Ameen calls for consultation on Macoya interchange

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St Augustine MP Khadija Ameen is calling on the Minister of Works and Transport to host the necessary consultations with residents on the Macoya Interchange. This comes after Works Minister announced that the interchange would not be built on the current site that has been proposed but will be developed further east.

In a press release issued this afternoon Ameen atated that “It is fundamentally undemocratic for a multimillion dollar project to be planned without having some form of dialogue or consultation with the residents who will be directly affected by the planned Macoya Interchange Project.”

The following is a press release from MP Ameen:

MP Khadijah Ameen is condemning the Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan for his failure to engage the elected representatives and stakeholders before announcing construction of the Macoya Overpass. MP Ameen is calling on the Ministry of Works and Transport to work through the elected MP and host the necessary consultations with the residents, business owners and her constituents who will be affected.

The Minister of Works and Transport announced that the interchange for the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway in Macoya Interchange will not be built on the current site that has been proposed but will be developed further east. He stated that with this move, there is likely to be less acquisition of properties to facilitate the construction process and there will be less disruption.

However, there have been no consultation with residents of the St. Augustine constituency where this project falls or with the elected MP for this area, Khadijah Ameen. MP Ameen is advocating that “Consultations must be conducted with the property owners as they will be directly affected by this interchange; the residents, their MP, and the construction team must be able to identify their concerns. The said persons must be allowed to consider and decide on an acceptable and agreeable plan of action.

MP Ameen, “It is fundamentally undemocratic for a multimillion dollar project to be planned with taxpayers dollars, without having some form of dialogue or consultation with the residents who will be directly affected by the planned Macoya Interchange Project. These residents may be forcibly uprooted and relocated from their homes. These residents are not voiceless or mute, and deserve the opportunity for their concerns to be heard and addressed.”

MP Ameen indicated that a few very frantic constituents also contacted her over the last two days as officials were conducting a house to house survey in St. Augustine South area and they were informed of plans to put an additional lane on the westbound side of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway which may displace some of them. They were not informed whether this is part of the Macoya Interchange project. MP Ameen said the residents are scared and confused as this is reminiscent of a similar threat they faced with the PNM’s now scrapped Rapid Rail project when residents of St. Augustine South were told they would be relocated without proper consultation. As the MP for the area, Miss Ameen is calling for open dialogue to ensure procedural fairness, “fair and proper procedures must be used when making these decisions.”

Miss Ameen stated that she wanted to remind Minister Sinanan that this is not PNM country and that Macoya intersection falls in St. Augustine constituency and she will be standing in the interest of the constituents as the duly elected representative and in the interest of all concerned, she awaits word from him on behalf of the constituents of St. Augustine. MP Ameen reiterates that she is in full support of development and progress but those affected must be engaged.

CNC3 Editor
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CNC3 Editor

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