fifteenth (15 ) report · 2014-12-01 · 2 mr. hugh russell ian roach replaced mr. subhas...

PAPER NO: /2014 PARL NO. 14/6/13

Ordered to be printed with the Minutes of

Proceedings

and Notes of Evidence

PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Fifth Session (2014/2015)

TENTH PARLIAMENT

Fifteenth (15th) Report Joint Select Committee

Appointed to inquire into and report on Municipal Corporations and Service Commissions

15th Report of the JSC on Municipal Corporations and Service Commissions (with the exception of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission)

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An electronic copy of this report can be found on the Parliament website: www.ttparliament.org

The Joint Select Committee on Municipal Corporations and Service Commissions (with the

exception of the Judicial and Legal Service Commissions)

Contact the Committee’s Secretariat

Telephone: 624-7275 Extensions 2277/2288/2282, Fax: 625-4672

Email: [email protected]

http://www.ttparliament.org/


iii

Fifteenth Report

of the

Joint Select Committee appointed to inquire into and

report on Municipal Corporations and Service Commissions

[with the exception of the Judicial and Legal Service commission]

on a

Review of the Administration of the

San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation

Date Laid: HoR: November 28, 2014 Senate: November 25, 2014


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v

The Committee

Ms. Shamfa Cudjoe

Member

Mrs. Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, MP

Member

Ms. Marlene Coudray

Member

Mr. Chandresh Sharma, MP

Member Mr. Devant Maharaj

Member

Mr. James Lambert

Member Mrs. Joanne Thomas, MP

Member Mr. Rodger Samuel, MP

Member

Mr. Anthony Vieira

Chairman

Mr. Hugh R. I. Roach

Vice-Chairman

Mr. Prakash Ramadhar, MP

Member

Ms. Marlene McDonald, MP

Member

http://www.ttparliament.org/members.php?mid=26&pid=25&id=SCU56

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Committee Mandate and Establishment

In accordance with provisions of section 66(A) of the Constitution of

the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, on September 17, 2010 the House of Representatives and

October 12, 2010 the Senate, agreed to a motion on the subject of the appointment of a Joint

Select Committee to inquire into and report to Parliament on Municipal Corporations and

Service Commissions with the exception of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission on all

matters relating to:

their administration

the manner of exercise of their powers

their methods of functioning; and

any criteria adopted by them in the exercise of their powers and functions.

Powers of the Joint Select Committee

Standing Orders 71B of the Senate and 101 of the House of Representatives provide that the

Committee is empowered to investigate, enquire into and report on the administration, the

manner of the exercise of the powers, methods of functioning and any criteria adopted by the

Ministry of body which is assigned to it by the House in the exercise of its powers and functions.

In consequence, the Committee has the powers inter alia:

to review and report on all matters relating to:

the statute law relating to the Ministry/body assigned to it;

the program and policy objectives of the Ministry/Body and its effectiveness in the

implementation of same;

other matters relating to the management , organization of the ministry or body, as

the Committee deems it fit;

to send for persons, papers and records;

to adjourn from place to place;

to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not otherwise readily

available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the Committee’s terms of reference;

and

to communicate with any other Committees of Parliament on matters of common interest.


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Membership

The members of the Committee are as follows:

Mr. Anthony Vieira1 - Chairman

Mr. Hugh Russell Ian Roach2 - Vice-Chairman

Ms. Marlene Coudray3

Mr. James Lambert4

Ms. Shamfa Cudjoe

Mr. Devant Maharaj

Mrs. Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, MP

Mr. Chandresh Sharma, MP

Mr. Rodger Samuel, MP

Mr. Prakash Ramadhar, MP

Ms. Marlene McDonald, MP

Mrs. Joanne Thomas, MP

Mr. Subhas Ramkhelawan was appointed to the Committee on October 12, 2010 and served as

the Committee’s Chairman from October 22, 2010 until resignation as a Senator with effect from

April 09, 2014.

Secretariat Support

Secretarial assistance was provided by the following officers:

Mr. Julien Ogilvie - Secretary

Ms. Candice Skerrette - Assistant Secretary

Ms. Kimberly Mitchell - Graduate Research Assistant

1 Mr. Anthony Vieira replaced Mr. Elton Prescott on the Committee with effect from September 23, 2013. 2 Mr. Hugh Russell Ian Roach replaced Mr. Subhas Ramkhelawan on the Committee with effect from May 06, 2014. 3 Ms. Marlene Coudray replaced Brig. John Sandy on the Committee with effect from 16.10.12 following the termination of his Senatorial

appointment on June 25, 2012 4 Mr. James Lambert replaced Mr. David Abdulah on the Committee with effect from 16.10.12 following the termination of his Senatorial

appointment on June 22, 2012.


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Meetings

For the purpose of this inquiry, the Committee held one meeting with officials of the San

Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation on Friday March 28, 2014.


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Contents

Page

#

List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... x

Table of Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................. xi

Executive Summary…………………………..…………………………………………………………xiii

Chapter 1…………………………………..…………………………………………………..…………14

Background of inquiry……………………..…………………………………………….…………...14

Chapter 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 17

Evidence Received ................................................................................................................................. 17

Chapter 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 45

Findings and Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 45

Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 67

Entities falling under the purview of the Committee ............................................................................. 68

Appendix 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 69

Minutes ...................................................................................................................................................... 70

Appendix 3 ................................................................................................................................................. 87

Verbatim Notes of the public meeting held with the SJLRC ................................................................ 88

Appendix 4………………………………………………………………………………………………143

Legislative Framework outlining the Functions of Municipal Corporations…………………….....144

Appendix 5………………………………………………………………………………………………146

SWOT analysis conducted by the SLRC…………..………………………………………………….147

Appendix 6……………………………………………………………………………………..155

Key External and Internal Risks……………………………………………………………..156


x

List of Tables

TABLE NO. DETAILS PAGE NO.

Table 1 Key Opportunities, Threats, Strengths and

Weaknesses

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Table 2 Summary Budget Estimate 2013/2014 40-41

List of Diagrams

TABLE NO. DETAILS PAGE NO.

Diagram 1 Core Strategic and Enabling Priorities

30


xi

Table of Abbreviations

ABBREVIATION MEANING

CEO Chief Executive Officer

CEPEP Community-Based Environmental Protection & Enhancement Programme

EAP Employee Assistance Programme

HR Human Resource

IT Information Technology

ICT Information and Communications Technology

IHRIS Integrated Human Resource Information System

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MOE Ministry of Education

MOH Ministry of Health

MOLG Ministry of Local Government

MTPF Medium Term Policy Framework

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

ODPM Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management

OJT On-the-Job-Trainee

OSH Occupational Safety and Health

RCC Regional Coordinating Committee

SRP Special Reserve Police

SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

TEMA Tobago Emergency Management

TTPS Trinidad and Tobago Police Service

TTSPCA Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals


xii

Executive Summary

At its Twenty-Ninth Meeting held on March 07, 2014, the Committee agreed to conduct a review

of the administration of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation for the purpose of

inquiring into the state of its administration. To this end, the Committee obtained both oral and

written evidence based on certain inquiry objectives that it determined.

Subsequent to reviewing the written submissions received on these areas, the Committee held a

public hearing with officials of the Corporation on March 28, 2014, to engage in further

discussions on the certain aspects of the Corporation’s activities. These discussions focused on

the following areas:

a. the financial management of the Corporation;

b. Corporate and Strategic plans;

c. Infrastructural Development;

d. duplication of responsibilities and efforts relative to other ministries and

agencies;

e. Disaster Preparedness

f. Human Resource issues, in particular vacancies;

g. challenges confronting the Corporation’s Municipal Police Unit;

h. Public Health and Sanitation

i. Information and Communication Technology.

The evidence received suggested that during the period 2010 to 2013, the Corporation attempted

to address several of its operational challenges through engaging in proper organizational

planning with a view to focusing on its core responsibilities. In addition to working towards

enhancing the quality and scope of the services rendered to it burgesses, the Corporation has

attempted to undertake major infrastructural projects as a means of rejuvenating the economic

and social status of the Corporation, in particular, the town on San Juan.


xiii

Notwithstanding the encouraging achievements and developmental activities, the Committee

identified a few shortcomings and challenges which are common to a number of other Regional

Corporations. These challenges included:

a. human resources shortages and deficiencies;

b. insufficient use of Information and Communication Technology in its operations;

c. lack of funds to finance the Corporation’s ambitious infrastructural projects and other

required operational improvements;

d. an inadequate number of Municipal Police Officers to manage a high level of criminal

activity;

e. duplication of efforts among Regional Corporations and other entities/agencies with a

community based mandate;

f. outdated or unsuitable provisions in the Municipal Corporations Act.

As such, the Committee has proposed recommendations to address some of the

issues/shortcomings which were identified in its findings. These findings and recommendations

are outlined in chapter 3. We expect that the Parliament, the SJLRC, the Ministry of Local

Government and other stakeholders would take into consideration the findings and

recommendations of this report, as we work towards enhancing the standard of service provided

to the burgesses of the San Juan/Laventille region.

Senator Anthony Vieira

Chairman


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Chapter 1

Background of inquiry

1.1 In determining the rationale for this review, the Committee considered that the most

recent Annual Administrative Report submitted to the Parliament by the Corporation was for

the period 2006-2007. Additionally, the Committee took note of the steady development and

growth of manufacturing industries and businesses within the San Juan/Laventille region.

Also of interest to the Committee was the Corporation’s Renaissance Project and the other

initiatives which were being undertaken by the Corporation to positively affect the economic,

social and environmental outlook of the municipality.

1.2 The Committee was also cognizant of the various administrative challenges which

were confronting the other local government authorities, such as; a lack of sufficient human

and financial resources; archaic organisational structures and procedures; and issues with the

rules and procedures governing Municipal Police Officers, among others. The Committee was

therefore interested in determining whether these issues were also adversely affecting the

operations of the SJLRC.

1.3 In light of the foregoing and in pursuance of its constitutional mandate, the

Committee, initiated a review of the administration and operations of the SJLRC.

Focus of the Inquiry

1.5 The Committee agreed to focus on the following areas during the course of its

inquiry into the operations of the Corporation:


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i. a report on the administration of the Corporation for the period 2010 to 2013. This

Report included information on activities undertaken during the respective years in areas

such as:

human resource management/development;

financial management;

public health;

infrastructural development;

policing and security; and

disaster management among others.

ii. the most current strategic plan of the Corporation;

iii. planned projects and initiatives targeted for implementation by 2015; and

iv. proposals for legislative and regulatory adjustments that may enhance the

effectiveness of the Corporation.

1.6 The evidence gathered from the public hearing with officials of the San

Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation is summarised in Chapter 2.

1.7 The Minutes of the meeting during which the public hearing with the SJLRC was held

are attached as Appendix 2 and the Verbatim Notes as Appendix 3.

1.8 In accordance with Standing Orders 75(4)(b) of the Senate and 82(4)(b) of the House of

Representatives, the Committee at a meeting held on October 31, 2014 considered and

adopted this Report.

Ministerial Response

1.9 The provisions of Standing Orders 71(B)(13) of the Senate and 110 (6) of the House of

Representatives are applicable to this Report. They state:


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“(13) The Minister responsible for the Ministry/Body under review shall, not later than

sixty days after a report from a Joint Select Committee, relating to the Ministry/Body, has

been laid upon the Table, present a paper to the House responding to any

recommendations/comments contained in the report which are addressed to it.

1.10 The sixty-day period commences on the date of tabling of the Report in the second

House.


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Chapter 2

Evidence received

2.1 The Committee met with representatives of the San Juan/Laventille Regional

Corporation at a public hearing held on March 28, 2014. The following officials represented

the SJLRC at the hearing:

i. Mr. Anthony Roberts - Chairman of the Council

ii. Mr. Kenwyn Pantin - Chief Executive Officer

iii. Mr. Akiel Audain - Chairman Finance Planning and

Allocation of Resources Committee

iv. Mr. Derrick Dhanoosingh - Financial Officer

v. Dr. Raphael How Chung - Principal Medical and Health Officer

vi. Mr. Reiaz Ali - Personnel and Industrial Relations

Officer

vii. Mr. Fyzool Ali - Road Officer III

viii. Mr. Wendell Guzman - Municipal Police Inspector

ix. Ms. Gail Bacchus-Parris - Disaster Management Coordinator

x. Mr. Brian Baig - Corporate Secretary

2.2 Hereunder is a synopsis of written and oral evidence provided to the Committee.

Geographic Limits

2.3 The municipality of San Juan/Laventille covers an area of 230.39km², with a

population of 157,827 persons. It is bounded on the North by the Caribbean Sea, the South

by Warner Village on the Uriah Butler Highway, the East by Hutton Road, St. Joseph and

the West by St. Ann’s, Lady Chancellor Road.


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2.4 At the local government level, there are thirteen (13) electoral constituencies that fall

within the ambit of the municipality. It also impacts five (5) constituencies at the National

level.

Organization Structure

2.5 The headquarters of the Corporation is located at the M.T.S. Plaza in Aranguez, with

another office located at Mt. Hope.

2.6 For the period under review (2010-2013), the Council was comprised of a

Chairman, thirteen (13) elected representatives (Councillors), and two (2) Aldermen.

2.7 The Corporation is administered by a number of professional staff headed by the Chief

Executive Officer (CEO). There are currently one thousand one hundred and ten (1110)

daily paid workers and fifty-three (53) monthly paid.

2.8 Additionally, the Corporation recruited the following personnel:

i. Principal Medical and Health Officer

ii. Chief Financial Officer

iii. Engineering and Survey Officer

iv. Corporate Secretary

2.9 The Corporation’s key departments are as follows:

Human Resource and Personnel

Transport

Disaster Management

Workshop and Garage

Tenders

Public Health

Municipal Police

Building Inspector

Secretariat

Finance and Accounts

Human Resource and Personnel


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2.10 The Corporation also has an Office of the Chairman and Council and an Office of the

CEO and Administration. The Chairman and the Council are responsible for making

bye-laws (legislation) as well as overseeing the systems and programs that ensure the

overall development of the region.

2.11 The Corporation has four (4) primary Committees. They are as follows:

i. Public Health

ii. Physical Infrastructure

iii. Human Resource Management

iv. Finance, Planning and Allocation of Resources

and two (2) sub-committees:

i. Building Committee

ii. Community, Social Development and Education Committee.

2.12 Statutory Meetings are held each month.

Service Delivery

2.13 The Corporation bases its accomplishments and performance in the delivery of

services on the trust that its burgesses continue to place in elected representatives.

2.14 The Corporation faces a number of operational constraints such as institutional

capacity and inadequate resources but has however, managed to overcome many of its

challenges. The SJLRC remains committed to having the necessary infrastructure, services,

processes and procedures in place to ensure the provision of prompt efficient and quality

services.

Human Resource

2.15 The Corporation highlighted that its staff complement is insufficient to meet the

needs of its burgesses in a timely and efficient manner. However, the Corporation indicated

that the dedicated efforts of its current employees were able to meet the majority of requests

received.


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2.16 The SJLRC also reported that three (3) Public Health Officers were appointed on

contract, but at the end of the reporting period, the Corporation lost its Corporate Secretary

and its Engineering and Survey Officer.

2.17 Also highlighted was the predicament imposed on the Corporation due to lengthy

delays by the Public Service Commission to fill vacant posts at the Corporation. In such

circumstances, daily paid officers assume the responsibilities of the monthly paid officers

in the interim.

2.18 The SJLRC informed the Committee that since the revelation of certain weaknesses,

outlined in the Corporation’s SWOT Analysis (included in its Corporate Plan of June,

2009) there have been improvements. A Financial Officer was assigned and certain aspects

of the Corporation’s human resource function were computerized, in addition to an overall

improvement in the Corporation’s financial systems.

Public Health and Sanitation

2.19 From its submissions, it is clear that the Corporation strives to maintain a clean and

healthy environment through its waste collection and disposal, rodent and canine control,

sanitation and cleaning, and water trucking services. However, the Corporation has been

challenged as waste generation in the region has been steadily increasing and there are

constraints in terms of staffing and training.

2.20 The Corporation indicated that fifteen (15) areas within the municipality are serviced

by private scavenging contractors. Open tray and compactor services are offered by nine

(9) private contractors on a daily basis, five (5) times a week. The San Juan Market is

scavenged on a regular basis.

2.21 The Committee was informed that daily monitoring of scavenging contractors is

undertaken by Checkers on the filed who are, in turn, supervised by Public Health

Inspectors.


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2.22 The Corporation informed the Committee that it offers a satisfactory level of service

on account of an estimated eighty-five (85) percent indication of satisfaction by the

burgesses.

2.23 The Corporation has three (3) rodent gangs with a response time of twenty four (24)

to forty-eight (48) hours. The gangs place bait and return to check the number of dead

carcasses. This number, in addition to the number of bait taken, are used to estimate the

rodent population. Training for these gangs is ongoing.

2.24 The Committee was informed that complaints regarding scavenging services are

uncommon. The Corporation utilizes feedback and reports from the burgesses which are

used as a check and balance, together with monitoring by the Public Health Offices.

2.25 The Corporation disclosed that there are certain areas in San Juan/Laventille that

contractors may be unwilling to service due to the high level of crime and or criminal

elements. The Corporation further disclosed that Corporation workers are sometimes

subjected to intimidation, as there is a perception in some communities that projects,

maintenance activities etc ought to be conducted by persons who reside in those

communities..

2.26 The Corporation indicated that it has been collaborating with the police and social

workers to deal with the issue.

Dog Catching Unit

2.27 The Corporation informed the Committee that its Dog Catching Unit would need

training in order to be in compliance with the Dog Control Act.

2.28 The Committee was also advised that officials of the Corporation held a meeting with

the Permanent Secretary and the Advisor to the Minister of Local Government in March

2014, with the aim of improving arrangements at the Corporation regarding the Unit.


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2.29 Presently, the Corporation has one vehicle assigned to the Dog Catching Unit. The

vehicle is equipped with a mobile cage for the capture of stray dogs. After capture, dogs

are taken to the Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(TTSPCA).

Infrastructural Development

2.30 Infrastructural development and maintenance are handled by the Corporation’s

Engineering Unit, headed by the Engineering and Survey Officer. A large portion of the

infrastructural works undertaken by the Corporation is done by the sub-units of Road and

Work Supervisor III.

2.31 The SJLRC indicated that its Engineering Unit is hampered by a number of issues

such as inadequate staffing, undertrained staff, and ill-timed releases. Despite these

obstacles, the Unit was able to work on the San Juan Market Complex, which is expected

to be completed by April 2014. The Complex is considered to be a major achievement for

the Corporation and is the “catalyst” of the Corporation’s Renaissance Project.

