A government minister has thrown his support behind Gary Aboud’s plea to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to mediate with the Highway Re-route Movement (HRM). Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran, in a phone interview yesterday, said he would support any call to mediate in the matter as it was a step in the right direction.
Aboud, the secretary of the environmental group, Fisherman and Friends of the Sea (FFOS), made a tearful plea on Wednesday during a press briefing at Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain. He said he believed HRM leader Dr Wayne Kublalsingh, who is on hunger strike, was dying.
Aboud said he expected a large turnout for a gathering at the square, called for 11.30 am today, after urging people to come out in their numbers in support of good governance. He added: “It does not matter whether 10,000 people come out or not. A leader is twiddling her thumbs while a good man dies. History will bear testimony to the callousness of her conduct and we are appealing to people to change for compassionate leadership.”
He said today’s gathering was also expected to include members of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO). Aboud stressed the event was not politically motivated, saying it was merely a call for citizens to stand up against injustice. “We are not asking people to leave their jobs or to stop working. If they can spare their lunch hour, come sit with us in solidarity in the square. “We want to send a signal to the Prime Minister that we want a leader with a conscience and compassion. This has nothing to do with politics,” Aboud said.
Harris: Issue beyond Kublalsingh
RC Archbishop Joseph Harris, who also had called previously for mediation, said that was the most critical aspect of the entire scheme of things as it went far beyond Kublalsingh’s dying.
Harris said while the health of the HRM leader was another issue by itself, which was also significant, the pertinent issue was being able to dialogue and reach a consensus as a society.
“I think the call to mediate has to be far beyond whether Kublalsingh will die or not because we, as a people, need to seek ways of building consensus. We need to be a people who are willing to dialogue,” Harris urged.
On Monday he was given a letter by members of Project 40, a group supporting the HRM and mediation. Saying he had read the letter and was impressed that young people were willing to take such a stand, Harris added: “I think the country needs people like that. I see they may also be talking to the President and I don’t know what he is going to say but there are people who are willing to try their best to bring about some level of peace and harmony in the country.”
Fasting High Re-route Movement leader weak
Kublalsingh, who said he has been mostly confined to bed, said he still was feeling weak and experiencing shortness of breath. He completed Day 44 of his strike yesterday in protest against the Debe to Mon Desir portion of the extension of the Solomon Hochoy Highway to Point Fortin. “I continue to feel very weak, dehydrated and exhausted now. I am getting shortbreath a lot. I never expected my body to go this far as it was a lot weaker than when I started the last hunger strike but for some reason my body just keeps going. “I would love to attend the gathering but I am simply too weak,” Kublalsingh added. He was visited at his D’Abadie home yesterday by some members of the Presbyterian Church who prayed for his health.