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Debe, Fyzabad residents on highway route urge Kublalsingh:
By Richard Charan richard.charan@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Nov 22, 2012 at 11:00 PM ECT
Story Updated: Nov 22, 2012 at 11:06 PM ECT
AS far as some of the people living in the path of the proposed highway between Debe and Mon Desir are concerned, hunger striker Dr Wayne Kublalsingh might as well give up, go home, and have dinner.
What he is doing will amount to nothing, some say.
Still, others believe it makes no sense fighting when you know it's a losing cause.
Others feel it will just hurt more, in the end, if they cling to their homes and watch them being torn down.
Those squatting on State land on former Caroni Ltd sugar fields, say they have no choice but to accept the request to leave and the compensation of money and land elsewhere.
Some see Kublalsingh as a self-centred, disconnected publicity seeker.
Others don't understand his environmental concerns, and his talk about hydrology and social displacement.
The short point for many—there is too much traffic on the often flooded South Trunk Road, Mosquito Creek, and it takes too long to get from here to there. If the highway fixes that, that's enough justification.
Their advice to Kublalsingh: The hurt being caused by this highway route is not worth a life.
But there is also unease along this 9.1 kilometre segment, which is estimated to have a $2.1 billion construction cost, and impact 150 homes.
This is a United National Congress (UNC) stronghold, and to fight the majority view that the highway be built is to be branded a traitor.
People fear that what they say could jeopardise the compensation being offered by the National Infrastructure Development Corporation (NIDCO) which is tasked with overseeing the project.
And few living in the path of the highway can say exactly when the compensation would come, or when they will have to go, except that it will be sometime next year.
Rebecca Bisram, 27, mother of two, squatting on the bank of the New Cut Channel River at Debe Trace, said she was told last year by then works minister Jack Warner she was entitled to land at Petite Morne, Ste Madeleine, or Monkey Town, near Barrackpore, on which to start over.
"If I have to move, so be it. I don't mind. Why don't the people who are supporting Kublalsingh also protest? Why must he do it for them?" she asked.
Kathleen Khan, 29, mother of two, said her family's choice was limited.
"I am for the highway. I live on Caroni land. It belongs to the Government. If I must move, it may be a better place. And why is he sacrificing himself for other people. Why is he doing that to his body? He should go home and eat something," Khan said.
Nearby, Wendy Ann Smith said she too was prepared for the move.
"There is no transport here. I have to leave four hours in advance to get to where I have to go because of the traffic," she said.
If the highway is built, Michael Gopielal's home in Debe will one day overlook the highway.
"I meet Kublalsingh many times. He frightened the old people, saying that all their land will be taken away because it belongs to Caroni. But people for it. They know now he was just out to make trouble. And we know it is a matter of progress," Gopielal said.
Ramdeen Rambharose, 67, said, "All you need to be convinced that the highway must be built. It is passing on the (Mosquito) creek when it floods."
One of the families already compensated is the Ramcharans who was paid $1.1 million for a single-storey home and three acres of agricultural land they owned.
A family member said, "We never wanted to move. This is our way of life, minding animal and making garden. But nobody can stop the highway, so it not even worth bothering."
However, Kublalsingh supporter Davanand Soogrim, whose home, rented apartments and agricultural land he owns at Debe Trace will be swallowed by the highway, said he would not give up.
"These officials not even talking compensation. They talking relocation. And I not moving. This whole thing have my poor mother sick. She not eating properly a year now. She looking like Kublalsingh, with all this worries," he said,
Soogrim added, "For all the people who criticising (Kublalsingh) let them know he is doing this for them, because Indian people don't stand up for anything. They believe they can't win the government."
The excavated land at Monteil Trace, Fyzabad, where Kublalsingh began his hunger strike eight days ago, is now the scene of an urgent highway development project, with bulldozers clearing land in preparation for the Fyzabad Interchange, and secondary roads.
The heavy machines, which moved in the day after the Divali public holiday, have removed the top soil from acres of land, up to the fence lines of homes, some priceless to families whose ancestors settled there more than 100 years ago, to plant cacao and rice.
People spent yesterday watching their fruit trees being felled, and forest being turned into open fields.
Some were told yesterday they can expect to be visited by next week with final offers of compensation, so that they could begin packing for the life-changing relocation.
*OUTSIDER* wrote:He does eat wen he go home normel normel. Is levle sadah & bageee with ah cup of tea with plenty condensed milk... You didn't see he arm wrestling with a man in the news? steupes.... like we stupid
Aaron 2NR wrote:
section34 wrote:allyuh men know that he not opposing the highway right ??? he in SUPPORT of the highway, just he doesnt want the debe to mon desir part because of the environmental damage to the lagoon and wetlands in oropouche i believe and the 600 ppl (his figure) that will have to uproot their lives and move...so he has an alternative route proposed...allyuh doing like the man doh want the highway build...he want it build, jus piece rerouted - hence the name REROUTE movement...
section34 wrote:allyuh men know that he not opposing the highway right ??? he in SUPPORT of the highway, just he doesnt want the debe to mon desir part because of the environmental damage to the lagoon and wetlands in oropouche i believe and the 600 ppl (his figure) that will have to uproot their lives and move...so he has an alternative route proposed...allyuh doing like the man doh want the highway build...he want it build, jus piece rerouted - hence the name REROUTE movement...
JoKeR1980 wrote:just a point for consideration....
the Butler Highway passes through swamp land...imagine if we never had that...
tr1ad wrote:JoKeR1980 wrote:just a point for consideration....
the Butler Highway passes through swamp land...imagine if we never had that...
aye aye hush yuh mouth
tr1ad wrote:FYAHYK
zico85 wrote:I can say with an authority that people who are not from the area cannot possess, that Kublalsingh’s Re-Route is nonsense. However, this matter has long since ceased to be just about the technical details of the “Re-Route”. There are many questions that need to be answered. Why did Kublalsingh reject the findings of the technical review implemented by the government?? Why have the findings of this review not been made available to members of the public?? Why is this stretch of highway being made to pass THROUGH the Oropouche Lagoon instead of around it?? Why does the HRRM not seem to have a problem with the decimation of the very same Oropouche Lagoon to facilitate their proposed re-route through the Mosquito Creek?? Why does this stretch of Highway have to cost so much more than any other highway anywhere in the world?? Why has the process of awarding contracts for this stretch of highway been so shrouded in secrecy?? Why have Roodal Moonilal and Kamla Persad-Bissessar been given a free pass to perform a naked about-turn from opposing the Highway when the PNM was in government, to suddenly insisting on it now that the UNC forms the government?? Why are the views of the residents of Point Fortin, Erin, Cedros, Buenos Aires, Penal, Siparia, Fyzabad, and surrounding areas not being courted as aggresively as people are tuning in to Kublalsingh and the HRRM?? Why are the people who actually want the Highway not being as vocal about their want and need for the Highway??
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