ST Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen says the bill which seeks to upgrade the Siparia and Diego Martin regional corporations to borough status is poorly drafted and is proposing Government withdraw the legislation.
Ameen wants Government to revisit the drawing board to develop proper and holistic legislation to create boroughs on the basis of data and strategic planning.
She is also proposing that the bill be sent to a joint select committee (JSC) of Parliament to be properly deliberated, and for stakeholders to be consulted for the proper structuring of the legislation.
Ameen put forward the suggestions at the United National Congress (UNC) news conference on Sunday.
She questioned the rationale for selecting these two regions and not the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, which has the largest population, is the home of UWI, 80 educational institutions, Piarco Airport, malls, industrial parks, manufacturing industries, among other commercial ventures.
She said the UNC is not averse to improving the status of regions, but superficial name change is just not acceptable. She questioned the economic drivers that would befit such status in the two proposed boroughs, as well as funding, to adequately provide good and services.
'Is this an election gimmick, to name two regional corporations into boroughs and say give the UNC one and the PNM one?'
She said no studies or guidelines were used in arriving at this decision, nor were there any consultations.
She said chairmen, councillors, aldermen, community leaders, village councils, religious groups, chambers of commerce, taxi drivers' associations, sporting organisations, cultural groups, vendors and the police must be engaged to properly inform the legislation.
She questioned whether the changes were simply a political ploy to later on interfere with the boundaries with the help of the Elections and Boundaries Commission.
'Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi's attempt to emphasise that the present bill won't change the boundaries is absurd. An act of Parliament usually decides on the municipality to which the EBC would intervene to decide on the boundaries as well as the size of the electorate.'
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