Hunger Strike – Day 21

21 days later and Dr Kublalsingh who has been showing end of life symptoms for two days is still on his hunger strike.

I could not bring myself to write anything before now, because I was hoping to write a positive update to the hunger strike and it just never came. Dr Kublalsingh enters Day 21 today, with new conditions to ending his hunger strike. These are:

1. Point 3 of framework must state clearly no construction on the Debe to Mon Desir section while the committee meets.

2. Cost benefit, social impact and hydrology reports to be included.

3. The terms of reference must include provision for oral and written submission made to the committee by residents.

… these “conditions” come on the heels of a meeting the Prime Minister and the Works and Infrastructure Ministry had with members of the Joint Consultative Council (JCC), and other civil society organizations who were seeking to bring some resolution to the impasse.

Coming out of that meeting, the agreement made:

1. Nidco undertook to make available to the JCC all the relevant documentation in its possession on the project in respect of the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the highway extension.

2. The JCC undertook to examine all the documentation on the project provided by Nidco and all other relevant documentation and to produce a report within 60 days from yesterday’s date to Nidco for its consideration and its publication thereafter.

3. Work will continue on sites of the highway released to the contractor.

So in the now 21 days of one man’s courageously brazen act of standing up for what he believes what have I learned about the People’s Pappyshow and their oh so caring leader:

The PM knows how to flip a man the bird:
– She never met with Dr Kublalsingh, thus she maintains her stance. (There will be no early elections – this apparently is a very real fear of hers and her cohort)

– By giving the JCC 60 WORKING days to review the highway documents she has effectively and indirectly given Dr Kublalsingh a death warrant or another reason for detractors to ridicule him. Dr Kublalsingh cannot last 60 more days on a hunger strike, he will die. If he continues with the strike after this “resolution” has been made, he runs the risk of being seen/maligned as a nuisance.

– Right after giving the JCC 60 working days to review the docs…Kamla said to supporters that “nothing will stop the highway” so thinking people ask yourselves…what pray tell is the point of the JCC “reviewing the documents”?

– You can support her party but if you speak out against it you will be insulted and denigrated in public.

The PM knows how to flip the bird at the rest of T&T:

– Dr Kublalsingh is a warning for what will happen to you if you ever decide to disagree with the People’s Pappyshow. You will be allowed to waste away to skin and bones and be ridiculed for it.

– Take note thinking people, old people say “when your neighbour’s house is on fire, wet your own.”