Policing and Security

2.32 There is a high level of crime and criminal activities in the region and the Corporation

reported that its Municipal Police Unit is severely understaffed. It was further disclosed

that a police escort is sometimes needed to facilitate the execution of routine municipal

services within the Laventille area.

2.33 The Corporation indicated that the current strength of its Municipal Police stands at

twenty-four (24) officers which comprises of one (1) police inspector, one (1) sergeant,

two (2) corporals and twenty (20) constables (SRPs). The Unit currently has three (3)

vehicles.

2.34 The Municipal Corporations Act, Chap. 25:04 stipulates that a Corporation is

required to have a complement of ten (10) constables, two (2) corporals, one (1) sergeant,


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and one (1) inspector. However, at present, the Unit falls woefully short, as the majority of

officers at the Unit are SRPs who are all on contract and can leave at any point in time.

2.35 Nevertheless, the Corporation indicated that it intended to enhance the security of its

communities and businesses by:

strengthening and increasing the manpower of its Municipal Police;

conducting a rapid assessment of crime concerns through stakeholder discussions;

and

deepening collaboration with the Ministry of National Security and the Police

Service to strengthen community policing and overall safety in the region.

2.36 The Corporation informed the Committee that an Intelligence and Enforcement Unit

was established to deal with the issue of crime in and around the San Juan market. There

has been collaboration with the central police and several exercises and arrests have taken

place.

2.37 It was also brought to the Committee’s attention that the Corporation has no wireless

communication with central police, a critical tool needed for emergency purposes.

Additionally, only low calibre weapons are available to the officers.

2.38 The Committee was informed of a recent policing exercise which took place in San

Juan where six (6) illegal immigrants were arrested, with one (1) person detained and

deported.

2.39 The Corporation revealed that according to intelligence data, a large number of

immigrants, primarily from Guyana and Jamaica were involved in illegal activities.

Building Inspectorate

2.40 The Committee was informed that the Corporation only has one Building Inspector,

making the Building Inspectorate severely understaffed given the escalation of

construction activity in the region.


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2.41 The Unit collects fees on behalf of the Corporation for the inspection and approval

of buildings for public use, monitors the Corporation’s building projects, as well as provide

advice to businesses and private citizens.

Operational Vision

2.42 It is clear from its submissions that the SJLRC understands the importance of

regional corporations in meeting the needs of citizens at the local level.

2.43 The Corporation indicated in its Business Plan, that the Medium Term Policy

Framework (MTPF) 2012-2014 identified key priorities for the Ministry of Local

Government and by extension, the Municipal Corporations. These are:

- The facilitation of economic prosperity for the citizenry and the development and

enhancement of communities;

- The enhancement of the Local Government framework so as to increase its

responsiveness and effectiveness;

- The creation of a safe and secure environment for communities to thrive;

- The facilitation of increased access and improved service delivery to citizens.

2.44 Additionally, the Government expressed its desire for there to be transformation in

local government through devolution of authority and resources from Central Government,

coordination of key social services in the region, and more decentralized planning.

2.45 The Corporation is aware of its capabilities and its facilities and the fact that it has

not been able to keep up with the increasing demands of its communities. Despite this, the

Corporation has committed to become more dynamic and expansive in a bid to continue to

meet the needs of its burgesses in an effective and efficient manner.

Disaster Preparedness

2.46 The Committee was presented with an overview of the importance of Disaster

Preparedness and the crucial role regional corporations play in maximizing public


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awareness and encouraging community participation in disaster preparedness activities.

The Corporation underscored the importance of collaboration at the governmental, private

and community levels as well as the need to focus on the following:

i. community empowerment and communication;

ii. community based action plans and training that can improve a community’s problem

solving skills; and

iii. dissemination of knowledge and information to encourage people’s participation in

activities.

2.47 It was indicated that the Corporation’s Disaster Management Unit is responsible for

the coordination and facilitation of disaster mitigation and relief efforts across the region.

2.48 The Committee was also informed that the Corporation introduced a Community

Outreach Programme.

Transport/Workshop

2.49 The Corporation considers its Transport/Workshop Unit to be the heart of the

organization. All operations are dependent upon the efficiency of this Unit. The

Corporation has a fleet of sixty-eight (68) vehicles and equipment that range from thirty-

five (35) years to six (6) months old.

2.50 It has been reported that maintenance fees are quite high, and there are frequent

breakdowns. The Corporation acknowledged that there needs to be a fleet renewal exercise

in order to maintain its level of efficiency and effectiveness.

2.51 Additionally, the Corporation indicated that it made a number of recommendations

regarding the improvement of the Unit. These included:

i. Adopt succession planning;

ii. Increase accommodation;

iii. Increase funding mechanism; and


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iv. Increase the Building Inspectorate.

Finance, Personnel, Industrial Relations and Legal Business Units

2.52 These Units are responsible for providing administrative and logistical support. The

Finance Unit oversees the management of the financial systems of the Corporation. The

Personnel and Industrial Relations Unit handles all the Corporation’s industrial relations

matters, while the Legal Unit provides advice and support for all legal matters concerning

the Corporation.

2.53 There is also an Engineering Business Unit which incorporates the Roads, Works

and Transport sub-units. The Corporation also indicated that an Engineer was procured to

head this Unit in 2011.

Works Supervision

2.54 This Unit oversees the Corporation’s infrastructure projects such as construction

and maintenance of abattoirs, markets, recreational facilities, public parks, public

cemeteries and the Corporation’s buildings and facilities.

2.55 The Unit also plays an important role in the development of the area through the

provision of temporary jobs and other developmental programmes to persons in the

communities.

Roads Unit

2.56 The Roads Unit has responsibility for the construction and maintenance of drainage

and pedestrian walkways, minor roads and bridges. The Unit, like Works Supervision, also

provides temporary employment to persons in the communities.

Stakeholders

2.57 The Corporation has a diverse range of stakeholders such as:

Members of Parliament

Market Vendors Association


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Chamber of Commerce

Contractors, service providers

Ministries of Local Government, Finance, National Security and Labour

Burgesses

Key Achievements 2011-2012

2.58 Despite challenges, the Corporation recorded a number of achievements namely:

the completion of Phase I of the San Juan Market and Renaissance Project

– new market opened in 2012;

over 90 percent completion of all projects in the annual work programme;

consistent strong disaster and emergency response to severe

flooding/landslips in the region, training for community based respondents

in vulnerable areas, and establishment of emergency response kits; and

the hiring of an Engineer which has strengthened and improved the

functions and performance of the Roads, Works and Transport Units.

Strategic Framework to 2014

2.59 The Corporation indicated that it was its intent to turn the organization into a centre

of excellence in municipal management through the pursuit of a two (2) part agenda. This

agenda involved initiatives for the continuous improvement and operational excellence in

service delivery, as well as transformation of the organization into a high performing one.

Strategic Analysis

2.60 The following tables list the key opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses of

the Corporation. The full listing is attached at Appendix 5.


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Table 1

Key Opportunities, Threats, Strengths and Weaknesses

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS

Government’s desire to show progress

at the community level in light of

upcoming elections – local government

(2013), national (2015)

Sustained interest by private sector in

establishing new business in region

Richly diverse community with natural

assets in key economic areas e.g.

tourism, agriculture

Lack of a clear direction on local

government from the Central

Government

Economic downturn characterized by

growing unemployment, and the

potential for cuts in spending

Persistent poverty, crime and other

social ills

Increased incidence of severe weather

exacerbated by poor building practices

and poor waste disposal habits among

the population

Lack of /Lack of enforcement of

building and zoning codes leading to

congestion

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

Key achievements with market, overall

work programme, disaster response etc.

Strengthening of key areas in the past

two years – Engineering, Disaster

Management

Need to strengthen teamwork among

Council and Administration

Persistent challenges with HR

exacerbated by a lack of control in this

area

Lack of key functions – IT, Customer

Care, M & E


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Expertise/Growing expertise among

staff e.g. Disaster management,

engineering, health etc.

Strong relationships with key

stakeholders

Review of operating systems for

strengthening

Good camaraderie among councilors

notwithstanding three parties

Untimely receipt of funds from MOF

Administrative building is inadequate

to serve burgesses and for the needs of

the staff

2.61 In light of the Government’s vision for the transformation of local government, the

Corporation sought to identify key services/products that it would deliver to its clients

during the period 2012-2014, as well as identify activities that it would undertake in order

to realize and achieve its vision for the organization and the region.

Strategic Priorities to 2014

2.62 The Corporation’s strategic priorities are as follows:

service related – these would set out to address improvements to the

Corporation’s delivery of services; and

enabling – which would set out to strengthen the Corporation’s institutional

capacity and development of staff.

2.63 The following diagram displays the strategic priorities of the Corporation.


30

Diagram 1

Core Strategic and Enabling Strategic Priorities

Overall Strategy to 2014

2.64 The Corporation indicated that its strategic intent was to provide “client driven and

innovative infrastructural, social, environmental and communal services for the

continuous improvement of the quality of life of its burgesses.”

2.65 In light of the foregoing, the Corporation stated that its overall strategy would be

values based, focusing on achieving Operational Excellence, which would be closely

linked to Customer Intimacy.

CORE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• Continuous Improvement in the Provision of Social Services to Burgesses

• Facilitating Economic Development of the Municipality

• Environmental Management

• Infrastructure Development and Facilities Management

• Enhancing the Security of Communities and Business

ENABLING STRATEGIC PRIOIRTIES

• Institutional Development of SJLRC for operational

efficiency and effectiveness

• Human Resource Management and

Development

• Improving Customer Care

• Strengthening Stakeholder Relationships


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Implementation framework

2.66 This framework is based on a strategic planning format developed by the Ministry of

Planning and Sustainable Development. It outlines the key activities/programs/projects that

would be undertaken in order to realize the Corporation’s strategic priorities.

2.67 The framework also identifies the responsible department as well as the output and

outcome indicators that would be used to track progress and performance.

Facilitating Economic Development of the Municipality

2.68 The Corporation disclosed that it supports the economic development of the region

through:

i. building the capacity of the Building Inspectors Department which would

facilitate the legally appropriate commercial and residential development in

the area;

ii. making recommendations for the development of new traffic management

plans;

iii. supporting collaboration among councillors, private sector and community

organizations to develop and implement public education programmes; and

iv. reengineering the Corporation’s Coordinating Committee and strengthening

relationships with relevant agencies such as the Town and Country Division

of the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Environmental Management

2.69 The Corporation presented the Committee with a number of initiatives for ensuring

proper environmental management of the region and its assets. This would be

accomplished through:

i. the introduction of Litter Wardens to monitor main public spaces within the

region;


32

ii. collaboration with the Water and Sewerage Authority and the Ministry of the

Environment and Water Resources to establish collection ponds in low lying

areas for flood control;

iii. proper and timely removal and disposal of waste;

iv. collaboration with other agencies such as TEMA, as well as through the

introduction of suitable best practices;

v. working with the ODPM to establish an early warning system within the

communities in the North Coast, Upper and Lower Santa Cruz,

vi. collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of the

Environment and Water Resources to preserve the wetlands south of the

Churchill Roosevelt Highway;

vii. working with the Ministry of Works to intensify measures to reduce flooding

through ensuring timely clearing, and repairs of drains and river courses;

viii. collaboration with the MOH to ensure efficient monitoring and inspection of

food establishments; and

ix. initiating the transition of the region into a ‘green’ municipality through

engaging stakeholders to come up with solutions for waste removal (tyres, old

vehicles etc.), developing and implementing recycling programmes as well as

designing and implementing a pilot project that would re-introduce a school

environmental programme in two (2) primary schools, with the help of the

MOE, and School Boards.

Infrastructure Development and Facilities Management

2.70 The following represents the Corporation’s strategies for infrastructure development

and facilities management:

i. efficient implementation of the annual programme of works (road repair, drainage,

parks and recreation etc.)


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ii. develop and implement a preventative and restorative maintenance policy and

system with respect to facilities management

iii. deepen partnership (using MOU) with the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure,

special purpose companies, and WASA, to facilitate timely road works in

communities, as well as create employment opportunities for persons within the

area

iv. Creation of beach facilities and prevention of overnight camping at Tyrico Bay

v. completion of phase II of the Croisee Renaissance Project – the pedestrianization

of Colda Tinda Road and the rebuilding and repositioning of the Abattoir facility

to add to the new market

vi. continuously review and improve the response time with regards to disasters

(natural or man-made) including landslips and damage to roads, property, bridges

and drains

vii. completion and management of the San Juan Market as well as putting in place

systems and procedures for facilities management and security, and a review of the

market bylaws

viii. construction/acquisition of a building to house the Corporation’s Administrative

Headquarters as well as the Engineering Building

Strategic Plan

2.71 The Committee was informed that the current Council was in the process of

reviewing the strategic plan of the former Council.

Audited Financial Statements

2.72 The Committee was informed that the last report of the Auditor General on the

audited financial statements of the Corporation was for the year 2005. Nevertheless, it was

disclosed that the Corporation’s audited financial statements have been submitted up to

September 30, 2013 to the Office of the Auditor General.

2013/2014 Budgetary Allocation

2.73 The Corporation revealed that it requested approximately $123 million for the

financial year 2013/2014, but only received $18 million. The requested funds were


34

intended to provide funding for a Croisee Renaissance Project which was expected to boost

the internal and external tourism prospects for the region.

2.74 The Committee was informed that the scope of this project would encompass the San

Juan Market Project and will extend southward to the Aranguez Savannah, and northward

to the Maracas/Las Cuevas area.

Highlights of the Work Programme

2.75 The Corporation disclosed that its expenditure over the planned period to 2014

represented a pronounced increase over its current level of development expenditure.

However, in light of the many competing needs, the challenging economic environment,

and the fact that 10% of the national population resides within the municipality, the SJLRC

must expand its services to meet the increasing demands of its burgesses.

2.76 The Corporation therefore presented a number of initiatives linked to its increased

budget:

increase community discussion and problem solving on social issues such as crime

and economic development in the region,

further develop the Croisee as a regional ‘flagship’ to build pride of residents in

their communities,

develop and upgrade recreational spaces to encourage participation in sport at all

ages, family recreation etc.,

disaster mitigation including education, waste reduction/recycling, transitioning to

a ‘green municipality’.

2.77 The Corporation also stated its intention to invest in initiatives for its transformation

into a high performing state agency and address its problematic areas. However, many of

the initiatives are at the planning and design stage and the budget for implementation will

be determined in the next fiscal year.

2.78 The Corporation further disclosed that the major share of the estimated expenditure

over the period will be infrastructure development at $310,011,00.00 which includes the


35

Croisee Renaissance Project, draining, recreation grounds and road works. The next share

will be environmental management at $4,450,000.00, followed by institutional

development and capacity building at $1,200,00.00.

Institutional Development for operational efficiency and effectiveness

2.79 The Committee was informed that the Corporation intends to undertake the following

initiatives in order to increase its operational efficiency and effectiveness:

i. enhance the maintenance and security of the Corporation’s assets and personnel

through development of a preventative and restorative maintenance policy and

system, recruit a Security Officer and a Facilities Manager for the San Juan Market,

and strengthen the Municipal Police;

ii. enhance programme management through the recruitment and development of

project officers utilizing young professionals from Associate Professionals

programmes and the OJT;

iii. improve finance management for greater public management and public

accountability, as well as increase on-time payment to suppliers etc.;

iv. acquire appropriate technology to monitor the Corporation’s assets;

v. integration of ICT into the administration, management and delivery of key services

– with focus on the Engineering group in the first phase;

vi. establish a research and monitoring function through training in M&E for all senior

and technical officers;

vii. re-institute the Corporation’s Coordinating Committee to facilitate improved

timeliness and efficiency in the implementation of projects and programmes;

viii. review and re-align the Corporation’s structure for optimal performance;

ix. undertake a consultancy to review and improve the business process regarding the

offices of the Chairman, Health, Human Resources, Legal, Engineering, Finance,

Administration, and Disaster Management;

x. strengthen team relationship between the Office of the Chair and Office of the CEO

to facilitate good governance and decision making, as well as good accountability

systems;

xi. build a closer strategic alignment, and strengthen the team relationships between

and among the functional areas of the SJLRC’s management;


36

xii. fully implement the OSH system for the Corporation;

xiii. recommend to MOLG for the assignment of an IT Officer to support the integration

of IT into the Corporation’s business operations;

xiv. get the organization ready for change once the Government’s Local Government

Strategy has been clearly defined.

Human Resource Management and Development

2.80 The following represents the Corporation’s strategies to improve and enhance its

human resource management and development:

i. develop an HR policy and related strategy as regards to employee engagement,

employee retention, training and development, succession planning and leadership

development;

ii. advocate for the introduction of IHRIS at regional corporations with the SJLRC as

a pilot;

iii. introduce an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support the Corporation’s

employees;

iv. undertake an HR/Manpower Audit to guide the strengthening of the HR function at

the Corporation. The Audit will provide information that will be used to address

issues related to staffing, recruitment, succession planning, performance

management etc;

v. based on this Audit, the Corporation will develop a capacity building plan for the

Corporation that responds to the strategic thrust of the organization, which will

include the development of leadership and human resource management skills

among others;

vi. agree on and institute management effectiveness measures;

vii. enhance the Rewards and Recognition functions within the Corporation as a

tangible mechanism for displaying appreciation and value for staff. This will also

encourage improved levels of staff performance.

Improving Customer Care

2.81 In order to improve its customer care, the Corporation intends to implement the

following:


37

i. Introduce a Marketing/Communication/Customer Care function to enable

communication and the dissemination of information,

ii. Conduct customer care training for all staff,

iii. Upgrade the telephone system and the Corporation’s website for ease of access,

iv. Establish a Customer Charter for burgesses focusing on the market in the first

instance,

v. Develop and implement a marketing/communication/re-branding strategy, with

focus on the market in the first instance.

Strengthening Stakeholder Relationships

2.82 The Corporation indicated that it intended to strengthen its stakeholder relationships

by mapping and developing a stakeholder management and communication plan as part of

its marketing and communications strategy. This plan is expected to support greater

collaboration with stakeholders to advance the work of the Corporation, as well as facilitate

the development of the burgess and allow for good reporting within and outside of the

Corporation.

San Juan Market Project

2.83 Cost for the construction of the New San Juan Market Complex was estimated at $53

million. The Corporation indicated that the new market is a part of the Renaissance Project

carded for the region and it was expected that the complex would attract people and

businesses to the area.

2.84 The Corporation disclosed that the market complex would include three (3) two-

storey structures that would house market goods, a food court, an abattoir, and mall type

booths that would provide other types of businesses. It is expected to allow for the

pedestrianization of the area.


38

2.85 The Corporation further disclosed that work on the complex is expected to be

completed in the May, 2014 at the cost of $12 million. The Complex is expected to have

156 stalls for market produce, 30 stalls for fresh produce and 50 booths.

