(Trinidad Express) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday she would not give into the demands of hunger striker Dr Wayne Kublalsingh.
She said she had done everything possible a caring leader would do and appealed to Kublalsingh’s family to not transfer parental duties to the State.
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, yesterday where she hosted a Christmas luncheon for the media.
Kublalsingh yesterday ended Day 8 of his hunger strike against the Debe to Mon Desir section of the Point Fortin Highway. He intends to continue his hunger strike today.
“Wayne’s view is that the project is a bad one and must be stopped at all costs. His demand is not to meet me. So as Prime Minister, what am I expected to do? Simply give in to his demands to protect his life and give up the livelihood and future of hundreds of thousands of others who want the development but choose not to protest in that fashion in favour of it?” asked Persad-Bissessar.
“I am not above meeting with Wayne. I have already done so and would do so again but that is not what is being asked of me. So I have done what any caring leader would do. I have penned a note to his mother in reply to one she sent me. I have sent emissaries to his side. I have placed an ambulance on standby,” she added.
In the face of calls for her to meet Kublalsingh, Persad-Bissessar said she has not done so because Kublalsingh himself said he did not want to meet her.
Her promises to Kublalsingh, she said, were honoured as she stressed her Government tried its best to negotiate with and work with the Highway Re-Route Movement but Kublalsingh and his team rejected every effort.
The Prime Minister disclosed the State can face lawsuits from contractors should the project be halted and she again reiterated this would not happen as this development was one which would benefit many generations.
The Prime Minister said in the spirit of Christmas and goodwill she was moved to make mention of the “personal grief” she felt by Kublalsingh’s self-inflicted hunger strike.
“Many have asked me to visit him and I wish to clarify this once again. Wayne Kublalsingh insists that he does not wish to see me. His demands are for a technical review committee to evaluate the Solomon Hochoy Extension project and that while this committee is being established that the road work be halted,” said Persad-Bissessar.
The Prime Minister also chided Kublalsingh for his behaviour towards Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan, whom he cursed and chased away when the minister visited him on Tuesday.
“His inappropriate and aggressive rejection of the Minister of Health and others whom the government sent in his interest is consistent with this stance. So the failure to meet with him is not of my own making but of Wayne’s refusal,” said Persad-Bissessar.
“The second point of clarification I wish to make is the falsehood that I reneged on a promise made to him. That is untrue. After meeting with Wayne and his group I promised and did suspend the work on the Mon Desir portion of the highway project, pending deliberations and the review of a technical committee which was appointed,” she added.
The Highway Re-Route Movement, she said, walked out of several meetings with the Works Minister and the technical team.
Persad-Bissessar explained that when a report was made on the evaluation—that included compromises based upon the group’s views—the results were again rejected by the Movement.
As the State tried to reason with and negotiate with the group, Persad-Bissessar said the State had to bear the burden of costs—but all compromises offered by the technical team were to no avail.
“The only result the group wants is the stoppage of the project that links major communities in the South of our island,” she said.
“At this stage we simply could not give into the demands of Wayne Kublalsingh and his group to stop a project that would benefit hundreds of thousands of citizens for generations to come,” said Persad-Bissessar.
The Prime Minister reiterated that Kublalsingh’s health was a concern to her but added that what was also of concern was the development of the nation she led.
Kublalsingh, she said, continued to deprive himself of food and water but as Prime Minister she could not deprive generations of citizens of the highway development.
Persad-Bissessar said she would continue to honour and uphold the oath of office which she took.
“I cannot favour any one group or allow fear to control my actions. I therefore make another appeal to Wayne’s dear parents, Ray and Vilma, and his wife and brothers and sisters to take seriously their obligation for the action of their beloved son and not transfer this parental duty to the State,” said Persad-Bissessar.
