The Congress of the People (COP) will embark upon a fact-finding mission in order to form a collective and informed opinion on the Highway Re-Route Movement issues, leader of the COP Prakash Ramadhar said yesterday.

Speaking with the media following the party's monthly National Council meeting at the COP office in Charlieville, Ramadhar said the members had a very heated debate and discussions on the re-route issue and the demolition of the camp at Debe by soldiers on June 27.

"It was decided by the National Council that this party needed to have far more information, and has asked for a meeting with Re-route members, together with members of the Ministry of Works and of NIDCO, so that we could have a comprehensive statement of facts on the matter.

"I don't think it has been put into the public space, giving the total picture, so that the population itself could determine and have a sense of easy or discomfort, as to what has happened (the demolition of the camp)."

He said there been a lot of back and forth on the issue but society does not have a complete understanding of all sides of the issue.

The COP, he said, met with members of the Highway Re-Route Movement before and intended to meet with NIDCO, the project manager of the proposed highway to Point Fortin, to get their point of view, but because of the demolition of the camp, clarity is needed.

"The truth is what matters. Opinions are important, yes, but opinions should be based on facts, and we need the facts before we could really enlighten our opinions. And that is what we want in this country more than ever." he said.

He said when the country makes a decision it should be an informed one and not one solely based on emotions.

"I have found, not just in this issue, but in many others that we are passionate to one or the other in many things. I think we need to get away from that so that we would have a balanced point of view."

He said society is dividing itself along all sorts of lines which is why it is necessary to facts, so that there will be some sort of balance.

Touching on the proposed changes and appointments to State boards, Ramadhar said he has just asked to be included on the boards committee to represent the COP.

"Which is a sub committee of the Parliament to access the new appointments to boards."

He said many appointments to State boards will soon be due because of the two-year life cycle of boards and because many of the appointees could not complete their appointment to the full period.

"So there are some vacancies," he said.