Duplication of responsibilities and efforts relative to other ministries and agencies

2.86 The Corporation informed the Committee that there have been instances where it had

acquired approval and funding for projects only to discover later on that another entity such

as the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) and the Community-based Environmental

Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP), had already completed some of the

works.

2.87 The Corporation attempted to circumvent this issue by inviting the entities to its

Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) meetings in order to facilitate information

exchange on programmes of work. This was expected to reduce the incidence of overlap

with the Corporation’s projects and work programmes. However, not all the entities attend

the meetings.

Employment

2.88 The Committee was informed that outside of the temporary job opportunities offered

by the Corporation’s Works Supervision and Roads Unit, it cannot offer any other

employment opportunities to its burgesses. Despite this, prospective employees are

considered as resumés are examined and candidates recommended to the Chief Executive

Officer for approval.

Website

2.89 It was revealed that the Corporation was in the process of developing a website,

which was expected to be completed by May, 2014. The website is expected to facilitate

the submission of complaints in electronic form.


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Essential Resources

2.90 The Corporation indicated that in order to successfully implement its

operational/business plan, certain key resources needed to be mobilized. These included:

i. effective leadership – council, administration;

ii. strong team relationship between Council and Administration, with shared

priorities for action;

iii. skilled personnel – staff, contract. Most departments are in need of additional

manpower, particularly Engineering, the Building Inspectorate, Municipal Police

and the Office of the CEO;

iv. strong mutually beneficial working relationships with partner ministries, business

entities and community organizations;

v. timely funding for projects/initiatives;

vi. efficient and effective operating and managerial systems – IT, HR,

communications, procurement, customer care etc.;

vii. good well maintained equipment, tools, vehicles, buildings; and

viii. effective contract management, temporary employment.

Financial Plan

2.91 The Corporation provided a Summary Budget Estimate for the period 2013/2014

which has been reproduced hereunder.


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Table 2

Summary Budget Estimate 2013/2014

PRIORITY AREA FY 2013 FY 2014 TOTAL

TTD

CORE PRIORITIES

1. Continuous

Improvement in the

Provision of Social

Services to Burgesses

$250,000 $150,000 $400,000.00

2. Facilitating

Economic

Development of the

Municipality

325,000 175,000 500,000.00

3. Environmental

Management

4,300,000 150,000 4,450,000.00

4. Infrastructure

Development and

Facilities Management

214,121,000 105,890,000 320,011,000.00

5. Enhancing the

Security of

Communities and

Business

50,000 50,000 100,000.00

Sub Total – Core

Priorities

$219,046,000 $106,415,000 $325,461,000.00


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Table 2 – Cont’d

Summary Budget Estimate 2013/2014

PRIORITY AREA FY 2013 FY 2014 TOTAL

TTD

ENABLING PRIORITIES

1. Institutional

Development of

SJLRC for

operational

efficiency and

effectiveness

$900,000 $300,000 $1,200,000.00

2. Human Resource

Management and

Development

330,000 50,000 380,000.00

3. Improving Customer

Care

260,000 260,000.00

4. Strengthening Stakeholder Relationships

(costs included in Customer care)

Sub Total –

Enabling Priorities

$1,490,000 $350,000 $1,840,000.00

TOTAL – ALL

PRIORITY AREAS

$220,536,000 $106,765,000 $327,301,000.00

Planned Projects and Initiatives targeted for implementation by 2015

2.92 The Corporation outlined its planned projects/initiatives, targeted for implementation

in 2015. These are:

i. to construct 400m of retaining wall;

ii. upgrade twenty-three (23) recreation grounds with lighting, fences, play park

equipment etc;

iii. strengthen and pave 11km of roadway;


42

iv. construct office building for Engineering staff;

v. purchase an all hazards emergency facility;

vi. construct 9.98km of reinforced concrete box drain;

vii. construction of the San Juan Abattoir.

Proposals for Legislative and Regulatory Changes

2.93 The Corporation made a number of proposals for legislative and regulatory changes,

which it believed would enhance its operations. These were as follows:

i. the establishment of a Purchasing Unit;

ii. the Financial Officer (Contract Officer) should be given authority to sign off

cheques;

iii. wireless communication between the Municipal Police and Central Police is

needed;

iv. upgrade of arms and ammunition utilized by Municipal Police;

v. establishment of an In-house Audit Unit

vi. CEO to have the authority to engage the required expertise/skill set for periods

longer than six (6) months

vii. Ministry of Finance should allocate funds in block and the Corporation distribute

accordingly instead of funds being allocated to individual votes

The Renaissance Project

2.94 This project is one of the Corporation’s developmental strategies for unlocking the

region’s potential. It is a series of urban regeneration and restoration projects designed to

realize the strategic development visions of the region over the next ten (10) years.

2.95 The Corporation’s strategic development visions are as follows:

i. preservation and celebration of the history and culture of the region;

ii. institutional strengthening;


43

iii. establishment and implementation of a strategic investment framework to

facilitate:

improvement of the region’s resilience to various forms of natural

disasters;

enhancement in the city’s economic competitiveness;

a more financially autonomous local authority.

2.96 It was disclosed that with regards to strategic development vision (i), the Corporation

intended to pursue the restoration of the following buildings:

i. Presbyterian Church;

ii. Post Office;

iii. Women’s Prison;

iv. Fort Picton;

v. Malick Roman Catholic Church;

vi. La Venezuela Statue;

vii. Office of Aranguez Estates

2.97 Regarding institutional strengthening, the Corporation indicated that it would pursue

the following initiatives in order to facilitate a high level of efficiency and effectiveness in

its service delivery:

Development of the Mount Hope Compound as a major operational centre to house

the Engineering and Disaster Management Departments;

Implementation of strategic investment framework: major urban regeneration

projects such as the San Juan Croisee, the Aranguez Savannah, Maracas, Tyrico, Las

Cuevas Bay, and the Barataria Flood Mitigation initiative.

2.98 The Corporation identified a number of problematic issues with the Croisee and will

therefore seek to enhance and improve the “city centre” through:

Education (library and book store)


44

Commerce (develop the area into a first world business district which will feature a

premier shopping experience)

Housing

Civic (museum, restoration projects, Town Hall, Public Information Centre etc.

Recreation (enhance the experience at the Aranguez Savannah)

2.99 The Corporation indicated that Phase I of the project would centre around the San

Juan Market, and Phase II, the Market environs which would see the expansion of the

current market complex and upgrade of the San Juan Abattoir, adequate parking, and road

and infrastructure upgrades to name a few.


45

Chapter 3

Findings and Recommendations

3.1 Based on the written and oral evidence presented, the Committee has determined

that the under mentioned issues were of particular importance to the operations of the

Corporation and therefore proposes the subsequent recommendations for the enhancement

of the operations of the SJLRC.

Service Delivery

3.2 To effectively and efficiently deliver the necessary services to burgesses is the

primary responsibility of Municipal Corporations and other Local Government bodies of

this nature. Therefore, the Committee was pleased to note that the Corporation has

embarked on Institutional strengthening with a view to enhancing its service delivery. It is

our view that the proposed projects for the development of the Mount Hope Compound

and a Regional Administrative Complex ought to translate into better service delivery.

3.3 We noted that the Corporation was able to pronounce on the customer satisfaction

level of its burgesses regarding the provision of public health services. However, it was not

evident that any valid qualitative or quantitative research methods were employed to

determine the satisfaction level that the Corporation indicated it had achieved.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Corporation adopt more quantifiable/measurable

performance assessment criteria in order to effectively gauge its performance. The

measures can be broadly grouped into the categories of effectiveness, efficiency,

quality, timeliness, productivity and safety.


46

HUMAN RESOURCES

3.4 The Committee is aware that inadequate staff is a common challenge confronting

several other Regional Corporations it has examined thus far. Whilst being able to deliver

a reasonably satisfactory level of service to its burgesses with it present staff complement,

the Corporation cannot continue to have daily paid officers assuming the responsibilities

of their monthly paid counterparts, as this would cause compensation issues for the

Corporation.

3.5 As the Parliamentary Committee with oversight of the Service Commissions

responsible for recruiting monthly paid staff for these corporations (i.e. Public Service

Commission) we have highlighted a number of shortcomings in the operations of the Public

Service Commission with respect to the filling of vacancies within departments/agencies

falling under its remit. Therefore, in the interim, the use of short-term contractual

employees is an option that the Corporation should explore.

3.6 The Committee also considered the fact that the Corporation lost its Corporate

Secretary and its Engineering and Survey Officer. This situation once again demonstrates

the challenges faced by local government bodies to attract and retain highly skilled and

qualified persons to fill “Chief Offices”.

3.7 The Committee was however, pleased with the fact that the Corporation retained

the services of a Financial Officer and that certain aspects of its human resource function

were computerized. This will make record keeping, tracking and monitoring of information

much easier.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation set as a priority, the issue of fillingb

vacancies within the organization. The Corporation should consult with the

relevant trade union(s), the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local

Government and the Public Service Commission in order to devise

appropriate solutions/alternatives for staff shortages.


47

II. We also recommend that the Corporation complete the computerization of its

Human Resource Unit. It should also seek to digitize manual records

throughout the organisation as far as possible. We also noted and endorsed the

Corporation’s recommendation for the introduction of the IHRIS in Regional

Corporations.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION

3.6 The Committee noted that fifteen areas within the Corporation are serviced by

Private contractors. However, the details of these contract were not revealed during the

inquiry. It was also unclear how Public Health Inspectors would “monitor” the delivery of

scavenging services on a daily basis. As was noted above, the Corporation appear to be

using a non-scientific method of gauging the level of satisfaction among burgesses with its

delivery of this service.

3.7 The Committee was also very pleased to note that the Corporation has been

providing the rodent gangs with training to better equip them to handle the rodent

population. However, the Corporation did not advise the committee of the preventatives

measures that have been employed to reduce the rodent population in the region,

particularly in and around the San Juan Market, where a lot of waste that would attract

rodent is generated.

3.8 We were concerned that there was a manpower shortage in this area of the

cooperation’s operations. The Committee also found it particularly worrisome that there

has been constraints in training staff of this unit.

3.9 Another obvious challenge was the fact that the high level of criminal activities in

some communities within the Corporation has hinder the provision of proper health and

sanitation services since contractors may be unwilling to visitor these communities.


48

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation provide training for its health and

sanitation unit in courses such as Oral Public Health and Community

Service, Global Health Practice, and Occupational Safety and Health.

II. We recommend that the Corporation utilize short term employment as a

means of increasing the capacity of its health and sanitation work force.

III. We also recommend that a Community Outreach programme be

developed as a means of forging a partnership with “high Risk”

communities. This outreach programme should seek to communicate to

residents the importance of cooperating with the Corporations, so that it

can provide the best service to them.

IV. The Committee recommends that the Corporation develop a

comprehensive and documented policy on the hiring of contractors for the

provision of services including scavenging as a means of making

procurement practices more transparent.

DOG CATCHING UNIT

3.10 We were concerned that the Corporation appeared to be unprepared to fulfil its

obligations under the Dog Control Act which had been scheduled for proclamation in June,

2014. It was noted that the Corporation held a meeting with the Permanent Secretary and

the Advisor to the Minister of Local Government. However, the Committee was not

informed of the outcome (if any) of this meeting.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that orientation sessions with employees of the Dog

Catching Unit to sensitise them about the provisions of the Dog Control

Act, 2013 and the Dog Control (Amendment) Act 2014 in order to ensure

that they are aware of the obligations and responsibilities placed on

Municipal Corporations under the Acts.


49

II. In addition, the Corporation should consider exposing employees of the

unit to training in Humane Animal Handling and Dog Obedience.

III. It is also recommended that the unit acquire another vehicle suitable for

the capture of dogs, in order to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of

the unit.

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

3.11 The development, restoration, rejuvenation and maintenance of infrastructure was

mentioned in several of the Corporation’s Plans that were submitted to the Committee.

Based on a review of the Corporations receipts under its development programme during

the period 2010-2013, it was noted that the Corporation received approximately $19

Million in fiscal 2010/2011 in contrast with $12 Million received in 2012/2013. The

Committee implied that the increase in funds allocated to the Corporation’s Development

Programme in 2010/2011 was attributed to the San Juan Market Project.

3.12 The Renaissance Project appeared to be the flagship infrastructural development

project for the Corporation. The project comprise a number of infrastructural upgrades and

restorations that were estimated to cost $202 Million and would employ approximately 342

persons. While a laudable initiative, the committee was concerned about the Corporation’s

capacity to manage and finance this project. In addition, based on the submissions received,

it was not clear whether a definite time frame for the project had been established. It also

seemed that the project would not be considered as a single expenditure item but rather the

financing of the project would be depend on annual allocation to the Corporation

Development Programme.

3.13 The Committee learned that all of the Corporation’s infrastructural development

and maintenance was handled by the Engineering and Survey Officer, therefore the absence

of an Engineering and Survey Officer would adversely affect this function. This situation

was of particularly concern given the number and scope of infrastructural developmental

projects being undertaken by the Corporation.


50

3.14 However, the Committee noted, that a large portion of the infrastructural works is

undertaken by the Roads Unit and the Work Supervisor III. This however does not discount

the absence of the Engineering and Survey Officer.

3.15 The White Paper that was generated based on recently held consultations on local

government reform, proposes that Municipal Corporations would play a greater role in the

planning and spatial development of the regions/areas under their purview. It proposes that

following the enactment of the Planning and Facilitation of Development Bill, 2013,

spatial planning would be devolved and all Municipal Corporations shall be appointed as

Municipal Planning Authorities. This suggests that the SJLRC along with the other

municipals should be presently seeking to develop a Spatial Planning Unit or a similar

structure to effectively executive this new responsibility.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation establish a project schedule for the

entire Renaissance Project along with individual schedules for the

completion of the various components of the projects. In addition, the

funding requirements for each stage of this project should be disintegrated

in order to determine the funding required on an annual basis relative to

the Corporation’s Development Programme.

II. In keeping with the proposals/recommendation set out the Draft White

Paper on Local Government Reform, the Corporation should at the very

least develop an action plan for fulfilling its obligations established under

the Planning and Facilitation of Development Bill, 2013. This plan should

include a proposal for the establishment of a Unit or Sub-Unit with the

responsibility of formulating spatial plans for the Corporation.

III. We recommend that the Corporation work with the Ministry of Local

Government to retain the services of an Engineering and Survey Officer as


51

soon as possible, as well as work on filling the other vacancies within the

unit.

POLICING AND SECURITY

3.16 The Committee was particularly concerned that there was a high level of criminal

activity in the SJLRC and the Corporation was experiencing a severe manpower shortage.

The Committee also found it very troubling to learn that police escorts were sometimes

needed to facilitate the execution of routine municipal services, which would place an

additional strain on the Unit’s limited manpower.

3.17 The Corporation’s dependence of SRPs whose tenure in the Corporation was

unpredictable was another source of concern for the Committee. However, the Committee

was mindful that the issues highlighted in respect of the Municipal Police in the SJLRC

are not new, as all the Regional Corporations examined by the Committee thus far, have

reported that they are severely understaffed due to the high attrition rate within these units.

A phenomenon that was primarily attributed to the unattractive remuneration packages

associated with the Municipal Police Service.

3.18 The Committee thought that the lack of proper tools such as wireless

communication devices required to enable the officers to communicate effectively, along

with the lack of high calibre weapons, where issues that could be resolved in the short-term

once the necessary resources and right attitude is adopted by the Corporation. Recruiting

and retaining officers is the real challenge.

3.19 The Corporation must be commended however, for seeking to supplement this

shortage with the interim measure of employing SRPs on contract. However, considering

the fact that this issue is not new and that it has been plaguing the Regional Corporations

for some time now, the Committee is particularly displeased with the lack of a coherent

response by the Ministry of Local Government and other stakeholders with the authority

to make the necessary legislative and procedural amendments.


52

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation, collaborate with the TTPS, the

Ministry of National Security and burgesses, to devise more practical

strategies to curb the incidences of crime and illegal activities in the region.

II. Sensitising burgesses about the role, function and even existing strength of

the Municipal Police Unit in the Corporation may assist with taming public

expectations about the impact Municipal Police may have on the level of

criminal activity in the Corporation.

III. As has been recommended in previous reports on Municipal Corporations,

the Committee suggest that consideration be given to harmonizing the

compensation of Municipal Police Officers with that of regular Police

Officers. One suggestion is to consider the possibility of an administrative

arrangement through which a special allowance is paid. This should be

explored with the relevant authorities.

IV. The Committee recommends that the Superintendent of Police, as the

person in charge of the Unit be authorized to seek the necessary approval

from the Commissioner of Police for the acquisition of higher calibre

weapons, as well as approval from the Corporation to acquire wireless

communication devices.

BUILDING INSPECTORATE

3.20 The Committee was alarmed by the fact that there was only one Building Inspector

assigned to the Corporation. It was not surprising to learn that the incumbent was

overwhelmed with responsibilities. The Committee considered whether this shortage in

manpower has adversely affected the ability of the Corporation to properly monitor the

erection of building and structures within its jurisdiction. The Committee suspected that


53

the collection of fees for the inspection and approval of buildings for public use may have

also been affected by this situation.

RECOMMENDATION

A was alluded to previously, the Corporation must collaborate with the relevant

agencies, (Ministry of Local Government and Service Commissions) to address the

vacancies within the Building Inspectorate and by extension the vacancies in other

units/departments.

DISASTER PREPAREDNES

3.21 We have observed that there appears to be a laudable attempt to improve the

disaster management function in all the Municipal Corporations we have examined thus

far. With respect to this Corporation, the Committee noted that there was some emphasis

on community participation, public awareness, community based action plans and training.

In this regard, the Committee also found the SJLRC’s introduction of a Community

Outreach Programme to be commendable.

3.22 It is incumbent on the Corporation to be proactive as it possibly can to promote the

role of the Corporation as a ‘First Responder’ in the event of a disaster. In this regard, the

Corporation must ensure that it is equipped to respond promptly to disasters throughout

various areas within its jurisdiction. The Transportation Unit has an integral role to play in

assisting with providing relief to burgesses when floods and landslides occur. Therefore,

the Corporation must continue to build the capacity of this Unit and conduct simulations

and drills to assess its level of preparedness to respond effectively to disasters.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation continue to collaborate with the

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) to build its

capacity to respond effectively to disasters. The Disaster Management

Team at the Corporation must cooperate with the ODPM’s Regional

Coordinators with a view to ensuring that the Corporation satisfies the

various criteria established by the ODPM vis-à-vis disaster preparedness.


54

II. Where applicable the Corporation should expose the relevant officers to

both local and international training in Disaster Management. Additional

training can include Emergency Management, and Disaster Management

for Environmental Hazards.

