Jearlean: Laventille can be like Switzerland under UNC

If Laventille residents vote out the PNM in the upcoming general election, in two years that community will become like Switzerland.

Jearlean John, a UNC deputy political leader, made this claim as she accused the PNM of failing the country.

"For 60 years, the people of Laventille voted for the PNM faithfully and loyally, and now they are having a latrine eradication programme."

This programme seeks to eradicate outhouses.

John was speaking at the UNC Monday night forum at Union/Claxton Bay Secondary School at St Margaret’s in Claxton Bay.

She criticised National Security Minister Stuart Young for his comments in an interim report by a parliamentary joint select committee (JSC) about a UNC deputy political leader who awarded a contract to Kenneth "Spanish" Rodriguez.

She denied awarding any contracts to Rodriguez.

"I want to ask Young if he knew that Rodriguez was constructing roadways and box drains, contracts he won under this Government? Facts do not tote feelings."

She also denied being accompanied by a gang leader from Beetham Gardens during a walkabout in Maloney in the lead-up to the local government elections.

John told supporters: "If the deputy political leader he is referring to was me, I was never in Maloney. The last time I was there was within my capacity as managing director of the HDC.

"So I don’t know who they are maccoing in Maloney. Can you imagine, this man cannot macco competently?"

She referred to Young as the "most incompetent minister of anything," saying he was not fit to wipe the floor around UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's foot.

"All these nonsenses about who are walking with gang leaders serves nothing," she said

John said she visits Beetham Gardens to help students with school supplies because education is the way out of poverty.

"If helping the children of Beetham is wrong, I do not want to be right. If buying schoolbooks is wrong, I do not want to be right.

"The people of Beetham do not throw water on me," she said, referring to an incident involving Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds.

"They do not run me. I can go anywhere in this country, because I serve my people."