MP Lee’s Speech at UNC Monday Night Forum — Las Lomas

UNC Monday Night Forum Las Lomas

Monday 24th July 2017


Brothers and Sisters of the United National Congress once more you all have turned up in your hundreds to send a message to the Government that you are fed up of the neglect, disrespect and disregard they have shown our citizens.

Living Conditions have never been worse as they are now –

Today citizens are afraid to exit their homes due to crime

Citizens grimace each time the rains fall as they have been flooded week after week

When citizens go to their jobs they don’t know if it’s their last day of employment given the constant job losses

Within two years our great nation of Trinidad and Tobago has slipped into crisis!!

But who do we blame?

The Keith Rowley led Administration must be held responsible for the hardships and burdens of our citizens because they have betrayed the trust of their very own supporters as they have abandoned their responsibility of governing our nation.

They promised a better nation but what did we get?

We got uncertainty, national instability and institutional failure.

When you look at the headlines you see the Constant job losses –

More Unemployment to add to the 20,000 who have lost their jobs in 2 years

Flow offer VSEP – Wednesday 19th July 2017 – Trinidad Express

Telecommunications company Flow has offered all employees voluntary separation of employment (VSEP) packages in a move to find ways to “respond to the contracting economy” and ensure the viability of its business.

Education Ministry contract workers to be sent home –- Saturday, July 22, 2017- Trinidad Guardian

Hundreds of short-term workers employed by the Ministry of Education are now facing uncertain futures after their contracts were not renewed due to a lack of funds to pay them for the next contract cycle.

This Government has caused great uncertainty in our energy Sector

• “Roget : Don’t touch Refinery Workers as OWTU meets Energy Minister on Petrotrin’s future” – Trinidad Guardian - Wednesday, July 19, 2017

President General of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union Ancel Roget says if Petrotrin has to cut jobs in a proposed restructuring exercise the first to go should be from the human resource and corporate communications departments. He insisted no job losses should come from oil producing areas.

There is constant neglect from this Government for the rights and welfare of our citizens

ADB workers vow to continue protest – Trinidad Guardian – Friday July 21st 2017

Then the incompetence continues with yet another resignation from Public Office –

Jupiter quits as Petrotrin chairman - Trinidad Express – Saturday July 22nd 2017

PROF Andrew Jupiter, chairman of State energy company Petrotrin, has resigned.

He submitted his resignation last Friday but it will take effect from July 31

This Government has faced over 20 resignations and dismissals from high office in its 22 months. Nearly each month a Government official or someone representing the Government is removed from Public Office.

That is ridiculous, over 8 State board chairmen have resigned and then we had the incident where a Minister was fired not once but twice.

It is only last week the media reported that a Director on the Sport Company Board had his appointment revoked, yet another firing, and 8 other high ranking staff members were sent home from the Sport Company pending the completion of a forensic Audit into the operations of the entity.

But what was the causes of this audit? Media reports have suggested that the audit might have been brought on by the non-payment of maintenance fees to a company called Shanghai Construction group.

But hear this friends -

One day after this report, the media highlights the claims of a PNM activist stating that the Minister of Sport, who is the Minister in charge of the Sport Company may have allegedly accepted funding for his private foundation from the same company which is being linked to the audit- The Shanghai Construction Group.

So tonight I ask the Minister of Sport are these allegations true?

Did you accept funding from Shanghai Construction group for the Darrel Smith Foundation?

Is this another case of misconduct in public office?

The Minister has not responded to the allegations because he was in China at the time which ironically is the home of the Shanghai Construction group.

Brothers and sisters in the past 22 months many of our nation's citizens have fallen victims of crime due to the incompetence of this Government to protect them but now our nation has hit rock bottom as foreign citizens who are working alongside our nationals to strengthen our economy are also becoming targets .

In the past months we have seen horrendous attacks and a spate of criminal activities against members of the Chinese community. In the past two years many Chinese nationals have been murdered, families robbed and there are even allegations of Chinese workers being kidnapped.

It is clear that the Government has had no problem with our citizen’s morale and standard of living being affected by crime but it seems that they are also content with our foreign image being tarnished as foreign citizens are attacked

The Chinese Community in Trinidad and Tobago continues to work hand in hand with all our citizens to be a driving force of economic growth via investment, job creation, and service provision as well as being key members of the local labour force.

It is therefore the Government’s responsibility that they work hard to protect the welfare of all our citizens as well as foreign nationals.

But the PNM doesn’t care about your welfare, the nation’s welfare or anyone else’s welfare.

Today when you look at those individuals being arrested for robberies and murder you become shocked by their ages. Young men ages 15 to 18 are being arrested for heinous crimes and horrendous acts of violence.

But why?

The fact is this Government has snuffed out all forms of hope and opportunity for many of our young people and they are being forced to turn to a life of crime.

During the People's Partnership term in office we recognised that there was a need to ensure young people could have a successful future via education and training.

One of our major accomplishments was expanding the GATE program to include Technical and Vocational Skills training. This way the young man who was on the block liming could now go into a classroom and benefit from a certified trade.

Within months hundreds of young people would become employable removing a life of crime as an option.

Today thanks to the many cuts to these programs such as MIC, YTEPP, and NESC many young people are being left without hope.

To add insult to injury, in the next few weeks many tertiary students would be forced to pay a portion of their GATE tuition. This means that families already burdened with the high cost of living will be forced to choose between a University educations for their children versus meeting their everyday needs.

Friends our land is in a crisis. We need to unite and join hands throughout Trinidad and Tobago to save our nation. The United National Congress stands ready as your Government in waiting. Together we can and together we will.

Pointe a Pierre News

Written by

Statements of National Interest from Pointe a Pierre MP David Lee

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