III. It is also recommended that the Corporation continue to devise new public

relations strategies for sensitising and engaging communities with regards

to the Corporation’s role in preparing for disasters providing relief for

same.

TRANSPORT/WORKSHOP

3.23 The Committee noted that the Corporation considered its Transportation Unit as

integral to its operations and that it was challenged by high maintenance fees and frequent

mechanical failures. The Committee endorsed the Corporation’s recommendations for

improving this unit.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation continue to identify the acquisition

of new vehicles for its fleet as a priority item in its Estimates of

Expenditure. The ability of the Corporation to effectively deliver its

services was dependent on the capacity and functionality of its

Transportation Unit.

II. We recommend that the Corporation explore a possible collaboration with

the Vehicle Management Company of Trinidad and Tobago (VMCOTT)

to train vehicle mechanics and maintenance staff. The outsourcing of

transportation services may be too costly for the Corporation at this time.

Therefore, building the capacity of the Transportation Unit to conduct


55

repairs at a faster rate while maintaining the desired standards ought to

be one of the objectives of the Corporation.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 2011-2012

3.24 The evidence received in this regard was quite vague and saturated with narrative.

For example, the document submitted to the Committee entitled a Summary Report on the

Administration of the San Juan Laventille Corporation for the period 2010-2013 lacked of

specific details on the Corporation’s achievements in the areas covered therein. On page 8

of the document a Summary of Projects undertaken for the 2010-2013 was outlined,

however, no information about the type, cost, projected or actual date of completion of the

projects was provided. This made it difficult to assess the nature and extent of the

Corporation’s achievements during the period in question.

3.25 Nevertheless, the Corporation submitted that it had achieved a ninety (90) percent

completion rate for its projects in the annual work programme. Also cited as an

achievement was the Corporation’s consistently strong disaster and emergency response to

severe flooding and other natural disasters and the completion of Phase I of the San Juan

Market which is a major component of its Renaissance Project.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that that in the Corporation’s response to this report that it provide

the Parliament with details on the following:

a. estimated and actual cost of completion;

b. scope; and

c. projected and actual date of completion (where applicable)

for all ongoing or infrastructural or capital intensive projects.


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STRATEGIC PLANNING

3.26 The Committee found the Corporation’s intention to transform the organization into

a centre of excellence to be very ambitious. The Committee took note of the different

threats/weaknesses and opportunities/strengths identified by the Corporation in its

Corporate Plan (2009-2012). Addressing these threats/weaknesses will require a more

concerted and collaborative approach by the Corporation in order to successfully mitigate

against them.

3.27 The Corporation needs to be more proactive and consistent in striving to improve

its operations and to capitalise on opportunities. One potential advantage or disadvantage

this Corporation has is continuity in its political arm, since the control of the Corporation’s

Council has been held by the same political party for over a decade.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the SJLRC develop an Implementation Road Map (if this has

not been done) in order to methodically track its progress in the implementation and

or achievement of its strategic objectives. A similar tracking mechanism should also

be applied in order to gauge the attainment of objectives contained in its Business and

Corporate plans.

FACILITATING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY

3.28 The Committee found the SJLRC’s strategy for economic development to be

comprehensive, however, the Committee concluded that it would be in the best interest of

the Corporation to collaborate with business owners and other private sector companies to

devise new strategies of injecting revenue into the municipality. Given its limited capacity

to engage in major capital investment, the Corporation must strive to facilitate business

and entrepreneurial activities. In keeping with the current trust of improving the ease of

doing business in Trinidad and Tobago, the Corporation must undertake an assessment of

its operations to determine whether there are procedures that require modification in order

to make them more conducive to the expectations of today’s pace of conducting business.


57

3.29 As was mentioned previously, the enactment of the Planning and Facilitation of

Development Bill would result in Regional Corporations becoming Municipal Planning

Authorities, a responsibility that the Corporation must prepare itself to assume. We believe

that the Renaissance Project has demonstrated the potential to significantly alter the land

space of the region, in particular the Central Business District of the Corporation i.e. the

Croisee and therefore must be properly executed and promoted as a catalyst for the

economic/commercial rejuvenation of the Corporation.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation review its policies and procedures with a

view to eliminating unnecessary delays in procedures and transactions with the

Corporate Community and clients in general in order to make these transaction

more expeditious. However, any changes ought not to contradict any provisions

of the Act or any subsidiary legislation made pursuant to same. In undertaking

this exercise, the Corporation should seek feedback from the San Juan Business

Association and other stakeholders within the Business community under the

purview of the Corporation.

II. The Corporation must work harder to market its initiatives such as the

Renaissance project to encourage potential investors to invest in the region. In

addition, an effect public relations campaign on the Corporation Development

initiatives would evoke a greater sense of pride among burgesses. Developmental

initiatives such as the renaissance Project must be development business on

consultation so that at the implementation phase, the Corporation would have

already obtained the endorsement of its Burgesses.

III. We recommend Committee the establishment of a Project Monitoring and

Evaluation Unit to oversee the Corporation’s developmental plans, projects and

initiatives.


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PLANNED PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES TARGETED FOR

IMPLEMENTATION IN 2015

3.30 The Committee found the SJLRC’s planned projects for 2015 to be very

commendable, ambitious, but achievable at the stated period.

3.31 We were particularly pleased with the Corporation’s intention to construct an office

building for its Engineering Staff, as well as purchase an All Hazards Emergency Facility,

which would enable the Corporation to react more effectively in instances of disasters.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

3.32 It was noted that the SJLRC devised a number of comprehensive and commendable

initiatives for ensuring the proper environmental management of the region. The

Committee endorses these initiatives and expects them to be implemented by March 2015.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the SJLRC establish a timeframe for the

implementation of these strategies by March 2015.

II. We also recommend that relevant staff of the public health and sanitation,

and disaster management units be trained locally and internationally, in

courses such as Strategies for Sustainable Management, Natural Disasters

in a Global Environment, and Environmental Management.

AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

3.33 The Committee was pleased to note that despite the lag in the conducting of audits

by the Auditor General, the Corporation has fulfilled its obligations and has submitted its

audited financial statements up to the September 30, 2013 to the Office of the Auditor


59

General. Notwithstanding this, the absence of an internal audit function appears to be a

features of most if not all Municipal Corporations examined by the Committee.

BUDGETARY ALLOCATION

3.34 The Committee noted that the Corporation like many other Municipalities did not

receive anything near the funds its requested from Central Government. In fact, the

Corporation received only eighteen (18) million dollars out of a requested one hundred and

twenty-three (123) million dollars for fiscal year 2013/2014. This means that the

Corporation received only 15% of what it requested.

3.35 This shortfall of funds has adversely affected the progress of projects such as the

the Croisee Renaissance Project.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. As previously recommended, we suggest that the Corporation devise a

comprehensive Revenue Generation Plan as a means of sourcing some

additional income to supplement its undertakings since the disparity between

what was is requested of Central Government and what is received is usually

very significant. Therefore, it cannot be Business as usual, Regional

Corporations while seeking administrative autonomy from Central

Government must also strive towards financial autonomy.

II. In keeping with the current thrust to transform the Local Government System,

consideration should be given to establishing Internal Audit Units within each

Municipal Corporation or enhancing the Internal Audit function at the

Ministerial level so that it would have the necessary capacity to perform

proper scrutiny and oversight of financial transactions with these Local

Government bodies.


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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

3.36 The Corporation’s plans for the development and management of its human

resources as outlined in its Business/Operational Plan (2012-2014) seem impressive on

paper. A Human Resource Audit , introducing the Integrated Human Resource Information

System (IHRIS), an employee assistance programme, Performance Management among

others, are all laudable initiatives that if successfully implemented, has the potential to

assist with the recruitment, performance management and retention of employees.

However, in its submission, the Corporation did not provide the Committee with a status

update on the implementation of these HRM&D initiatives.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that the Corporation establish timeframes and formulate cost

estimates for the implementation of each component of its HRM&D programme

and work towards implementing them according to these established time and

cost schedules.

II. We recommend that the Corporation in its response to this Report, provide the

Parliament with a Status Update on the implementation of the plans for the

improvement of its Business/Operational Plan (2012-2014).

IMPROVING CUSTOMER CARE

3.37 The initiatives presented for improving customer care are relevant and

comprehensive, however while the Committee appreciated information on the futuristic

outlook of the Corporation regarding customer and client relations, the information

provided once again did not allow the committee to acquire an understanding of the present

realities confronting the corporation in this area at present. Instead what was provided,

were a number of strategies that the SJLRC intends to implement, with no information

provided as regards to the estimated commencement and completion dates.


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STRENGHTENING STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS

3.38 It is indeed commendable that the Corporation will create a stakeholder

management and communication plan as part of its marketing and communications

strategy. The Committee fully endorses this as it will improve the SJLRC’s external

relationships and open new opportunities for the Corporation.

SAN JUAN MARKET PROJECT

3.39 The Committee was pleased to learn that at as March 28, 2014, this project was just

two months away from completion. This is a much welcomed commercial space for the

San Juan area and has the potential of truly being a catalyst for the rejuvenation of the

Croisee.

3.40 However, the Committee was mindful that a more realistic representation of the

nature of this project would have been obtained had it conducted a site visit to the location

of the project. Nevertheless, the Corporation provided the Committee with graphical

illustrations which assisted members with understanding the scope and logistics involved

in the project.

3.41 However we were concerned to learn that there were still a number of vendors

soliciting sales on the outskirts of the market. The existence of antiquated wooden stalls is

unsightly and diminishes the “renaissance effect” that the construction of a multi-million

dollar market is supposed to have on its surroundings.

RECOMMENDATIONS

I. We recommend that there be regular maintenance of the facility and the

booths to ensure less operating costs in the long run.

II. We also recommend that the necessary arrangements be instituted to

prevent persons from vending illegally on the outskirts of the market. If

this practice were to continue, it would encourage other vendors to

abandon the new market in favour of operating on the streets adjacent to


62

the facility. This would diminish the value of constructing a $53 Million

market facility.

DUPLICATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND EFFORTS RELATIVE TO

OTHER MINISTRIES AND AGNENCIES

3.42 The Committee acknowledges that the issue of duplication of responsibilities was

a prevailing issue among government agencies and bodies responsible for community-

based and social service interventions. We observed that the Corporation appears to have

a functioning Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) and conducts meetings in an

attempt to reduce the incidence of duplication of responsibility.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the Corporation host meetings with the Community,

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP), the

Unemployment Relief Programme (URP), the Community Improvement Services

Limited (CISL) and the National Commission for Self-Help Limited and other

relevant agencies, in order to clearly define and state functions and spheres of

responsibility so as to reduce the incidence of duplication of responsibility.

WEBSITE

3.43 The Committee is pleased that the Corporation would soon have its own website.

Not only would this facilitate operational effectiveness and efficiency by allowing persons

to lodge complaints and receive responses, but it would also provide a vital information

portal for prospective investors interested in the region and its assets.

RECOMMENDATION

We recommend that the SJLRC direct the necessary resources for the construction

and commissioning of its website by the end 2014.


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PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CHANGES

3.44 The Committee noted the Corporation’s proposed legislative and regulatory

changes, and agrees in principle with them. As in previous reports on other Municipal

Corporations, the Committee again call upon Cabinet and in particular, the Attorney

General, to pursue the drafting and subsequent introduction of the necessary legislative

amendments required for enhancing the operation of the Local Government System. Such

legislative modification should be guided by the White Paper on Local Government

Reform, 2013, reports of this Committee and other authoritative sources on the operations

of the local government system.


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Conclusion

The Committee has examined four (4) Municipal Corporations for the Tenth Parliament,

thus far, and discovered that they are all plagued by many of the same internal and external

constraints such as insufficient staffing, outdated legislative and regulatory framework, ill-

timed releases and the archaic rules and procedures that govern Municipal Police Officers

to name a few. The San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation is no different. However,

the Corporation must be commended for its innovative, strategic approaches and its vision

and foresight in the development of ambitious initiatives that will not only seek to improve

its overall operational efficiency and effectiveness, but also improve the municipality as

well.

Nonetheless, the Corporation has been unable to realise its full potential due to the various

challenges confronting its operations. It is therefore imperative that the issues hampering

the SJLRC, and indeed all other Municipal Corporations are addressed, so as to ensure the

efficient and effective discharge of their mandate.

The Committee is all too aware that in order to resolve the issues impeding the proper

functioning of Municipal Corporations, efforts are required not only on the part of the

Corporations, but also other external entities involved in both local and central government.

As a burgeoning economic centre, the continuous development of the municipality is of

strategic and financial importance. It is therefore imperative that the Corporation forge

strong partnerships, and enhance avenues for dialogue with other key agencies; namely,

the Ministry of Local Government, the Statutory Authorities’ Service and Public Service

Commission, the Commissioner of Police, the Office for Disaster preparedness, Civil

Society Groups, among others, in order to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness.

The Committee therefore submits its 15th Report for the consideration of the Houses.


65

Sgd. Sgd.

Mr. Anthony Vieira Mr. Hugh Russell Ian Roach

Chairman Vice-Chairman

Sgd. Sgd.

Ms. Shamfa Cudjoe Mr. James Lambert

Member Member

Sgd. Sgd.

Mrs. Vernella Alleyne-Toppin, MP Mr. Rodger Samuel, MP

Member Member

Sgd. Sgd.

Ms. Marlene Coudray Mr. Devant Maharaj

Member Member

Sgd. Sgd.

Mr. Chandresh Sharma, MP Mr. Prakash Ramadhar, MP

Member Member

Sgd. Sgd.

Mrs. Joanne Thomas, MP Ms. Marlene McDonald, MP

Member Member

Dated October 31, 2014


66

APPENDICES


67

Appendix 1

Entities falling under

the purview of the

Committee


68

Entities falling under the purview of the Committee are as follows:

Service Commissions

1. Police Service Commission

2. Public Service Commission

3. Statutory Authorities’ Service Commission

4. Teaching Service Commission

5. Arima Borough Corporation

Municipal Corporations

1. Arima Borough Corporation

2. Chaguanas Borough Corporation

3. Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation

4. Diego Martin Regional Corporation

5. Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation

6. Penal/Debe Regional Corporation

7. Point Fortin Borough Corporation

8. Port of Spain City Corporation

9. Princes Town Regional Corporation

10. San Fernando City Corporation

11. Sangre Grande Regional Corporation


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12. San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation

13. Siparia Regional Corporation

14. Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation


70


71

Appendix 2

Minutes


72

s

PRESENT

Members of the Committee

Mr. Subhas Ramkhelawan - Chairman

Mr. Anthony Vieira - Vice-Chairman

Mrs. Joanne Thomas - Member

Ms. Marlene Coudray - Member

Ms. Shamfa Cudjoe - Member

Mr. Devant Maharaj - Member

Mr. Chandresh Sharma - Member

Mrs. Vernella Alleyne-Toppin - Member

Secretariat

Ms. Candice Skerrette - Assistant Secretary

Ms. Kimberly Mitchell - Graduate Research Assistant

ABSENT Mr. Rodger Samuel - Member (Excused)

Mr. James Lambert - Member (Excused)

Mr. Prakash Ramadhar - Member (Excused)

Ms. Marlene McDonald - Member (Excused)

OFFICIALS OF THE SAN JUAN/LAVENTILLE REGIONAL CORPORATION

Mr. Anthony Roberts Chairman of Council

Mr. Kenwyn Pantin Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Akiel Audain Chairman Finance Planning and

Allocation of Resources Committee

Mr. Derrick Dhanoosingh Financial Officer

Dr. Raphael How Chung Principal Medical and Health Officer

Mr. Reiaz Ali Personnel and Industrial Relations

Officer

Mr. Fyzool Ali Road Officer III

Mr. Wendell Guzman Municipal Police Inspector

Ms. Gail Bacchus-Parris Disaster Manager Coordinator

Mr. Brian Baig Corporate Secretary

OFFICIALS OF THE TUNAPUNA/PIARCO REGIONAL CORPORATION

Mr. Edwin Gooding Chairman

MINUTES OF THE THIRTIETH MEETING OF THE JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO INQUIRE INTO AND REPORT

TO PARLIAMENT ON MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS AND SERVICE COMMISSIONS (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE

JUDICIAL AND LEGAL SERVICE COMMISSION) HELD IN THE ARNOLD THOMASOS ROOM (EAST), OFFICE OF THE

PARLIAMENT, TOWER D, #1A WRIGHTSON ROAD, PORT OF SPAIN

ON FRIDAY MARCH 28, 2014 AT 9:16 A.M.


73

Mr. Esmond Forde Vice-Chairman of the Council

Mr. Michael Serrette Chief Executive Officer (Ag.)

Ms. Annette Stapleton-Seaforth Planning Officer

Ms. Judy Thompson Inspector of Police

Mr. Larry Seecharan Building Inspector

Mr. Rishi Siew Disaster Management Coordinator

Ms. Theresa Noel Public Health Officer

Mr. Masud Mohammed Engineering and Surveyor Officer

Mr. William Best Corporate Secretary

INTRODUCTION

1.1 A quorum being established, the Chairman called the meeting to order at 9:16 a.m.

and there was confirmation that proper notice was given.

1.2 The Chairman indicated that Mr. Rodger Samuel, Mr. James Lambert, Mr. Prakash

Ramadhar and Ms. Marlene McDonald had asked to be excused from the meeting.

1.3 The Chairman briefly outlined the agenda. He noted that Ms. Coudray had agreed

to submit comments on the Report on the San Fernando Borough Corporation after it was

laid and in her capacity as Minister of Local Government rather than as a Member of the

Committee.

1.4 Mr. Maharaj inquired whether an attendance record for the Committee was

maintained. The Chairman responded in the affirmative. Mr. Maharaj expressed concern

that the persistent absence of some members has denied the Committee of potential input

and queried if a replacement can be sourced from the associated benches. The Chairman

suggested that the matter should be raised with the members concerned.

SUSPENSION

1.5 The meeting was suspended at 9:42 a.m.

DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFICIALS OF THE SAN JUAN/LAVENTILLE

REGIONAL CORPORATION

[The Meeting resumed (in public) in the J. Hamilton Maurice Room at 9:30 a.m.]

2.1 The Chairman welcomed officials from the San Juan/Laventille Regional

Corporation (SJLRC) and outlined the main areas of focus of the inquiry.

2.2 The Chairman advised that the Corporation’s administrative reports submitted to

the Committee for the period 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 were

recently submitted to His Excellency, the President and have not been laid in the


74

Parliament. He therefore advised that members of the committee would not be referring to

those reports during the hearing.

2.3 During the proceedings Ms. Coudray declared her ministerial interest as the

Minister with responsibility for all municipalities.

