UNC principal gives San Fernando West rival Al-Rawi fail grade

ONE of his contenders for the seat, Dr Michael Dowlath, has given San Fernando West MP and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi an “F,” or failing grade, for his performance in the constituency.

Dowlath, a former Naparima College principal, is the United National Congress (UNC) candidate to try to wrest the seat away from the People’s National Movement (PNM).

Speaking at the UNC's Pavement Report on February 4 at the Siparia Road KPA Primary School, Dowlath graded Al-Rawi as he would have done students in their end-of-term reports.

He was introduced by co-chair of the proceedings, Siparia mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo, “as the man opening the bowling, the man who is going to take Faris' wicket in San Fernando West.”

Dowlath spoke of his campaign in the constituency over the past month, saying he had unearthed neglect, from conversations with residents and what he has personally witnessed.

The message about the daily struggles, he said, had been loud and clear, and stories of crime, unemployment, poor infrastructure and an absentee MP had prompted him to present an "official" end-of-term report for the sitting MP based on his performance.

“I spent 20 years as a principal, so I want to summarise what the people of Sando West told me. At the end of the term, I gave a report to every single child, so I am giving an end-of-term report to Faris Al-Rawi.

“Attendance – Grade F, for his chronic absenteeism,” he told the audience, which included Senator Anil Roberts, deputy political leader Jearlean John, Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh, Princes Town MP Barry Padarath and St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen.

“Missing in action when constituents need him most for health issues, crime, infrastructure issues and only appears when elections are near.

“Accountability – Grade F – 58 recusals up to 2022, avoiding key decisions while holding multiple ministerial portfolios, could not serve the people because he was too busy protecting himself from conflicts of interest.

“Representation – Grade F,” the audience responded before he could give the grade.

Dowlath went on, “As Minister of Rural Development and Local Government: his failure to support the San Fernando City Corporation (SFCC) and all the corporations, ignored local government needs while spending millions on questionable projects elsewhere.

“Leadership – Grade F. From Attorney General to Local Government Minister, he left behind a legacy of legal blunders, bad policy and public frustration. No vision, no plan and no commitment to the people of San Fernando West.

“Based on the dismal performance, we regret to inform Mr Faris Al-Rawi that he has failed the people of San Fernando West, he will not be promoted for another term. Instead, people would give him a well-deserved dismissal at the upcoming general election,” Dowlath predicted.

Endorsing the grade and giving his reasons, Mayrhoo said since July 2024, a bridge in the Avocat, St John’s district had collapsed, leaving residents stranded and dependant on a small pirogue to get to and from land.

In addition, a landslip has been threatening the stability of the Cremation Site, Mosquito Creek, which also falls under the Siparia Borough Corporation.

He said neither Al-Rawi nor Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan had made a visible attempt to address the problems, and when Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe raised questions in Parliament, Al-Rawi had said an estimate to repair the landslip had been done at a cost of $20 million.

“I asked my technical officers to go down there and prepare an estimate. The estimate that was prepared by the SBC is $7 million,” Mayrhoo said.

Saying when Al Rawi answered the question in Parliament, he blamed the SBC for not maintaining the cremation site and pyres, Mayrhoo asked him to withdraw that statement, because, he said, in 2024 it had not received the $300,000 allocation under cemeteries and cremation.

“We have 21 cemeteries and that massive cremation site to take care of, so that figure is just a drop in the bucket. We had planned to use that sum for the cremation site, but we did not receive it in 2024. So Minister Al-Rawi must go back to the Parliament and withdraw that statement.”