THE ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) has zoned in on the electoral constituencies of Pointe-a-Pierre, now renamed Claxton Bay, and Moruga-Tableland.
Government ministers have been directed to provide goods and services and improve the infrastructure in both constituencies, which are currently held by the United National Congress (UNC).
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley hopes the planned announcement of an investment deal for the Pointe-a-Pierre-based Petrotrin refinery will be a political tipping point.
As this media house has been reporting exclusively, the Government is holding discussions on leasing or selling the mothballed operations.
Three local entities, including a subsidiary of the workers’ representative, Oilfields’ Workers Trade Union, are submitting bids.
There is also interest from the multi-billion-dollar Reliance Industries, of Mumbai, India.
The shutdown of the plant in November 2018 caused a major loss of jobs in Pointe-a-Pierre and adjoining communities and affected retail and other commerce in fence line areas.
The UNC’s David Lee polled 8,869 votes to the PNM Daniel Dookie’s 7,367 in the 2020 general election.
Dookie is Assistant General Secretary of the PNM and Chairman of Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Company (Plipdeco).
The PNM last won the P-a-P seat in 1991.
The Elections and Boundaries Commission has renamed the constituency, explaining that most polling divisions are in nearby Claxton Bay.
Several major road and bridge improvement works are underway in the populated Moruga, a long-neglected community.
The projects are being undertaken by agencies of the Ministry of Works and Transport, and Local Government and Rural Development.
The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) is moving to end the critical water supply shortage, through the provision of 1,000,000 gallons a day.
Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said in March that there will be either reverse osmosis plants or a desalination facility.
Those and other water projects are to be funded by the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) and a US $80 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan.
Gonzales said that WASA teams are working to end the water woes in Moruga and other areas.
The Ministry of Works has spent $62 million on the under-utilised fishing depot at Gran Chemin.
The Ministry’s road rehabilitation exercise has already cost some $200 million, with its projects including repairs to landslides, culverts and bridges, and paving programmes.
Minister Rohan Sinanan said last year that 80 landslides were repaired, and 35 kilometres of road were paved.
The projects are being undertaken by the Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency Unit (PURE).
The Secondary Road Rehabilitation and Improvement Company is also carrying out upgrades.
Residents of the constituency have also been grumbling about a lack of job opportunities, poor agricultural access roads, seasonal flooding, and crime.
The seat is currently represented by the UNC’s Michelle Benjamin, who polled 10,534 votes in 2020.
Turncoat politician Winston “Gypsy” Peters, the PNM’s candidate, got 9,462 votes.
Apart from these two constituencies, the PNM administration is working on improving the infrastructure in several other communities.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert said in his 2023-24 Budget that there would be increased capital spending on infrastructural works.
The Government recently got parliamentary approval to expand its borrowing capacity by $10 billion, and there is speculation that more funds would be diverted to address citizens’ concerns.