2.4 Detailed below are the issues raised and the responses which were proffered during

the hearing with representatives of the SJLRC:

i. Opening Statements by the Chairman of the Council

He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate in such a forum and

committed to communicate as much information as possible about the

Corporation. He further submitted that the members of the Council were new

and that the meeting was providing the Council with an opportunity to reflect

on its performance and improve on its future plans of the Corporation.

ii. Audited Financial Statements

Officials stated that the last report of the Auditor General on the audited

financial statements of the Corporation was for the year 2005. However,

audited financial statements have been submitted up to September 30, 2013 to

the Office of the Auditor General.

iii. Corporate Plan 2009/2012 – June 2009

Officials clarified that the Corporation had used the term “starved for funds” in

its Corporate Plan because it had received less than forty percent of the

requested funding relative to its draft estimates of the Development Programme

and Recurrent Expenditure. For example, the draft estimates which were

submitted to the Ministry of Finance and the Economy for fiscal 2011/2012

requested approximately $186 million, but the Corporation received $18

million.

iv. 2013/2014 Budgetary Allocation

a. The Committee was informed that for the financial year 2013/2014 the

Corporation requested approximately $123 million and received $18

million.

b. The request for $123 million was intended to provide funding for a Croisee

Renaissance Project which was anticipated to boost the internal and external

tourism prospects of the town. The scope of the project encompasses the

San Juan Market Project and extends southward to the Aranguez Savannah

and northward to the Maracas/Las Cuevas area.

v. The San Juan Market Project

a. The cost of the construction of the New San Juan Market Complex was

estimated at $53 million. It was submitted that the new market was part of


75

the renaissance of the San Juan/Laventille region and was expected to attract

people and business to the region.

b. The market complex would include three (3) two-storey structures housing

market goods, a food court, an abattoir, mall-type booths for other types of

business and would allow for the pedestrianization of the area. The works

are expected to be completed in the next two (2) months at a cost of $12

million.

c. The Market Project is expected to have 156 stalls for market produce, 30

stalls for fresh produce and 50 booths.

vi. Duplication of responsibilities and efforts relative to other ministries and

agencies

a. Officials explained that there have been instances where the Corporation

had acquired approval and funding for projects only to be informed that

another entity such as the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) and the

Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme

(CEPEP) had already completed some of the roadway works.

b. The Corporation has tried to alleviate this situation by inviting these

agencies to its Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) meetings to

facilitate an exchange of information on programmes of works to ensure

that they do not overlap with the Corporation. However, not all agencies

attend these meetings.

c. It was suggested that the Corporation is by law, required to consult with the

Minister with respect to the composition of its Regional Coordinating

Committee.5

vii. Geographical Coverage

The geographic area of the SJLRC is approximately 220sqkm and has a

population of approximately 157,000. The Corporation is bound by Warner

Village, Uriah Butler Highway on the south; by Sea Lots to the north; by

Maracas, Las Cuevas, La Fillette on the west and by the boundaries of the

Tunapuna/ Piarco Regional Corporation to the east.

viii. Strategic Plan

The Committee was informed that the current Council is reviewing the strategic

plan of the former Council.

ix. Disaster Preparedness Unit

The Committee commended the Corporation on the introduction of the

Community Outreach Programme.

5 See Section 253 of the Municipal Corporations Act Chapter 25:04


76

x. Staffing

a. The Committee noted that issues regarding compensation may arise if daily-

paid staff continues to make-up for the shortfall in monthly paid officers.

b. Officials explained that since certain weaknesses were outlined in the

SWOT Analysis documented in the Corporation’s Corporate Plan of June

2009, a financial officer was assigned, aspects of its human resource

function have been computerized, and there has been improvement in its

financial systems.

xi. Dog Catching Unit

a. The Committee was informed that training will be required for the existing

Dog Catching Unit to be in compliance with the Dog Control Act. It was

reported that a meeting was held a week before with the Permanent

Secretary as well as the Advisor to the Minister of Local Government with

a view to improving the arrangements at the Corporation in this area of

responsibility.

b. At present one (1) vehicle is assigned to the Dog Catching Unit. This vehicle

is equipped with a mobile cage for the capture of stray dogs. When caught,

the dogs are taken to the Trinidad and Tobago Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA).

xii. Municipal Police Unit

a. Officials indicated that the current strength of the municipal police at the

SJLRC is twenty-four (24) officers. This comprises of one (1) police

inspector, one (1) sergeant and two (2) corporals hired by the MoLG as

well as twenty (20) constables. The twenty (20) constables are Special

Reserve Police Officers (SRPs). The Municipal Police Unit has three (3)

vehicles.

b. According to the Municipal Corporation Act, Chap. 25:04, the Corporation

is required to have a complement of ten (10) constables, two (2) corporals,

one (1) sergeant and one (1) inspector. At present the stipulated

complement is not satisfied since the persons serving as constables are

SRPs. The Committee was informed that the SRPs can leave the

Corporation at any point because they were employed on contract.

c. An Intelligence and Enforcement Unit was established to assist with dealing

with crime primarily in and around the San Juan market. This Unit has

collaborated with central police to conduct exercises and several arrests

have been made.


77

d. Officials confirmed that there is a high crime rate in the municipality which

poses a threat to the provision of services. At times, a police escort is

required to facilitate the execution of routine municipal services within the

Laventille area, which diverts policing resources from other policing

activities.

e. The Corporation also lacks wireless communication with central police,

which poses a threat to officers in cases of emergency. The low caliber of

weapons available to the officers is also a deterrent to the proper operation

of the Unit.

f. A recent policing exercise conducted in San Juan resulted in the arrest of

six (6) illegal immigrants. One (1) of the persons detained was deported.

The Corporation indicated that intelligence data suggests that there are a

large number of immigrants, primarily from Jamaica and Guyana involved

in illegal activities.

xiii. Public Health and Sanitation

a. Officials conveyed that fifteen (15) areas within the Corporation are

serviced by private scavenging contractors. Nine (9) private contractors

offer open tray and compactor services on a daily basis, five (5) days per

week. In addition, the San Juan Market is scavenged in three (3) periods.

b. Daily monitoring of scavenging contractors is done by checkers on the field

who are supervised by Public Health Inspectors.

c. In the area of public health, the Corporation submitted that it offers a good

level of service [estimated that eighty-five percent (85 %) of burgesses are

satisfied]. However, there are constraints in terms of staffing and training.

The Corporation also has obligations under the Occupational Safety and

Health Act, Chap. 88:08.

d. There are three (3) rodent gangs with a response time of twenty four (24) to

forty eight (48) hours. They place bait, return to check the number of dead

carcasses and the number of bait taken in order to effectively estimate the

rodent population. The training of these gangs is ongoing.

e. The Corporation indicated that complaints regarding scavenging services

are not very common. Feedback and reports from Burgesses act as a check

and balance which works in tandem with monitoring by the Public Health

Offices. However, there are certain areas in San Juan/Laventille, that

contractors may be unwilling to service due to the high level of crime and

social unrest. Additionally, persons are threatened when labour is not

recruited from within a specific area of the Corporation.


78

f. The Committee was informed that the Corporation is working on this

problem and assistance has been received from the police and social

workers of Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).

xiv. Employment

The SJLRC at this time cannot provide opportunities for employment to its

burgesses. However, prospective employees are scrutinized whereby résumés

are examined and then candidates are recommended to the Chief Executive

Officer for approval.

xv. Website

The Corporation is presently developing a website. The website is expected to

be completed within two (2) months. It was further detailed that the website

will facilitate the submission of complaints in electronic form.

2.5 The Chairman thanked the representatives of the SJLRC for attending.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

2.6 During the discussions, the SJLRC was asked to provide written responses to the

following issues/concerns:

a. with respect to the Croisee Renaissance Project:

a. details of the concept of the project;

b. design details (layout, scope, distribution across the Corporation) of the

required infrastructure;

c. the geographical area in terms of square metres;

d. the means by which this project is anticipated to attract investors/businesses;

e. the amount budgeted and the major items that comprise the estimated budgeted

figure;

f. the number of persons expected to be employed;

g. the estimated monthly maintenance cost;

b. the area occupied by the San Juan Market;

c. plan projects and initiatives targeted for implementation by 2015; and

d. proposals for legislative and regulatory changes which may enhance the

effectiveness of the Corporation.


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SUSPENSION

3.1 The Meeting was suspended at 10:59 a.m.

[Officials of the SJLRC exited the J. Hamilton Maurice Room]

RESUMPTION

4.1 The Chairman reconvened the meeting at 11:05 a.m. (at the same venue)

DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFICIALS OF THE TUNAPUNA/PIARCO REGIONAL

CORPORATION

5.1 The Chairman welcomed officials from the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation

(TPRC) and outlined the main areas of focus of the inquiry.

5.2 The Chairman later advised that the Corporation’s administrative report submitted

to the Committee for the period 2011/2012 had only recently been submitted to His

Excellency, the President and was not laid in the Parliament. He, therefore advised that

members of the committee would not be referring to this report during the meeting.

5.3 Detailed below are the issues raised and the responses which were proffered during

the hearing with representatives of the TPRC:

i. Opening Statements by the Chairman of the Council

a. The Chairman expressed gratitude for being provided the opportunity to

account for the stewardship of TPRC. He advised that the current Council

was sworn in on November 5, 2013 and is comprised of fifteen (15)

councilors and four (4) aldermen.

b. A review of performance has indicated improvements in the quality of

drainage and infrastructure in the Corporation. TPRC has worked well with

other agencies such as Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission

(T&TEC), the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), the MoLG and

Members of Parliament in the area.

c. The Corporation has excelled in the area of disaster management under the

present coordinator and has a self-contained mobile disaster unit to respond

to emergencies.

d. TPRC has examined issues such as employment and has pursued

collaborations with Metal Industries Company Limited (MIC) and the


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Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and Commerce to develop sustainable

employment.

e. The Corporation has considered new techniques of garbage disposal

through recycling, flood mitigation, greater use of technology for records

management and ways to improve the security of burgesses through the use

of CCTV cameras.

f. Challenges emanate from issues such as unauthorized buildings, vending,

abandoned lots and an understaffed municipal police unit.

ii. Geographical Coverage

The area of the Corporation is approximately 527 square kilometers and as at

the year 2000, had a population of 200, 000 burgesses. It is bounded by the

Blanchisseuse coastline in the north, the Uriah Butler Highway in the west and

by Munroe Road, Bejucal in the south.

iii. Disaster Management Unit

a. The Disaster Management Unit commenced operations in 2013 and later

appointed a Disaster Coordinator. This Unit developed a three-year plan.

This plan included the establishment of a new building which has been

completed. It also included the Emergency Operating Centre Mobile Unit

which is presently being outfitted. Thirdly, it included the acquisition of an

ambulance for which the paperwork is currently being prepared.

b. There is an ongoing Disaster Mitigation Project which includes; awareness

campaigns in schools, a three-day drill called “Project Dark Wave” which

entailed the simulation of a vehicular accident as a result of an oil spill. The

project also includes training communities in Community Emergency

Response Training (CERT). TPRC employees are being used by the Point

Fortin Borough Corporation, SJLRC and other corporations to assist with

CERT.

c. The Unit has been conducting sandbag distributions, conducting damage

and needs assessments. Another project in the area of Vulnerability

Capacity Assessment (VCA), identifies vulnerable areas of the community

and capacities of these vulnerable areas.

iv. Building Permits

a. The Corporation indicated that it was happy with the present control and

oversight of building permits. However, the Corporation has been

challenged by the enforcement of unauthorized buildings on the

mountainside. The Committee was advised that the Corporation was bound


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by approvals from Town and Country Planning Division acquired by private

citizens for hillside developments.

b. TPRC has been working with successful applicants to ensure that there is

conformity to all requirements. All proposed hillside developments are also

forwarded for the review of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure. The

Corporation has engaged the services of an Engineering and Surveying

Officer who also reviews these applications. At present each Corporation

only has one (1) Building Inspector.

c. Officials admitted the major difficulty is that there are members of the

public who do not obey the law and undertake developments on the hillside

without authorization.

d. Once an unauthorized development has been identified a “notice to cease

work” is issued. In cases where the offender ignores this notice, the

Building Inspector would submit a report to the CEO (based on the Public

Health Ordinance and the Municipal Corporation Act) who would then

present a report to the Council (when seeking demolition or removal). The

Council (during its weekly meeting) would decide by way of resolution,

whether to seek an injunction from the Court to cease work.

e. In addition, the Land Settlement Agency (LSA) also sends complaints of

illegal structures to the TPRC. The Corporation indicated that it was in

possession of approximately five hundred (500) complaints from LSA. In

cases where these properties are locked and the Corporation cannot gain

entry, the Corporation pursues the matter in the Court. An external attorney

will be hired to assist with processing these matters in the Courts. The

Corporation also lacks an Enforcement Unit to conduct Court Orders and

therefore the Corporation hires agencies to conduct demolitions.

v. Vacant Lots and Flood Mitigation Team

a. Officials confirmed that a Vacant Lot and Flood Mitigation Team was

operational at the Corporation up to December 2013, but was presently

inactive due to a shortage of funds. The Corporation is in the process of

applying for a virement to continue this programme two (2) weeks from the

date of the meeting.

b. Approximately two hundred (200) workers were employed on a short-term

basis for a specific period to clean-up empty lots. The Health Services

Section is presently performing this role; however, the demand for this

service has lessened during the dry season.


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vi. Public Education

a. The Corporation plans to meet and enlighten burgesses (through its

councilors) on the long term impact of burning and flooding on the hillside.

b. The Committee was informed that on April 2, 2014, the Corporation will be

holding discussions with the Institute of Marine Affairs regarding the issue

of coastal erosion in Blanchisseuse. There are also plans to have ongoing

educational forums with the councilors as well as the hosting of statutory

meetings outside the Corporation. The last Council held town meetings in

Maloney, La Horquetta and Blanchisseuse.

vii. Shelters

The Corporation has thirty-eight (38) designated shelters for different relief

purposes. Some shelters are actually located in flood prone areas and are

therefore designated for fire victims.

viii. Staff Complement

a. The Corporation is presently understaffed. In terms of its chief officers,

there is only one (1) corporate secretary, one (1) engineer and one (1) survey

officer. The position of Financial Officer is expected to be filed in May of

this year.

b. TPRC has written to the MoLG requesting monthly-paid officers. In the

absence of these monthly-paid officers, these duties have been performed

by daily-paid employees especially in the accounting unit. The municipal

police only have four (4) out of the required fourteen (14) officer

complement.

c. There are presently sixty-four (64) monthly-paid staff and thirty (30)

contract officers from the MoLG. There are also sixteen (16) short-term

contracted employees and one thousand, three hundred and twenty-two

(1,322) daily-paid employees.

d. The Committee was informed that daily-paid workers are not granted

additional compensation for performing the duties of month-paid officers.

ix. Budgetary Allocation

The Corporation’s budgetary allocations for 2011/2012 for recurrent and the

development programme were $154,389,000 and $15,400,000 respectively.

For fiscal 2013/2014, the Corporation’s allocation did not increase under the

development programme whereas $156,215,400 was received for recurrent

expenditure.


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x. Employment Opportunities

a. In addional to working with the Tunapuna Chamber of Industry and

Commerce, the Corporation has relationships with MIC Institute of

Technology (formerly Metal Industries Company Limited) to channel

young persons through the Multi-Sector Skills Training Programme

(MuST) and Helping Youth Prepare for Employment (HYPE) programmes.

The Corporation is also seeking to attach apprentices to businesses within

the Tunpuna Chamber of Commerce.

b. The Committee was informed that most persons approach the Corporation

for primarily short-term employment.

xi. Sanitation

a. A scavenging service is offered to the burgesses and related issues and

complaints are raised in its meetings with contractors. In the last month,

there have been vehicle inspections due to complaints of liquid seepages.

Since the inspection, there have been fewer complaints. There have also

been complaints of contractors charging money for its services.

b. Litter wardens go house-to-house to inform members of the public of the

days and times the area would be serviced. In addition, when compactors

do not provide a full service to certain areas, the Corporation is informed

through a monitoring system conducted by checkers. Where work was not

completed, contractors receive percentage-payment. They are informed

within twenty-four (24) hours of areas not serviced and compensated

commensurately.

c. The Committee was informed that one hundred percent of the Corporation’s

scavenging services were outsourced. Based on the level of complaints

received, the Corporation estimates that there is an eight-five (85) percent

satisfaction level amongst burgesses.

d. The Corporation confirmed that the “Clean and Beautify Curepe”

programme was still active. This programme was implemented in the town

of Curepe because it is a thoroughfare and a transportation hub. The

Committee was given the assurance that surveys would be conducted to see

if there is a need to expand this programme.

e. The Committee was informed that although there were allegations that

supervisors and checkers were given bribes to give good appraisals to

sanitation contractors, the Corporation’s investigations have proven that

these allegations were false.


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xii. Public Health

a. The Committee was informed that the inspection of restaurants and public

building are conducted by the County Medical Officer of Health (CMOH)

and not the Corporation.

b. The Corporation liaises and communicates with the CMOH on any issues

that arises in its Health Committee meetings. At present the Corporation

does not have any Public Health Inspectors, but has Public Health Officers

contracted by the MoLG.

c. When litter wardens go out to certain areas they are at risk and as such

Municipal Police Officers are required to accompany them. However,

because the Municipal Police Unit is understaffed, the Corporation is

challenged to provide security to the wardens as they perform their duties.

xiii. Municipal Police

a. The Committee was informed that Tunapuna is a hot spot particularly in

relation to areas such as Malabar, La Horquetta and Arouca. The TTPS has

provided assistance within these areas.

b. The TPRC has never had its sanctioned strength of fourteen (14) officers

and at present has only four (4) officers inclusive of one (1) Inspector, one

(1) Sergeant and two (2) Corporals. However, a recruitment exercise is

currently taking place.

c. There is no driver for this Unit, therefore, when the Building Inspector or

Litter Wardens are required to service hot spots to serve a notice,

arrangements are made for transportation to be provided by a driver

assigned to the Corporation.

d. The Corporation submitted that ideal strength for the Unit was forty-eight

(48) to cater for the large catchment area the Corporation is required to

service. The Corporation clarified that it monitors vending in the area of

the BWIA Boulevard and not the actual airport.

xiv. Projects under the Development Programme- 2013/2014

Estimate Head Actual

allocation

Funds Released

to date

1. Local roads and Bridges $10.6 Million $5 Million

2. Drainage and Irrigation $8 million $5 Million

3. Recreational Facilities $2.3 million $1 million

4. Market and Abattoirs $300, 000 Nil

5. Local Government Buildings $500 000 Nil


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6. Cemeteries and Cremation Sites $500 000 $500 000

7. Procurement of major vehicles $2.5 million Nil

8. Disaster Preparedness $2.5 million Nil

xv. Relationship with other ministries and state agencies

a. TPRC has experienced challenges arising out of lack of communication

between itself and certain agencies with respect to initiatives such as the

Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency (PURE) (Under the Ministry

of Works and Infrastructure) who may conduct restoration works on the

same roads as the Corporation. Although, these agencies are invited to its

RCC meetings, they do not attend these meetings. In instances where

agency representatives do not attend RCC meetings, these agencies are

written to and reminded of their obligation to attend as per the Municipal

Corporations Act.

b. In an attempt to improve this situation, the Corporation intends to explore

other strategies to enhance its communication and relationship with other

state agencies.

xvi. Capacity to complete projects in the current fiscal year

The CEO submitted that given his track record of completing projects within

time and budget, he was confident that the Corporation will complete the

projects scheduled for this fiscal year.

xvii. Total Releases

Officials indicated that approximately fifty percent of its releases have been

requested to date.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

6.1 During the discussions, the TPRC was asked to provide written responses in respect

of the following:

i. the period of the last audited financial statements of the Corporation;

ii. suggestions to expedite enforcement of cease and desist orders in relation to the

erection of illegal structures; and

iii. the Corporation’s plans and programmes to address matters such as the lack of an

Internal Audit function, poor communication systems, and the lack of proper

documentation of policies and procedures.


