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by pltm
(PLTM) - Government backbencher and District Two Representative, Hon. Melvin Mitch Turnbull is accusing the Government of attempts at veiling the situation in the Territory.
Lamenting the conditions that some residents are still living under a year after the hurricanes, Hon. Turnbull condemned the Government during today's (September 20) sitting of the House of Assembly (HOA), stating that in making decisions for the country, the objective must be the betterment of the people and not personal recognition.
He pointed to the passage of the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) Act, and the criticisms he faced for voting against it, stating that while the Development Agency and everything that is being now put in place to help us get back on track, he is completely unsettled and remains “unsettled.”
“Whatever starts wrong will not end right, but now we are back and forth now trying to hide certain things, or cover up certain things, or make it look as if it not so,” he stated, adding “I have a problem with it because the people are seeing. The people of this country are not blind…The people of this country are well aware…their situations are real."
He was at the time making his contribution in HoA moments after it was revealed that the RDA is operating without regulations in place.
“We were elected to be leaders by the people of this country. We were elected to have a level of leadership capacity, capability, understanding and direction in which we want to take this country,” he told his colleagues, adding “It is at times troubling that we still don’t seem to have it right, it doesn’t seem that we are doing what’s in the best interest for the people of this country.”
He blamed this occurrence on a lack of discussion and consensus among members of the House of Assembly.
“If we had taken our time and set a proper plan, did what we had to do because this is our responsibility…that when we put something to the people of this country—yes, there might be some things that we may have to correct, but it would have been carefully thought out…it would have been properly discussed.”
He said that the Government needs to ensure that they are not “in a haste doing things for our own recognition and selfish ambition”, but that they are “doing right by the people.”
He opined that at this time, the people’s needs do not seem to be a priority.
“We are seemingly continuing on a path that is business as usual. I am encouraging us, I am begging us and I am standing as I normally do and will continue to do, to challenge us to do better,” he asserted.
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