UNC MP questions motive of making Siparia a borough

The United National Congress (UNC) is calling on the Prime Minister to say whether plans to upgrade Siparia into a borough is not just a political ploy to create a “PNM leaning” in the constituency held by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

During an address at the opening of the Diego Martin South Community Centre on November 19, last year Dr Rowley said it was government’s intention to make Diego Martin and Siparia boroughs.

The two areas are currently run by regional corporations.

At a press conference on Saturday, St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen questioned the PM’s motive.

“There’s a concern that the PNM deciding to name Siparia a borough could be an indication for the intervention of the EBC to interfere with the boundaries to create electoral districts and municipalities that would favour the PNM,” said Ameen.

Outside of concerns about political motives, Ameen said there are still questions about how the change will bring greater economic, human, infrastructural and economic development in Siparia.

“The UNC believes that changing regional corporations to boroughs must not be cosmetic.

“It must not simply be a name change, it must not simply be calling the chairman “His Worship”…it has to have development objectives that will tie into the national agenda.”

Like Ameen, chairman of the Siparia Regional Corporation Dinesh Sankarsingh is also concerned about the political motive behind the proposed change.

Sankarsingh questioned, “Apart from a change of name, what does it mean? How is the regional going to benefit from a change in status?

“Is it just a superficial change? Is it a superficial name change? Will resources be better utilised elsewhere? How does it impact the community and how does it benefit the community?”

According to Sankarsingh, Saturday’s press conference was not an attempt by the UNC to discourage plans to make Siparia a borough.

But rather it was called to ask the government for more clarity on the proposed change and how it will both negatively and positively affect burgesses.

For example, Sankarsingh wants to know if the change will mean higher taxes for businesses in Siparia.

Newsday was unable to get a comment from Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein on the UNC’s concerns.