PM accused of throwing Diego Martin corporation under the bus

ST AUGUSTINE MP Khadijah Ameen is accusing the Prime Minister of throwing the PNM-controlled Diego Martin Regional Corporation (DMRC) under the bus and crying crocodile tears that this corporation was unable to fix a problem at his home.

She said it was a shameful attempt by him to “mamaguy” the population into property tax ahead of the debate on a Bill to establish the Borough of Diego Martin and the Borough of Siparia, on Friday.

Ameen in a statement on Thursday, said the Opposition and councillors have been clamouring for the regions to be properly resourced for the past seven years.

She slammed “the Prime Minister’s audacity to make this selfish complaint while he and his Government continuously ignored these pleas.”

Now that it has hit home, she said, she hopes Dr Rowley realises the seriousness of corporations needing to be adequately resourced.

At the handing over of the refurbished Skinner Park in San Fernando on Monday, Rowley, in making a plug for local government reform, claimed he almost lost his home at Goodwood Park, Diego Martin due to a drain issue the corporation did not have the resources to fix.

Pointing out he had to undertake the repairs himself because the corporation had no money to purchase sand and cement, Rowley said if local government bodies have its own revenue stream, via property tax in addition to subventions from Central Government, it could do much more instead of waiting for a handout.

Ameen said his lament is an indication of his disconnect from what is happening in the country, pointing to councillors bending backwards in the absence of funding to ensure citizens’ needs are taken care of.

She commended local government representatives who have been raising funds independently, to purchase material to fix pot holes and undertake basic maintenance and repairs, for going above and beyond the call of duty.