The Penal/Debe Chamber of Commerce executive is calling on environmental activist Dr Wayne Kublalsingh to end his hunger strike. The executive made the call as it took issue with the headline of an article in the Trinidad Express yesterday which stated that the Penal/Debe Chamber was backing Kublalsingh. Members held an emergency meeting at Roopnarine Department Store in Penal, yesterday.
Speaking with the media afterwards, former president Lincoln Ragbirsingh said the headline was misleading. “We revoke the headline of the article published today. Our president supports the highway," he said. He said the executive supports the highway and was not in support of Kublalsingh’s hunger strike.
Kublalsingh, leader of the Highway Re-route Movement, began his hunger strike on Wednesday in front of the Prime Minister’s office in an attempt to get the Government to stop work on the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway extention to Point Fortin, and honour the James Armstrong report. “We do not support a hunger strike. The development of a country is better than the development of a handful of people,” Ragbirsingh said.
“I don’t see it (hunger strike) being necessary. Stop that (hunger strike) and let’s work together to see the end of the highway. The faster we get it done, the better it is for everybody.” He said the highway will also reduce traffic congestion which affects everyone, including school children. Ragbirsingh said the highway will bring further development to Penal/Debe and encourage local marketing.
Other chamber members present during the press conference were Shiva Roopnarine, Seunarine Moonilal, Fyzool Hosein, businessmen Indar Jairaj and Ashmir Mohammed. Chamber president Sahid Hosein was not present.
