Deputy leader defends UNC MPs

UNC Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee has answered critics who have questioned the performance of the Opposition’s party’s parliamentarians, saying they kept democracy alive in TT. Lee, who is also one of the UNC’s three deputy leaders, was addressing the party’s local government campaign launch at the Couva South constituency car park, Camden Road, Couva on Sunday. In an impassioned address, Lee said the party has “kept our democracy alive” while opposing a legislative agenda which would have infringed on the rights of citizens.

“Many times they have attempted to violate our rights and liberties for their own selfish gain…When they tried to bring back property tax, we said no to that and the honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar took them to court.“Friends, never once have your opposition MPsgiven this government a free pass because we realise their legislative agenda is not only self-serving and contains nothing to improve our citizens' lives, but at times it infringes on your constitutional rights.”

He said the PNM had failed to deliver on several of its promises for economic turnaround, including the Dragon gas deal and the Sandals project.“The promised Dragon gas deal – it dead. Sandals dead, the La Brea dry dock dead, and Petrotrin, it dead.”On the now-defunct oil company, he said the PNM will never be forgiven for "destroying thousands of lives” and ruining the economies of its fence line communities.

He said while the government should not have shut down the refinery, but should have negotiated for a buyer. “The UNC has no issue with the union acquiring the company but our problem is Keith Rowley’s handling of this situation, and we demand accountability and transparency in that refinery.”Another deputy political leader, Jearlean John, described the ruling PNM as the “most arrogant, heartless, useless, corrupt group of individuals to ever govern the affairs of TT.” She said it had not demonstrated any creativity in its policies and was instead focused on increasing taxes.

“The journey back to freedom starts on December 2,” she said.