This is an open letter to the Minister of Transport:

Dear Sir,

Let me help you with your feasibility study on the light rail issue for free. It is not often I agree with former works and transport minister Colm Imbert, but I have to on this one. Judging from the various newspapers reports, it seems your plans are well advanced.

I ask you, just like I asked Imbert before you, to explain the benefit of this venture to the maxi-taxis, taxis, PH taxis and bus drivers who ply the route.

Explain to us, in your studies, how many people travel to Port of Spain on a morning and at what time is traffic the heaviest.

What cost-benefit will it be to the people mentioned above? What effect on their livelihoods will it have? What is the proposed cost of this rapid rail? Will it be diesel or electric? Natural gas, maybe?

How will we pay for it? How many years will it take to pay off, assuming your passenger numbers are correct? Did we talk about the cost to construct an overhead railway? Well, that is another whole ball game.

How many projects have the government of Trinidad and Tobago undertaken that have come in, at or under budget and on time? We are still awaiting the Brian Lara Stadium. That should be up for the Guinness Book of Records soon.

There are a lot of questions to be asked and answered before you all sign off on this "Rapid Rail to Nowhere".

Have you ever thought of opening the Priority Bus Route (PBR) to all traffic from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.?

Okay, if you need to spend some money, then widen and add a lane to the PBR.

Wazir Mohammed

via e-mail