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SUSPENSION

7.1 The Meeting was suspended at 12:18 p.m.

[Officials of the TPRC exited the J. Hamilton Maurice Room]

RESUMPTION

8.1 The Chairman reconvened the meeting at 12:25 a.m. (at the same venue)

CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

29th Meeting held on March 07th, 2014

9.1 The Committee considered the Minutes of the 29th Meeting held on March 07,

2014. The Chairman enquired whether there were any amendments and/or omissions.

9.2 There being no amendments, the Chairman requested that the Minutes be

confirmed.

9.3 Mr. Maharaj confirmed and Mrs. Thomas seconded.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

10.1 The Chairman updated members on the following matters:

As per item 4.3, discussions were held with Ms. Coudray after the 29th Meeting

and it was agreed that Ms. Coudray would only submit comments as Minister of

Local Government rather than as a Member of the Committee

As per item 7.4, by letter dated March 12, 2014, the Secretary wrote to the Director

of Personnel Administration regarding the delay in the submission of outstanding

responses to five Reports of the Committee. The DPA was asked to submit the

responses by April 7, 2014.

By letter dated March 12, 2014, the Secretary also wrote to the Executive Officer

of the SASC regarding outstanding responses to two reports of the Committee. The

SASC was asked to submit its responses by March 24, 2014. The SASC, via

letters dated March 25 and 26, 2014, submitted the outstanding responses.


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CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT THIRTEENTH REPORT ON A REVIEW OF

THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAN FERNANDO CITY CORPORATION

11.1 The Chairman indicated that this item of business would be deferred until the next

meeting scheduled for April 25, 2014.

CONSIDERATION OF WORK PROGRAMME FOR FOURTH SESSION

(2013/2014)

12.1 The Committee discussed its existing rotation of meetings with Service

Commissions and Municipal Corporations.

12.2 After lengthy discussion, the Committee agreed to continue its meetings with

Municipal Corporations as agreed to on March 07, 2014.

OTHER BUSINESS

13.1 Members expressed concern that the work of the Committee may have been

delayed by either the late arrival or sometimes the lack of attendance by members from

both sides.

13.2 The Secretary was directed to research whether the Committee has powers of self-

regulation to change its quorum. In addition, “Change in quorum” would be placed on the

agenda of its next meeting and all members would be requested to be present.

ADJOURNMENT

14.1 There being no other business, the Chairman adjourned the meeting to Friday April

25, 2014.

14.2 The adjournment was taken at 12:33 p.m.

I certify that the Minutes are true and correct.

Chairman

Secretary

April 16, 2014


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89

Appendix 3

Verbatim Notes of

the Public hearing

held on

March 28, 2014


90

VERBATIM NOTES OF THIRTIETH MEETING OF THE JOINT SELECT

COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO ENQUIRE INTO AND REPORT TO

PARLIAMENT ON MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS AND SERVICE

COMMISSIONS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE JUDICIAL AND LEGAL

SERVICE COMMISSION HELD IN THE ARNOLD THOMASOS ROOM (EAST),

LEVEL 6, (IN CAMERA) AND J HAMILTON MAURICE ROOM (MEZZANINE

FLOOR) (IN PUBLIC), OFFICE OF THE PARLIAMENT, TOWER D, THE PORT

OF SPAIN INTERNATIONAL WATERFRONT CENTER, #1A WRIGHTSON ROAD,

PORT OF SPAIN, ON FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2014 AT 9.16 A.M.

PRESENT

Mr. Subhas Ramkhelawan Chairman

Mr. Anthony Vieira Vice-Chairman

Mr. Chandresh Sharma Member

Mr. Devant Maharaj Member

Ms. Marlene Coudray Member

Mrs. Vernella Alleyne-Toppin Member

Miss Shamfa Cudjoe Member

Mrs. Joanne Thomas Member

Ms. Candice Skerrette Assistant Secretary

Miss Kimberly Mitchell Graduate Research Assistant

ABSENT

Mr. Rodger Samuel Member [Excused]


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Mr. Prakash Ramadhar Member [Excused]

Mr. James Lambert Member [Excused]

Ms. Marlene Mc Donald Member [Excused]

9.15 a.m.

Mr. Chairman: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I call this meeting to order and madam

secretary, can you confirm that proper notice has been given?

Miss Skerrette: Proper notice has been given and we are quorate.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, wonderful. Today we are going to cover two municipal corporations:

the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation and the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional

Corporation. First we will be covering the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation. We

have assigned a time in order to complete our deliberations. We have assigned a time from

9.30 until about 10.55 for the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation. Thereafter, we will

break for about five minutes in order to get the rotation going and then we will meet with

Tunapuna/Piarco.

After that, I think, we will have to make some time to go through the minutes. I

believe some of the things in the minutes, there was the matter of the San Fernando Regional

Corporation and the cover of the San Fernando Regional Corporation and developments

which had taken place, in that the approach that has been considered is that the Minister,

Minister Coudray, will submit and provide responses in respect of the San Fernando report,

as Minister rather than submitting any comment’s as member and then as Minister, because

of the obvious possible conflict that could take place in operating in both roles.

So, that will be our process today. I do not know if members want to raise anything

at this point in time before we go to the confirmation of the minutes.

We have received excuses from Mr. Samuel who is out of the country, Mr. Lambert,

who is unavailable to attend and Miss Mc Donald who, again, is unavailable to attend, as well

as Mr. Ramadhar. Mr. Ramadhar is out of the country? Unable to attend.

Mr. Maharaj: Chair, can we do a summary of attendance here? Because you would find

like one or two members—it makes no sense they being listed as members of the committee.

Miss Mc Donald, I have never seen her and Mr. Ramadhar is just in a near second.

Mr. Chairman: We do keep a record of attendance and we do report the attendances.


92

Mr. Maharaj: No, but having their name on the list of members and them not attending, I

think, robs the committee of a potential—

Mr. Chairman: The value.

Mr. Maharaj: We could get somebody else from both sides.

Mr. Chairman: Well I think we—

Mr. Maharaj: “What yuh say, Joanne, if Marlene cyah come or Prakash cannot come let

then send somebody else. Put somebody else.”

Mr. Chairman: We will want to raise it with the relevant persons and see how we can go

forward from there. But I think it would not make too much sense for us to enter into the

deliberations, in terms of minutes and so on, at this time, so I propose that we suspend and

we reconvene as a committee in order to engage in public hearing with the San

Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation and we will take the minutes and so on, thereafter and

the other substantive items on the agenda.

So I declare the meeting suspended.

9.20 a.m.: Meeting suspended.

9.30 a.m.: Meeting resumed.

OFFICIALS OF THE

SAN JUAN/LAVENTILLE REGIONAL CORPORATION

Mr. Kenwyn Pantin Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Anthony Roberts Chairman of Council

Mr. Akiel Audain Chairman Finance Planning and Allocation of

Resources Committee

Mr. Derrick Dhanoosingh Financial Officer

Dr Raphael How Chung Principal Medical and Health Officer

Mr. Reiaz Ali Personnel and Industrial Relations Officer

Mr. Fyzool Ali Road Officer III

Mr. Wendell Guzman Municipal Police Inspector

Ms. Gail Bacchus-Parris Disaster Manager Co-ordinator

Mr. Brian Baig Corporate Secretary


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Mr. Chairman: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this the 30th meeting

of the Joint Select Committee Appointed to Enquire into and Report to Parliament on

Municipal Corporations and Service Commissions.

Today, we are pleased to have with us the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation.

Welcome gentleman. I notice that there are no ladies among you today. Welcome to you.

Our deliberations will focus on information and reports that you would have presented and

forwarded to us, up to and inclusive of March 26. What I would caution, however, I am

advised some of these reports, the 2009/2010; the 2010/2011, 2011/2012; and 2012/2013

reports of the corporation have only recently been submitted to His Excellency the President,

in accordance with section 66(d) of the Constitution and as such, they have not been laid in

the Parliament. Therefore, members of the committee ought not to refer to these reports

during this meeting, as they have not been, in a sense, properly cleared in the parliamentary

process. However, these reports maybe utilized at a subsequent meeting.

Without further ado then, I would ask Chairman Roberts, first of all to introduce your

team and then make some opening remarks, in respect of the corporation.

Mr. Roberts: Thank you very much Chairman.

[Introductions made]

At this time this is our team. I want to, on behalf of the team, express our sincere

gratitude for inviting us to these discussions, because we consider these deliberations to be

extremely important. Scrutiny, as far as we are concerned, is an important aspect

of governance and we are here today to bring as much information as possible before

you, so that you could understand what has been taking place in San Juan/Laventille.

Notwithstanding, the members of council who are pretty new, it gives us an opportunity to

take a glance back, to see what transpired while we were in there and I am certain it would

assist us as we forge forward, in terms of putting plans for the corporation and the people of

San Juan/Laventille. Thank you, chairman.

Mr. Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Roberts. As I would have mentioned, off camera, our

deliberations today with your corporation will run until 11.00 a.m. So we would want to get

in as much as possible, in terms of questions and information about the corporation’s work

and projects and plans, as we go along.

Before I do, let me ask members to quickly introduce and then we will take it forward


94

from there.


Mr. Chairman: Of course, I chairman of these deliberations. May I ask, before we go into

our full deliberations, what is your last audited report that has been approved or receipted by

the Auditor General?

Mr. Dhanoosingh: Chairman, the last audited report is for 2005.

Mr. Chairman: 2005.

Mr. Dhanoosingh: Yes.

Mr. Chairman: And what are the reasons for this very lengthy delay in having your other

financial reports, that are audited?

Mr. Dhanoosingh: Chairman, we have submitted to the Auditor General our reports up to

30th September, 2013. So it is entirely in their hands at their scheduling to come across to us

and continue the audit.

Mr. Chairman: These are things will have to enquire as a committee what is the reason for

the delay from that other source. So I open the floor now to members for any questions that

you may have. Anyone?

Mr. Vieira: Mr. Chairman, through you, I have a number of questions and I would

like to get some clarifications. I am looking at the corporate plan 2009/2012. At page 141 it

says:

Most sectors of the corporation are starved for supplies and equipment and unable to

perform at maximum.

I wonder if you could elaborate on that for me, please?

Mr. Pantin: Can you repeat the page number for us, please?

Mr. Vieira: Page 141. It is the last sentence on that page. The corporate plan 2009/ 2012,

and I will be asking a number of questions, with respect to this plan.

Mr. Pantin: The copy that we have before us though carries 119 pages. I am wondering

whether—

Mr. Maharaj: Chair, if I could add to the confusion, I have two copies of corporate plan

2009 to 2012. One is dated June 2009 and one is dated November 2008. So I do not know

if you could advise which is the correct one.

Mr. Vieira: I am looking at June.


95

Mr. Maharaj: And then how they have two corporate plans.

Mr. Vieira: I am looking at the corporate plan saying June 2009, for 2009/2012.

Mr. Chairman: Let us, while we try to sort that other one out, just focus on what your

question is. Could you ask the question again: What is the issue at hand?

9.40 a.m.

Mr. Vieira: Reading though the plan, there are lots of lofty goals, there are lots of high

sounding objectives and goals, but I also see throughout, a mantra to the effect, that you know,

the corporation is starved for supplies, the corporation is starved for equipment, it is unable

to perform at maximum. I was trying to find out a bit more about that position. Why are you

saying this?

Mr. Pantin: We have over the reporting period, made requests through our draft estimates

for funding, which we believed would have taken the corporation to the place that we wanted

it to be. However, we received less than 40 per cent of that requested funding, and that is

what would have encouraged that statement, that we

have been “starved for funds” throughout the period

Mr. Maharaj: Related point, Chair. Is this funding overall, or that is the developmental

programme?

Mr. Pantin: Overall, both development and recurrent.

Mr. Maharaj: But when I look at your 2010—2013 developmental programme allocations,

you would have gotten significantly more after 2010, compared to the period before 2010.

For example, 2011/2012, you got $18.829 million compared to 2009/2010 fiscal, where you

got $8.7 million. So your allocations under the developmental programme in the years that

followed 2010, showed a substantial increase of allocation made. So it does not match with

what you are saying, that you got a reduction at least in the developmental allocation. I do

not have before me the figures for the overall. Do you want to explain?

Mr. Pantin: Yes. There is the draft estimates that we would have taken to the Ministry of

Finance and the Economy. Where in some cases we would have been asking for in the region

of $186 million, and only getting, let us say, $18 million out of that, one can understand what

we meant when we said that we were “starved for funds”.

Mr. Maharaj: I want to take issue with the terminology “starved for funds”. Is it that it is

the expectation and legitimate expectation of the corporation, that what you asked for you


96

will get 100 per cent of it, or 90 per cent of it? If so, as in the past you have ever gotten the

allocation that you have requested of central government?

Mr. Pantin: No.

Mr. Maharaj: So there is no difference between what obtains now, and what were the

historical realities of the allocation being sent?

Mr. Pantin: No, but the history does not leave us without what in a different place from

what we have said. What we said is that we are “starved for funds” based on our request.

Whether we got more than what we got in 2009, is not different in terms of being “starved

for funds”. Because if we asked for $10—and I am just using that—if

we have asked for $10.00, and we only got $2.00 in 2009, and in 2013, we would have asked

for $10.00 and we got $4.00, it does not mean that we are still not “starved for funds”. What

it means is that we got more than 2009, but we are still starved.

Mr. Chairman: Let us turn a bit to where you are now, and what you plan to do in the future.

What have you received for the current year, against what you would have put in your draft

estimates? And what is your intent in terms of what are the development projects that you

have planned going forward, that you wish to realize for the corporation and for your

burgesses?

Mr. Pantin: In 2014/2015, we have proposed thus far a $53 million budget. In this budget

we—

Ms. Coudray: 2014, yes—

Mr. Chairman: 2014/2015? I am speaking of September 2014. I am talking about this

current year.

Ms. Coudray: 2013/2014.

Mr. Maharaj: Chair, it seems the corporation is not prepared to answer or at least—

Mr. Chairman: Let us give them half a minute to tell us what the numbers are.

Mr. Maharaj: I am disappointed.

Mr. Pantin: Mr. Chairman, the 2014 budget is $18 million, that—

Mr. Chairman: What did you ask for?

Mr. Pantin: In 2014 we would have asked for $223 million thereabouts, and I do not have

exact figure. We would have asked for about $123 million to take us where we thought we

should be, or where we think we should be at the end of 2014.


97

Mr. Chairman: Okay, and that is my take off point. What is it you had intended or planned

for this $123 million, as opposed to the $18 million that you got?

Mr. Pantin: We had projects, one called the Croisee Renaissance Project that we sought to

introduce to the various sectors, including our Minister of Planning and Sustainable

Development. That is a project that we believe would have taken the San Juan region—if I

might use the term “on the map”, so to speak—where we would have

increased our tourism both internal and external. That would have been the major project and

around it, all the other projects would have emanated.

Mr. Chairman: What did this project comprise? Was it some sort of complex or, what was

it?

Mr. Pantin: It began with the San Juan market project and that would have extended to the

Aranguez savannah, to the south. It would have extended north into the Maracas/Las Cuevas

area, and well, to the south-east, would have been the Aranguez savannah, and using the river,

the San Juan river, as part of that project as well.

Mr. Maharaj: You said it began with the San Juan market, through you, Chair, has that

market project been completed?

Mr. Pantin: We are nigh completion. We should be completed sometime within the next

two months or so.

Mr. Maharaj: Next two months? What is the total cost? Because I see under the 2010/2011

development, you have $9.6 million as compared to the 2009/2010, where you only got

$632,000 and in 2011/2012, $340,000 and 2012/2013, $761,000. So you would have spent

over $11 million to $12 million on that market already, and it is not completed?

Mr. Pantin: No. The total budget was $53 million.

Mr. Maharaj: $53 million? What are you all selling in that market so?

Mr. Pantin: Not what is being sold; what we are preparing for. As I said, it is part of the

entire renaissance project. So the—what we want to attract—

Mr. Maharaj: Now I have some concerns that you are spending $53 million, the San

Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation on one single market, and I am not seeing that

compared to the other competing needs of the corporation, which you have identified and

numerated in all these texts, as something to be justified. Could you explain a bit about this

Taj Mahal of the markets before us?


98

Mr. Pantin: It is part of the renaissance of the San Juan/Laventille region. This project is

expected to bring to the San Juan region our—what has been our—I do not

want to use the word “mantra”, but the vision to attract people, business, into the San Juan

region, and thus increase our economy and provide better things for the people of the region.

Mr. Maharaj: Chair, I hear what you are saying, and in my respectful view CEO, it is not

much. I am hearing buzz words of renaissance and attracting business. What does this

$53 million structure or concept of the market, what does it represent? Help me to visualize

this renaissance which to me means nothing, how does it intend to attract business? What is

the structure? How is it set up to be this great revival, focal point of the San Juan corporation?

What does the $53 million—what is it being spent on?

Mr. Pantin: It is a market complex. It houses what we—the conventional market goods,

there is the proposal for food courts, booths for other types of business, you have the meat, et

cetera, and a place where—how should I put it—where people would want to come to. So

there is the pedestrianization of the area as well, a place where people can come to find some

form of relaxation and other activities, that will create a buzz.

Mr. Maharaj: I want to get in some specifics, because these generalities, I am not

comfortable with them. So you are saying it is a market with a food court, with other activities

and relaxation. What are the other activities and relaxation that people would come to a

market to do?

Mr. Pantin: Including a sort of mall-type environment, where you would have these booths

that you can come and sell clothes, you would have maybe a barber. In fact, every type of

business, you can come to the market as a one-stop-shop and get all these things at that

locality.

