House mourns ex-Naparima MP Boodram Jattan

THE House of Representatives on February 16 paid tribute to former Naparima MP Boodram Jattan who died in New York on November 3, 2023.

Jattan was a member of the opposition United Labour Front (ULF) who served in the House from September 24, 1976- September 18, 1981.

Communications Minister Symon de Nobriga said Jattan, 90, "lived a life of service."

He added that Jattan, a former sugar cane worker, was particularly passionate about the sugar industry and heavily involved in the trade union movement.

Naparima MP Rodney Charles said Jattan was among a group of distinguished people to represent the constituency in the House.

He identified Lionel Seukeran and Alloy Lequay as other members of this group.

Charles said when Jattan retired from electoral politics in 1981, he migrated to New York where he continued to serve the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora as a pundit.

House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George said for his service to Trinidad and Tobago and the diaspora, Jattan received a lifetime award at Trinidad and Tobago's Consular General's office in New York in 2013.

Later in the sitting, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said construction work on the Siparia East Secondary School and the D'Abadie Avenue early childhood education centre in Avocat were 48 and 78 per cent complete respectively.

She added that before demitting office in September 2015, the then UNC-led People's Partnership (PP) coalition government left outstanding bills of $3 billion each, for the completion of construction of both schools.

Gadsby-Dolly was hopeful that funds could be identified in fiscal 2025 to complete these works.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the link road from the Mon Desir Interchange to Pepper Village is 68.5 per cent complete.

He added that the road is not yet open to the public.

In response to a question from Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal about what his ministry was doing to address a crack along a part of the road along Mosquito Creek that happened in 2022, Sinanan said the same area cracked repeatedly while the PP was in office and was never fixed.

He assured MPs that the ministry is currently working to find a permanent solution to that problem.