One day after announcing plans to bring a civil case against the State as a private citizen for misuse of private information, Youth Development and National Service Minister Foster Cummings conducted a walkabout in his La Horquetta constituency. At a media conference on June 8, his attorney, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, said Cummings’s case stemmed from a leak of a secret Special Branch report in 2022, which was read by Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial-Ramdial on a political platform on May 5, 2022. Maharaj described this as a breach of confidence and a violation of Cummings’s constitutional right to privacy. During his “D’ Red Walk” on Sunday, which focused on residents living on the southern side of La Horquetta, Cummings was joined by Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, who expressed her support for her PNM colleague. When asked for her comments on Cummings’ intent to sue the State, she declined to comment. Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales also attended and greeted residents. Newsday spoke with residents on Sunday and one woman, who gave her name only as Joanne, said she has been a resident for 50 years. She said Cummings was within his rights to sue and she expressed confidence that the court would “do what’s right.” However, she described his performance as an MP as “okay” and said he needed to do more work for residents who own single-unit homes. She said urgent repairs are needed for a nearby sports field and called for additional support for youths in the area. Another resident, Ms Thomas, who has lived in the area for 40 years, also described Cummings’s work as “okay” but suggested he needed to conduct more frequent walkabouts, not just during election time. She did not support his intention to sue the State and believed he should step away from politics until his lawsuit and the investigation into his finances were resolved. A resident who opted not to give her name described the MP’s performance as “doing good for now” but also disagreed with his decision to sue the State, calling it a waste of taxpayers’s money. Justin Daniel, a resident for eight years, expressed satisfaction with Cummings. A woman, standing on the pavement with her baby, hoped if Cummings was re-elected, he would work with the police for more patrols in the area and instal security cameras. She believes Cummings should step aside during the investigation and suing the State was not appropriate for a government figure. Tony Alleyne, a 70-year-old taxi driver who has lived in the area for over 50 years, said there are enough qualified people in the community who can represent the area and does not believe Cummings should seek another term. Alleyne, originally from East PoS, said the government encourages a dependency syndrome and stressed the need for young people to be more independent and driven. He said the issues facing the area are bigger than anything Cummings could address and called for greater emphasis on family values, which he believed would benefit both La Horquetta and the country. He did not support Cummings’s plans to sue the State owing to his position as a government minister.
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