9.55 a.m.

Mrs. Thomas: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. CEO, I am just looking at the numbers that

you call; $53 million. This allocation that we are seeing here, the $9.6, the 340, the 761, is it

then that this really just relates to the market alone and not necessarily

the complex? I know in 2010 I would have been with the Minister and we would have gone

on tour, and I know that whole complex that you talk about, that was the plan, but is it then—

because the Minister is trying to get a breakdown of what this $53 million would have entailed


99

as compared to the small allocations that you would have been given, and you are saying that

you are just a couple months away. So is it then that just the market portion is what is being

noted here and that whole complex really has not been addressed as yet?

When you compare the figures, it looks as $53 million and you only got $12 million,

and then you say you are almost finished. I do not know if may be it is a misunderstanding

because he is trying to focus on $53 million; what it is you have so for $53 million. So maybe

if you could just bring it down to what is the market, and maybe these figures may just be for

the market and not the entire complex that you referred to.

Mr. Pantin: The market complex—and you are correct—as we envisaged it is inclusive not

only of the three two-storey structures that we have put down, but it also includes the abattoir,

and that area where the market square is—all the works pertaining to that would include the

$53 million, and it is in that context that I would have said that the market—because my

vision of it is that whole area—complex is the $53 million project.

The market, if we are thinking in terms of the market itself, we would look at those

three two-storey structures that have been put down and some of the pedestrianization walks

that we have put in there that $12 million or so, we are bringing to completion within the next

two months.

Mr. Vieira: I would like to come back to the remark that was made that the corporation is

unable to perform at maximum, and I am going to refer to certain elements that you have

identified in your SWOT analysis and to ask you to elaborate on it for me. One of the

elements say, under “organization”:

Due to changes in policy directives from central government, the organization

is sometimes confused about its roles and responsibilities as other Ministries and

agencies perform the same functions.

Could you explain?

Mr. Pantin: We would have had, let us say, in our development programmes things like to

rehabilitate particular roadways, and we would have included that in our draft estimates and

sometimes receive the funding for it only to discover that through another agency, the works

may have been completed before we started.

Other areas would be like in our recurrent expenditure, for example, our responsibility

for the maintenance of roads and traces, we may find that people like URP, CEPEP and some


100

of these other agencies would have gone in and done some of the works.

Mr. Vieira: Is there a solution? Do you have a remedy as to how this can be alleviated or

improved?

Mr. Pantin: We have been working on the remedy through our coordinating meeting trying

to invite these agencies to the coordinating meeting to get a sense of which direction they are

going, and the places that they have to maintain or plan to maintain and giving them a sense

of what we are doing as well to try to alleviate that problem.

Mr. Maharaj: Mr. Chairman, on that same issue of changes in policy direction from central

government leading to the confusion of the corporation as regards to its role that does not

appear to be congruous to the point below under “strengths” which speaks to the operations—

Sen. Vieira, if you could look to that—it says that the fact that all the MPs who represent the

constituencies fall under the jurisdiction of the corporation belong to the same political party

creates an opportunity for a closer working relationship, which conflicts directly with the

confusion that you have.

If you are saying in one breath that: “All ah we is one family”—the corporation is

PNM; the two MPs close by is PNM and so on”, how could you then write that there is a

change in policy directive by the same party that all of us belong to, and confusing the

corporation in the process. Is it that, at this point in time, there was no kind of

communications by your own admission and the state agencies, under the remit of

these various Ministers and so on, were doing what they want oblivious to the needs of the

corporation?

Mr. Pantin: I do not think that is what is meant in that statement.

Mr. Maharaj: But how can you explain the difference?

Mr. Pantin: Let me say, I joined the corporation in 2012. I would have inherited some of

these statements, but I can only go on certain assumptions and little bits and pieces of

information that would have been made available to me in that in pre-2010, we would have

had a particular party in Government, post-2010—[Interruption]

Mr. Maharaj: No, no, I do not want you to go down that road at all, Mr. CEO. This report

is dated 2009, so I do not want to hear nothing about change in party about 2010. This speaks

to 2009. How could you then extrapolate to 2010?

Mr. Pantin: Even then, Mr. Chairman, the 2009 would not have seen all the representatives


101

impacting on the San Juan region being of the same party. As I understood it, there were

other members who were not of the ruling party at that particular point in time.

Mr. Maharaj: So the statement in our report here that all MPs represent the constituencies

that fall under belong to the same political party is incorrect.

Mr. Pantin: It may well be.

Mr. Maharaj: So what else is incorrect in this document here?

Mr. Chairman: Let us try to bring things back into the present, which is 2013/2014, if I

may. I realize that other members have some question. In 2013/2014 you got $18 million,

several words seem to be recurring here today, one is confusion/confused, and the other is

coordination or the lack thereof. What are you doing now? You spoke about roads being

paved even though you had plans to pave those roads—those roads are being paved within

the area, and you find out about it at some later time. What are you doing to improve the

level of coordination even with the $18 million which you would have gotten for 2013/2014?

Answer that and then we will turn it over to

some other questions.

Mr. Pantin: As I said before, we are using the Coordinating Committee meeting, inviting

these other agencies to these meetings and trying to get from them their programme of works

so that it does not conflict with ours. That is the main means by which we are trying to bring

some resolve to that situation. However, we still find that there are some agencies that might

come in, still unknowing to us doing works that not necessarily would have been planned at

the particular time, but works that we had projected to be done.

Mr. Chairman: Before I turn it over to Ms. Cudjoe, I have a question for the benefit of the

general public. What is the area that you cover and what is the population of the region?

Mr. Pantin: The area is about 220 square kilometres and the population is approximately

157,000 or thereabouts.

Mr. Chairman: Covering what area, bounded by what boundaries?

Mr. Pantin: On the south we are bounded by the Warner Village, Uriah Butler Highway; on

the north we are bounded by Sea Lots and a line that runs almost north up into Maracas, Las

Cuevas, La Fillette—that would be the west sorry; on the north by Las Cuevas, La Fillette;

on the east by the boundaries of the Tunapuna Regional Corporation which is the Uriah Butler

Highway and up to Hutton Street on the main road.


102

Mr. Chairman: Ms. Cudjoe, you had a question.

Ms. Cudjoe: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask a question in relation to the market

before we run off on the market topic to something else. My question is, in last year July the

Siparia Market was completed at $56 million, but this thing boast of 170 stalls, a sort of one-

stop shop operation like what you are talking about, and I wanted to know in comparison to

what currently exists in Siparia because you are coming in roughly in the same bracket, $53

million while in Siparia it is $56 million, but Siparia boasts of 170 stalls. How many stalls

do you have now? How many more

does this new market intent to provide?

Also I see in the Siparia Market there is like hairdressing, administrative offices,

conference room, caterers’ room and so on. What are we getting in comparison or in relation

to Siparia for the $53 million? How many people you intend to employ and what would be

your maintenance cost? For instance, Siparia’s maintenance cost is around $30,000 per

month.

Mr. Pantin: We would have in the various categories of stalls at the market which totals

around about 156 stalls. In addition, outside of those stalls that deals with dry goods and the

normal market produce, there is the fish and meat section of the market and in that area we

have about 30 stalls. Then there are the booths, 51 booths. What was the other part of the

question?

Ms. Cudjoe: So it is 150 stalls, 30 fresh produce areas and 50 booths.

Mr. Pantin: No, 51 booths in terms of the fresh produce, you are looking somewhere in the

region of—[Interruption]

Ms. Cudjoe: Rather than that, what is the area in square metres that we are working with

here?

Mr. Pantin: I will have to get that information.

Ms. Cudjoe: You will get that information for the committee. Okay, thank you.

Mr. Chairman: What are you trying to get at Ms. Cudjoe?

Ms. Cudjoe: I am not very familiar with the area, so I am trying to see what are we working

with if $53 million in comparison to the $56 million in Siparia, if we are getting 170 booths

and so on, you are spending $53 million but we are getting something less, I am trying to

figure it out because I am not familiar with the processes.


103

Mr. Chairman: Ms. Coudray might help in the contribution.

Ms. Coudray: Yes, and my apologizes, I was upstairs, but I want to say a very good morning

to the chairman and representatives of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation and Mr.

Chair to declare that I am the Minister of Local Government with responsibilities for all

municipalities. I was a bit alarmed hearing the presentation

from the CEO about, first of all, the budget. I think my colleague member dealt with it

adequately in terms of if you have been in local government or in the service, you will know

that you will never get the ideal and, therefore, when the budget is passed in Parliament then

you go and realign your expectations and treat with the budget you have with you.

10.10 a.m.

But, Chairman, the same question—and I pulled out my document on the Siparia

market, because my colleague here, Sen. Cudjoe, was asking, you know, some very pertinent

questions in terms of the area, because Siparia market—and may I correct you, that contract

was $49 million. The estimated cost was $56 million, but the contract came in at like

$49-point-something million. Right. So I was trying to compare within that context what,

you know, we have 190 stalls in Siparia, at the Siparia market, in terms of what you are

achieving in that corporation.

The thing about it is the CEO was talking about the usurpation of responsibilities by

central government, and my question then is how long have you been a CEO? Because this

is something that local government, indeed, not other Ministries, but local government has

lived with and it has been on the table, and I think Member Joanne Thomas will tell you, as

a former councillor, those were some of the issues that local government practitioners have

raised on the table. And as you rightly said, one of the mechanisms to deal with that issue is

through the regional coordinating committee, but you were saying you invited them, but if

you go back to the law you are required to ask the Minister to speak with the colleague who

is responsible and that is how you get the authority for the representation on the committee.

So if that was not done, you will have this real loose arrangement where people may decide

if they want to come because there was not that mandate.

So I just want to throw that on the table, but that is something that we have dealt with

over the years in terms of the URP, and what I would want to advise you to do is to develop

working relationship with the area managers to find out, because they all


104

have programmes that they work with. So that you have to either do it yourself or

have your technical people work with them, because it is for all the good of the community.

I want to tell you that when I was in another place in local government and we found another

agency paving the road we used to be quite happy, because you never get what you asked for

so all you did when that was happening was replace it with another project, and you had gains

right around.

So I do not see it as the kind of negative you are portraying to be, but you have to be

on your toes in terms of what is happening within our region and take appropriate action to

just replace that with another project. So, you know, you are painting a sad picture, and I

want to tell you it is really not like that if you really work the system as it ought to be, because

everything cannot be black and white and you really need to have your technical people and

you yourself as CEO, on your toes. I am sure the members of council would be also aware

because they are on the ground, and they see and they know, and they will quickly come to

you and say, “Well put in this other road for me”.

So I just want to clear that, but in terms of the market project, what I found—

Chairman, let me take the opportunity now to comment that you are not really talking about

the core functions of local government, nor are you addressing those issues in the documents

and even in your summary, because you were talking about the Croisee project, which is what

we call ancillary because this is a heritage-type project. But what I have to deal with, what

we all are concerned about, is the service delivery to your constituents out there, to your

burgesses, in terms of the core functions of local government, the roads, you know, and I,

Chairman, will tell you, he is new but I have been bombarding him, and all chairman and

mayors, in terms the people out there, the burgesses who you service have long outstanding

complaints, very dated complains, and I am asking for those to be addressed, those are the

core functions of the corporation: your public health issues, your stray dogs, your drains

where water is not flowing, and issues like that are key local government issues which we are

coming

here to hear about and to find out what this committee can recommend to make life

easier for citizens out there.

So I just want to point out to you that is a major project that you would perhaps want


105

to partner with people like the private sector agencies, those are big things that will benefit

the community because, Chairman, while the functions of local government in law are very

hardcore issues, there is something called the socio-economic benefits of the community that

we would want projects like these to deal with. But I want to encourage the corporation to

focus on your responsibility in law, your direct responsibility, which is to relieve the daily

suffering your people within your communities, and I am not seeing that focus here.

Mr. Chairman: Yes, Mr. Roberts, you want to respond?

Mr. Roberts: I want to indicate here that this current council is reviewing the strategic plan

of the former council, and I want to assure the Minister that the areas that she has identified

are the areas that we are focusing on at this time. The market, certainly that is part of our

responsibility, and it is a facility that we are ensuring that we complete and complete as

quickly as possible so as to upgrade the standard of living for the people in San

Juan/Laventille in terms of being able to sell their produce, and to be able to shop in a more

comfortable environment.

So we accept that as part of our responsibility, but in terms of the relationship with

the coordinating committee I want to assure you that we really have no problem with the

coordinating committee. We are functioning properly with the coordinating committee

because we know that they can add to what we are doing within the region. So that is not a

concern for us at this time.

Mr. Chairman: Mrs. Thomas, you had a question?

Mrs. Thomas: Thank you, Mr. Chair. To stay in that same mode of encouragement as given

by the Minister, I just wanted to make two comments and, firstly, I want to talk about your

Disaster Preparedness Unit. I see you all have done a lot of work. As a matter of fact, a

community outreach programme, I believe you all have begun which

I attended one of them. I think this is quite a good initiative on your part as the council, and

then I want to look at the human resource side, because you did mention in your summary

that—I think is the last report that we got about the shortfall in staff and so. I saw in the

report you did say that you lost two chief officers, an engineering and survey officer and a

corporate secretary, but I see you have gotten Mr. Brian Baig. You have gotten that position

filled at the corporate secretary.

I also take note of—you said that officers appointed by the Service Commissions are


106

generally slow incoming and you have to have the daily-paid staff assist in some of these

duties. So with the Minister being hear maybe we could just—maybe the Minister could even

help you out as regards to the fulfiling of those duties, because what could tend to come in

there with daily-paid staff assisting with some of those duties, you know, you may have there,

they may require compensation and other issues may come up. So I just wanted to make that

point, and well the Minister is here so she will be able to say exactly as regards to you getting

that cadre of staff, because any service that you have to give to the burgess you require human

resource. I think some focus should be given to that as well.

Again, I just do not want to be like everything bad, bad, but to commend you on that

disaster preparedness initiative and your approach to dealing with that, especially as the

raining season is coming up on us. So stick on that and really work hard with that?

Mr. Chairman: Okay. Well, I want us to in the time that we have to focus on some of the

specific areas: health and sanitation, security and so on, but I will ask Mr. Vieira to raise his

question.

Mr. Vieira: In similar vein to Member Thomas, my focus really is on the corporation’s

ability to deliver the core services and getting value for money. So I am coming back to your

SWOT analysis, and I am looking:

The corporation is understaffed in certain areas, the quality of some staff is poor as

they do not possess the necessary basic qualifications but are employed as a

social service. The HR system is not fully computerized and records are kept

manually. Corporation does not use modern accounting practices and there is no

formal training in line with financial regulations.

These seem to me to be structural deficiencies, and I am interested in hearing, since you have

identified these, what you were doing in terms of improving these aspects?

Mr. Pantin: Mr. Chair, you would agree with us that the plan would have been one that was

in 2009, written in 2009 or thereabout—[Interruption]

Mr. Chairman: Yeah, but what are you doing about it now? I think that is the question.

Mr. Pantin: Yes. Since then we have had a financial officer assigned to the corporation.

We have had inputs or injection into the computerization of the HR functions, so that there

are a lot more computers being used in that function now. Even in the financial area, because

we have had the financial officer coming on board, we have been able to improve our systems


107

in that area as well. So that step by step we are moving towards improving the systems and

the type of delivery that we give to the burgesses of the region.

Chair, if I may, just to let the hon. Minister know that I take all the advice that has

been given onto me, but at the same time just to indicate that my statements were as a direct

response to questions that were raised, and I had taken them within a particular context and

time frame that was spoken about.

Mr. Chairman: Ms. Cudjoe and then Mr. Sharma.

Ms. Cudjoe: Thank you, Chair. I wanted to raise this question on the delivery of services to

the people you serve, your burgesses. Now Member Coudray would have raised the issue of

stray dogs, public health, public safety, and so on. I am concerned about your ability to treat

with that issue of stray dogs, and the corporation’s readiness at it relates to resources and

training to deal with dangerous dogs, and this whole issue, because most of that responsibility

rest on the corporation. So I am concerned about your readiness in treating with this

dangerous dogs issues and the stray dog problem.

Mr. Pantin: At present, and I will give way to the doctor in a bit to respond, at present we

have what is called a Dog Catching Unit at the corporation and, as you have rightly said, there

is an aspect of training with regard to the Dangerous Dogs Act that has been passed that we

have to get into. We had a meeting on Wednesday last with the Permanent Secretary and the

Minister’s advisor, and we are making some progress towards improving our systems in terms

of the Dangerous Dogs Act, and getting things in place to deal with that.

10.25 a.m.

Miss Cudjoe: Tell me a bit about your current capacity as it relates to the number of—what

you call it—the police officers, municipal police? I want to know the strength of your force,

and the transportation, the vehicles to transport these dangerous dogs? How many do you

have and the function ability?

Mr. Pantin: Again, I might want to ask the municipal inspector to respond or to give a sense

in terms of the police aspect of it. But before I do, we have one vehicle assigned to the Dog

Catching Unit with what we call a cage-type mobile part of that unit that the stray dogs are

caught, put into that unit and taken to, in our case, the TSPCA for whatever means they can

to dispose or otherwise.

Mr. Chairman: Mr. Sharma, you had a question?


108

Mr. Sharma: Only one question I am allowed? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: Welcome, Mr. Sharma.

Mr. Sharma: Thank you very much. Chair, I think in the discussions thus far, a number of

things need to be reemphasized and revisited. The CEO indicated the challenges he faced,

and one of the things that the—and when you go to the period before this particular

Government, you would have seen, for instance, that chief officers were not available to the

majority of corporations.

Immediately upon assuming office the then Minister of Local Government caused to

be [Laughter] installed in every regional corporation, in keeping with Act No. 21 of 1990, the

chief officers, meaning the doctor, the attorney-at-law, the

accountant and the engineer but, more than that, on previous occasions the question

was funding. On page 7 of the document provided by the CEO, the administrative, you would

see the increase. And if you look at drainage for instance, you would see it moved from less

than $2 million to $2.8 in 2010—2011, $3.8 plus, 2011—2012, and $4.8. So capacity

immediately increased by couple hundred per cent.

If you look at development of recreational facilities you would also see that increase

more than 100 per cent. Cremation and cemeteries also increased by more than 100 per cent.

Markets, from a meagre $632,000 under the previous administration, to $9 million on one

occasion; so immediately capacity increased. It is your ability to manage and to pool the

resources under your very experienced chairman.

When you go to local roads and bridges, again you see from $2.7, immediately $2.8,

$4.6 followed by $3.9 million. Local government buildings under the then Government $1

million moving to 1.3 and going up to $4.9 million. Equipment; same, $980,000, exceeding

a million dollars and on every occasion, increasing. Disaster preparedness; somebody raised.

