is absolutely no funding coming their way under the PNM.