Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 31/Jan 13:55

PNM ministers criticise Deputy Chief Sec at sod-turning ceremony

DEPUTY THA Chief Secretary Dr Faith Brebnor received stinging criticism from several PNM ministers on January 29 after she accused the government of failing to address the water challenges facing many people in Tobago. At a sod-turning ceremony for the construction of the $50 million Goldsborough Water Treatment Plant, Brebnor prefaced her welcome remarks by telling Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy, all of whom sat at the head table, that they should not schedule events on Wednesdays, when the executive council meets. Brebnor, assemblyman for Belle Garden/Glamorgan, said access to potable water was “a fundamental human right, one that we struggle with, unfortunately, in Tobago. “I get the calls all the time as area representative, this area is included in my district. I get the calls all the time from people who are saying to me, ‘Dr Faith, call WASA, please. Is three days now we ain’t get water.’ Coincidentally, when I got up this morning (January 29) and I turned on my tap, there was nothing.” She said her water tank was also empty. “For my tank to be dry, it may not have had water flowing through the pipes for some time.” Brebnor said she hoped the project will treat with the water challenges in the area. “Minister Gonzales, even though we have some of the other projects that we congratulated ourselves for in the west, I still get calls from people on the western end and I still get calls from people in Plymouth…It means that we need to figure out what exactly is happening, why we are still having these challenges.” Nevertheless, she said the construction of the Goldsborough Water Treatment Plant was an example of the THA’s commitment to true progress for the island. “When we got the call that this project needed to happen in Goldsborough and when we got the call that this project needed to happen on lands that were already vested in the Tobago House of Assembly, we quickly ensured that what needed to happen, happened very quickly so that these properties would be vested in WASA so that this project can continue, again showing that this Tobago House of Assembly is one that truly understands that we need to do whatever we have to do for those who we represent.” [caption id="attachment_1136248" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales - Photo by Faith Ayoung[/caption] Addressing Gonzales directly, Brebnor said, “I sincerely hope that this kind of collaboration, one where for example, I am invited to be a part of the celebration, is not just happening because we were forced to do it. “In other words, Minister Gonzales. I am waiting for the invitations for the other events that are going to be happening as it relates to public utilities on the island. I pray that this level of collaboration is one that allows each and every one of us to recognise that we all have an individual responsibility to do everything that we need to do, regardless of who we need to collaborate with.” She added, “This Tobago People’s Party administration is very willing to collaborate with whomever because this is what it takes for the people of Tobago to get water.” Webster-Roy, in her turn at the podium, agreed that collaboration was important to development. But she said it cannot be one-sided. “Collaboration is key, collaboration is important and just as my honourable colleague from the Tobago House of Assembly, Deputy Chief Secretary would have indicated to let the invitations flow, I could speak about my experience as the representative for Tobago East, when I write letters to advocate on behalf of my constituents and I see my letters of advocacy bearing fruit and ribbons being cut or projects being opened and the member for Tobago East does not receive an invitation,” she said. Webster-Roy recalled talking to fisherman at Barbados Bay, Studley Park, who had advocated for improvements to the fishing facility and sent a letter to the THA. The minister said she later discovered, while driving through Studley Park, that the facility was to be commissioned the following day. She said she did not get an invitation. “So for collaboration to work, the invitations must go both ways for the development of the people of Tobago.” Webster-Roy said, “My very honourable colleague from the THA also mentioned parts of the THA Act of 1996, but I wish that same passion would have been shared when we were debating the two autonomy bills,” Webster-Roy said, alluding to the Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago Self-Government) Bill, 2020 that collapsed in Parliament in December. She said communities throughout Tobago East benefited from the investment made by the Ministry of Public Utilities. “This project that we are turning the sod for here today is upwards of $50 million, a demonstration of a government that is caring, considerate and mindful of the people of Tobago.” Beckles-Robinson, who is also the governor, IDB, Trinidad and Tobago, said the government has achieved considerable success in addressing the water woes on the island. But she said, “Things will never be perfect because very often the impression is given that all the money is spent in Trinidad. Come to Arima, and they will not say so. Go to Lopinot, and they will not say so.” Beckles-Robinson said the public utilities ministry has always collaborated with the THA. “I was a former Public Utilities Minister, and in 2002, there was a shortage of water in Tobago, and we had to import water from Trinidad. “During 2002-2004, former chief secretary Orville London made the request and $30 million was allocated from the ministry to drill wells in Tobago, and that is why there isn’t the shortage of water now as compared to then.” She also responded to Brebnor’s statement that they should not schedule events in Tobago on Wednesdays. Beckles-Robinson said this was not deliberate. Gonzales, who delivered the feature address, responded to Brebnor’s request for invitations to future events hosted by his ministry. He revealed he was never invited to any event hosted by the Farley Augustine-led THA administration. “I’m not about that. I’m a big man, I have work to do. I’m not about making an issue over who gets an invitation, who doesn’t. I’m about serving the people who put me in office, and when election comes, they’re not going to determine my political future by who I invite or who I didn’t invite,” Gonzales said. Saying his ministry has sent invitations to events that were never attended by THA assemblymen, Gonzales said, “I will forgive her because, perhaps, she wasn’t aware that on many occasions when we commissioned booster stations and infrastructure, the secretary responsible for utilities (Secretary Ian Pollard) refused to attend.”   The post PNM ministers criticise Deputy Chief Sec at sod-turning ceremony appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.