UNC tells public: Don't let PNM bribe, bully you for votes

THE UNC is urging members of the public not to accept bribes or to allow themselves to be bullied for votes in the upcoming August 14 local government elections.

At a press conference in Port of Spain on Sunday morning, UNC MP Khadijah Ameen alleged people had come to members of the UNC claiming the PNM had offered them food cards and promises of social grant approvals in favour of votes.

She said the PNM was "getting more boldfaced" with using State resources to campaign after "depriving communities of many resources" for years.

She said many communities were now seeing roadworks, infrastructure work and drainage upgrades which she believed was linked to the election.

A lot of the projects, she said, "are being done in areas where they feel like they're under threat...

"There is now a rush to distribute food cards and hampers and other social grants that come from State resources."

She continued, "Some of these people indicated that they never asked for a food card, they were offered one with a direct request to vote for the PNM for receiving that."

Ameen reiterated the UNC's stance that the PNM had been discussing local government reform for years but had not done anything significant.

She said the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation would soon be hiring 60 workers and while the UNC was happy for this, she believes it was also an election gimmick.

She claimed her party had been "shielding" the public from the "true wrath" of the PNM as UNC councillors took money out of their pockets to improve their communities.

"(The PNM) who has starved you of these resources in the past are suddenly bringing it to you as an election bribe.

"We will continue to stand with you. Do not be intimidated, bribed or bullied. Stand up to them and stand your ground.

On the issue of roadworks, Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said his constituency had "the worst roads in TT" and questioned the relevance of the Secondary Road Rehabilitation and Improvement Company Ltd.

At a joint select committee meeting of Parliament in June, the road company's chairman, Herbert George, said its purpose was to assist with the maintenance of the road network – particularly secondary roads – with a focus on infrastructure, road repairs and rehabilitation, upgrades as well as drainage.

He had added that $100 million was made available to the company to "build it out" as well as do repairs and that a remaining $200 million would soon be given.

"It seems to be votes for roads and they are paving roads left, right and centre in PNM-controlled constituencies," Indarsingh said.

At a PNM public meeting on Friday, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said improvements in road infrastructure would be one of the benefits of local government reform.

He said 85 per cent of the complaints his ministry received about poor road conditions were related to roads that fell under the jurisdiction of local government corporations.

He said while the ministry continued to do what it could to upgrade and repair the roads under its purview, the corporations must take responsibility for their roads.

Indarsingh also commented on the Prime Minister's recent announcement that vetted units in the police would be formed to address its rogue elements.

Indarsingh said there were already relevant committees in TT that could deal with the issues, and demanded that Rowley say whether the proposed vetted units would be reporting to him or National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

Newsday tried to contact PNM public relations officer Faris Al-Rawi and its general secretary Foster Cummings for a response to the claims of bribery but all calls and messages went unanswered up to press time.