And I remember as Minister then, and followed by current Minister, and previous Minister,

improvement in every area of disaster preparedness. In fact, in many Caribbean countries we

have become the leader. And if you look at the quantum of money again, it increased

enormously. Under the special development fund the only moneys ever located was under

the current administration of $1.7 million.

So, Chairman, if you look at 2009, the then administration provided for the San

Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, which is a huge geographic area of 200,000-plus


109

people of $8.7 million. Under the first Minister of Local Government under this current

administration, we immediately moved it to—

Mr. Chairman: This is a self-assessment then.

Mr. Sharma: These are the documents and figures provided by the CEO and it has been

audited and passed—

Mr. Chairman: I believe the point is very well made, Mr. Sharma.

Mr. Sharma:—and as accurate as allowed. And it moved to $19 million.

Mr. Chairman: Who was the Minister then?

Mr. Sharma: The current Minister of Tourism. [Laughter] So, Chairman, in the last three

years it moved to $50 million. And when you go to the next page, page 8, table number 2, if

look under the heading, again you see the ability of the corporation to deliver and they can

continue, as Minister Marlene Coudray indicated. Under Head 169, it moved from 15 projects

to 21 to 27 to 34. So what made that happen? Money, of course and the ability to increase

the resources, including the first Minister started the ball. Under Head 170, again you see

that increase. And in every single Head, for instance, Head number 184, it again increased.

So that I think what has to happen in keeping with the submissions of the current

Minister, is that really the corporation needs to continue to look at how to pool the resources.

One of the things we encourage very much is partnership with all the other agencies that may

have resources from time to time; Self-Help, WASA, T&TEC, with Ministry of Works and

Infrastructure, and any other line Ministry, Ministry of Agriculture, for instance, or Ministry

of Food Production, so that kind of increase in the delivery of goods and services will obtain.

Of course, funding has always been a challenge, but the evidence shows an enormous

increase, so that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, across the board, can only benefit more

by working closer and in co-operation with each other.

Mr. Chairman: Mr. Sharma, thanks for your contribution. I think you made a sterling

contribution.

Mr. Sharma: Thank you, Sir.

Mr. Chairman: But I would like to go back. A question was raised, but not answered, in

respect of security, the complement in terms of the security forces within the regional

corporation, and may I ask the inspector to give some answers as far as that is concerned?


110

Mr. Guzman: Well, good day, Mr. Chairman. Presently the strength of the municipal police

is 24 officers. This comprises of one police inspector, one sergeant, two corporals, 20

constables; 20 constables comprising of SRP, special reserve police officers. Okay. The four

mentioned, the hierarchy, actually the municipal police officers hired by Ministry of Local

Government. All right. We have three vehicles; that is basically the complement.

Mr. Chairman: Well what we have been hearing from other corporations would be, one,

the issue of recruitment and retention of constables as they move out of the municipal

corporation into the police force. What is your experience now? What is happening with your

unit?

Mr. Guzman: Well actually my unit, the officers there, as I have said, two corporals, a

sergeant and an inspector. So they are already seasoned officers, so they are not moving to

go anywhere.

Mr. Chairman: But what about the constables?

Mr. Guzman: Because they are special reserve officers they can leave at any point in time.

There are no constables attached to my department. They are from special reserve police

officers on contract.

Mr. Chairman: So you have your full complement in accordance with the roster?

Mr. Guzman: According to the Act, the complement would be 10 constables, two corporals,

a sergeant and an inspector. That is the sanctioned strength according to the Act. But we do

not have, as I said, special reserve officers that is making up the complement, because we do

not have any municipal police from local government constables attached to the department.

Mr. Chairman: What are the issues in terms of security in the area of the corporation? What

are your concerns? What are the programmes you have in place?

Mr. Guzman: Presently, I have established an intelligence and enforcement unit within the

department to help deal with the crime in the area, more so surrounding the Croisee area or

the market—with this new market coming on stream, there is a lot of,

in the local parlance, “piping” and activities taking place around the area. So we have since

coordinated several exercises in conjunction with the central police and made several arrests

and stuff like that. So things are getting on stream.

Mr. Chairman: Any questions on security, because we have the inspector here with us?

Mr. Vieira: At page 114 it is said that there is a high rate of crime in the municipality which


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poses threats for services to be provided.

Mr. Guzman: Yes. That is a challenge.

Mr. Vieira: That is one. Next you talked about immigrant populations being involved in

criminal activity. Then the last thing, at page 146—community leaders being involved in

crime and how that is affecting the youth. I would be interested in hearing on those aspects,

please.

Mr. Guzman: Yes, sir. Yes, definitely there is a problem in relation to delivery of services

in areas such as Laventille and places like that. And oftentimes you have to provide police

escort to get the daily chores done. This takes away from routine patrols and stuff like that,

you know. So another problem we are having there is that communication with the central

police, wireless communication, in case of emergency. We do not have any wireless

communication to the central police, so things may be happening while we are out there, or

happening around us and we are not aware and this poses a lot of threat to the officers. So,

sometimes the officers are reluctant to even go themselves into the high risk area to work, the

police officers, because of communication and firearms—because all we have are pistols and

shotguns available to us.

Mr. Chairman: Meaning what? That there are more sophisticated firearms arms on the

inside?

Mr. Guzman: Yes. Definitely, yes. And the central police do not go in there with any pistol

and shotgun, they go in there with MP5 and Galley and stuff like that when they go into those

areas.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. This is something Mr. Maharaj seems to know a little about. You

had some questions, Mr. Maharaj?

Mr. Vieira: No. No. No. You had also mentioned about the immigrant population and the

economic challenges posed by the arrival of the deportees?

Mr. Guzman: Yes. Yes. Yes, sir. Because just recently in an exercise we conducted in the

San Juan area, we arrested something like six illegal immigrants in a house where illegal

activities were taking place. One was subsequently deported coming out of that exercise.

Mr. Vieira: So they are undermining the communities; the arrival of these deportees? I am

just trying to figure out you are—

Mr. Guzman: There is a large number of intelligence, based on the information, there is a


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lot, there is a large number. Right. There is a large number of immigrants that are involved

in illegal activities.

Mr. Chairman: Mr. Maharaj.

Mr. Maharaj: I am just interested in that last—where are these immigrants primarily from?

Mr. Guzman: Primarily?

Mr. Maharaj: Where are these?

Mr. Guzman: Jamaica, Guyana.

Mr. Maharaj: Jamaica and Guyana. Coming back to what you said earlier, is it that you are

suggesting that if these work crews are not accompanied by armed police, that work will not

be allowed in those areas? And when are those works normally conducted? During the day?

During the night? Well, during the evening?

Mr. Guzman: During the day. The gangs usually work during the day, and the officers they

literally refuse to come to work in the areas up there, unless they are escorted.

Mr. Maharaj: What areas specifically are you talking about? It cannot be the whole area.

Mr. Guzman: In the Laventille area. In places like Mango Alley, Thomasine Street,

Wharton Street, those places.

Mr. Maharaj: But surely there are councillors from those particular areas that would be able

to mediate some sort of—I think—

Ms. Coudray: Mr. Chairman, that is more a social issue. I have had, since assuming as

Minister of Local Government, and I have had cause to write the Minister of National

Security, asking for assistance to corporations, two in particular—I think Diego Martin was

one and it was San Juan/Laventille—in terms of this kind of problem.

The thing is that one has to be sensitive as a corporation, you have a high level of

unemployment in a lot of catchment areas and therefore, contractors are sent in there with

their own workers. They come in with their vans and their workers in the face of these people

sitting on the curbs with nothing to do, and that is part of the problem. So that has to be

analyzed carefully by the council at some time and dealt with in that particular way. I am not

saying we encouraging that kind of conduct, but the Minister of National Security is aware

and some measures have been taken to assist. But the corporation itself has to deal with, you

know, the social issues within communities, and try as far as possible to have people from

those communities undertake work in the communities. In terms of the police, all


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corporations, it is not specific to this particular corporation.

10.40 a.m.

All corporations have issues and challenges with shortage of staff and, more

particularly the police, but I want to assure the corporation that I have a draft Note to Cabinet

to address some of these issues and, again, you would be contacted soon in terms of your own

input on that. But, the whole issue of staffing in the regional corporations, particularly, that

is a real concern to me as Minister and we are dealing with it, but the corporations themselves

are empowered to bring people on board, following correct procedures, to help through your

strategic plan, once you

are focused you would be able instead of hiring, like, daily paid to create employment

as someone suggested, that same money could be diverted to hire the requisite people to do

to undertake certain functions.

So, those are two of the issues but those things are being addressed at the level of the

Ministry in collaboration with these corporations. But the issue of the policing, that is on the

front burner more or less. You are using SRPs and this is done throughout in terms of the

shortage and that is one way of addressing it, but you have other issues as well in terms of

there are no constables and when municipalities train persons as constables, as soon as they

complete that training they migrate to the regular police because there is no parity. That has

been put to the CPO in terms of creating that parity so that you can retain your people—and

the corporation spent money on these people, but because of lower remuneration package

they migrate. So, that is the other issue.

My colleague asked about the dog control and right now all corporations are required

to have the capacity under the original Dogs Act, Chap. 67:54, to deal with stray dogs. What

we are looking at and only yesterday Cabinet addressed some measures to deal with the

concerns and issues people have now with the passage of the Dog Control Act as amended

recently in the Senate. So, a proposal was put before Cabinet yesterday, and you will soon

hear about it, but what I want to advise and encourage, and to the general public, the law has

not yet been proclaimed so there is no need to panic and dump your stray dogs on the streets.

We are going to build capacity in every corporation and in every region to be able to address

the eventuality that when the law is proclaimed people would—there would be a whole lot of

persons just letting these dogs go.


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So, I want to assure the public that people should not panic and you need to tell your

burgesses that. That meeting started yesterday with the 14 corporations with the Ministry of

Food Production on board with us, the TSPCA and other

stakeholders, they are all part of this steering committee and Cabinet has been asked

to put certain things in place on behalf of the Ministry and by next week we shall come out

with those proposals. So, that all you do now is continue to work under the current legislation

and all you need now is some additional training and perhaps use your contract capability to

immediately hire people to beef up your current arrangements pending whatever notice you

will get from the Permanent Secretary.

So, what we have heard basically is a lot of internal management issues and structural

deficiencies as said by my colleague and these are things that, I am sure with your chairman

and his experience and the team on board, I think you now have all your chief officers in

place.

Mr. Chairman: Thank you Ms. Coudray. In the limited time that we have I want to address

the question of public health and sanitation and, secondly, how are you addressing the matter

of complaints by burgesses? Do you have a system of receiving such complaints and

addressing such complaints? So, public health and sanitation first.

Mr. Chung: Through the Chair, we have a system that is provided by the private contractors,

the scavenging contractors and they are responsible in various areas. We are 15 areas within

the corporation. We have systems in place to do monitoring in respect of checkers who work

out of the office and public health officers who in turn now would supervise these checkers

based on a daily basis.

There are open tray and compactor services being offered, and the nine contractors

privately are the ones involved in the provision of these services. It is done on a daily basis,

five days a week rather, week days; and in the market area we have three—and in these area

there is three periods that we scavenge the area.

Mr. Chairman: Are you satisfied with the sanitation levels and the public health issues

within the region?

Mr. Chung: Sorry?

Mr. Chairman: Are you satisfied that sanitation meets requirements as well as public


115

health?

Mr. Chung: There is always room for improvement, Mr. Chair, but I think we have come a

long way and I would put us at a very good level of delivery at this point in time. I would

say about as much as 80 per cent delivery, 85 per cent. We have some constraints which we

continue to deal with and the staffing and the training and the ability to—because we have

systems that we have put in place since we came and some of the things with the new OSHA

Act as well too, there are checks and balances that we need to put in place to monitor the

scavenging contract to ensure that they are doing their part and, also now, our checkers are

doing their part on behalf of the corporation so that we can satisfy needs of the burgesses.

Mr. Chairman: Let us hear Mrs. Alleyne-Toppin, she has a question.

Mrs. Alleyne-Toppin: Not just a question. Thank you, Chairman. I am hearing a lot of

social issues and the Ministry of the People and Social Development can help in the areas that

you have challenges with, because if we do not really do some kind of sustainable economic

development plan or have, you will find that the crime, and the delinquency, and the deviant

behaviours will not go away, and the problems that the police will have—municipal police or

the police in general will have—will be magnified.

So, I am offering that when we collaborate with all of the different Ministries that you

have that you collaborate especially with the Ministry of the People and Social Development

so that we could offer the kind of social support or the kind of developmental plans, economic

structures we have. We have a lot of courses and classes and things like that, that we support

people with, especially we have a deportees programme, we have places to house such people,

we also have places to house street dwellers, and if we elaborate very closely with your

corporation and all of the corporations, I think we will make Trinidad and Tobago a better

place,

and that is just what I am contributing here. Thank you, Sir.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. No problem. Mr. Maharaj and then Mrs. Thomas and then we will

go back to Ms. Coudray.

Mr. Maharaj: Thank you very much, Chairman. Can you give us an idea of the number of

complaints for scavenging services that you receive, because I understand that your

corporation, perhaps, received the highest number of complaints regarding that particular

service? Do you have health gangs in existence in the corporation and an idea of the number


116

of rodents control units? Is that something that you have in existence there? I am aware that

when a particular area is baited that data is supposed to be collected on the number of rodents

that we eradicated, do you have an idea of the data and where this data could be found?

Mr. Chung: Through the Chair, what I can say at this point in time is that as far as rodent

gangs are concerned, we have three rodent gangs and actually they provide, I think we deal

with it as it comes on a daily basis and a response wait is about 24 hours, maximum 48 hours.

Bait, they go back and recheck, they check the dead carcasses, what they find and the number

of bait taken, and that is in order to establish the population and whatever rodents we are

dealing with, and I think that is fairly effective.

As far as the training programmes, there are ongoing training programmes for them

which are coming on.

Mr. Maharaj: What about the scavenging complaints?

Mr. Chung: As far as scavenging complaints, they are not very common as far as I am

concerned because now and again we get them because our checks and balances are the

burgesses who would call us, the councillors at certain meetings and if the public will call us

and when we pass and monitor through the public health offices.

Some of our constraints are in certain areas of San Juan/Laventille region

because it is the crime areas we have problems with the contractor not willing to go

in the area because we have had some deaths in the areas and some people are not going to

work based on the social unrest.

Mr. Maharaj: This relates to a question I have similar to—to the officer in the back. When

jobs are given out in these areas that are deemed to be dangerous, is consideration given to

recruiting people from the community themselves so as a factor to mitigate against any kind

of criminal activity preventing the work from going forward?

Mr. R. Ali: I cannot vouch for help but I understand as far as in another area of the

corporation people have been threatened that they do not provide labour from within their

area, other outside areas are allowed to work, but these are all hearsay I am sorry I cannot say

anymore.

Mr. Maharaj: Perhaps the CEO or Chair could elucidate on that?

Mr. Roberts: Chairman, the issue of crime in San Juan/Laventille is a serious one and it is

sensitive, so I want to suggest that we do not really pursue it in this forum.


117

I am prepared or the CEO as well, we are prepared to meet with the Minister to discuss

that issue. We are pursuing a particular line at this time in terms of initiative with the police

and the community and it would be best dealt with outside of the cameras.

Mr. Chairman: But what you are saying is that you are dealing with it? You have some

strategies in place and are being implemented?

Mr. Roberts: We are working on it and we are getting some help with the police and social

workers from the police department, so we are working on it. I am prepared to explain but it

is a sensitive issue.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. Well, I think we probably need to wrap up and I think Mrs. Thomas

had one burning question which I will entertain.

Mrs. Thomas: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am looking at the SWOT analysis, item

No. 6, under human resources. I do not know if it should go to the PIRO or the CEO, where

it says, the SLRC is called upon to provide employment for its burgesses, some of whom may

be mental, ex-convicts or recovering addicts, and you are saying the supervisory staff are not

trained to handle these kinds of cases and there is no EAP programme, now I am just

wondering how does that impact the productivity of the corporation? I do not know if the

PIRO or CEO—

Mr. R. Ali: Mrs. Thomas, through the Chair, with respect to employment at the regional

corporation at this point in time we are not affording the opportunity for employment. I heard

you mentioned that persons who are ex-convicts and so on, with respect to employment,

before employment is done all recommendations for employment are well sorted out. We

look at a person’s resume and then recommendations go to the CEO for approval for

employment.

10.55 a.m.

Yes, we have challenges with the persons who may be appearing or presenting

themselves for employment. Like I said earlier, we go through the process of scrutiny to

ensure that the persons who we may or are prospective employees are of the quality of persons

that we would like to have within the corporation to ensure effective and efficient delivery of

services to the burgesses of the corporation, and in no way try to harm or bring fear to the

other employees of the Corporation so as to cause any problems.

Mr. Chairman: Well, I think we—I want to thank the members of your team, Mr. Roberts,


118

for joining with us to seek to respond to some of the questions that we would have had. I did

not get from the deliberations whether or not you have a website or an electronic complaints

desk to respond to your burgesses in terms of immediate matters. So maybe you could just

quickly answer that before we wrap up.

Mr. Pantin: A website is at present being developed. We should be up and running with it

within the next two months or so, and through that system,—the complaints—we will be able

to accept complaints as a result of what will be going into the website

for us.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. There are some questions that we would have posed in writing to

the corporation for which we have not received answers as yet and I look forward to receiving

those in the near future, and that has to do with planned projects and initiatives targeted for

implementation in 2015.

So, we, not having time for oral answers, I will look forward to receiving on behalf of the

committee, written answers about those plan projects and initiatives. We would have also

asked for your—based on the experience of the corporation, we would have asked for

proposals in terms of legislative and regulatory adjustments that may enhance the

effectiveness of the corporation and indeed it would enhance probably the effectiveness of

other corporations, and we look forward to your feedback on that area as well.

So, in concluding, I would like to thank members of the corporation, the chairman,

the CEO and other members, for joining us today in terms of getting a sense, not only for the

committee, but for the benefit of the public and for your own burgesses as to what are the

plans and programmes of the corporation and what is the level of effectiveness and concerns

that you may have otherwise.

So on behalf of the members of the committee I want to thank you for joining with us

and we look forward to meeting with you the next time around and to receiving answers,

written answers to some of the outstanding questions, today, and to which we have put

forward beforehand. So I am going to suspend the deliberations—“oh”, you wanted to make

a comment, Mr. Roberts?

Mr. Roberts: I just want to enquire, is there a timeframe to submit the information in writing

to you?

Mr. Chairman: The secretary will—[Interruption]


119

Mr. Roberts: Communicate?

Mr. Chairman:—convey that to you in the communication.

Mr. Roberts: Well, I just want to thank you and the members of committee for having

us and we look forward to working with you.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. So let us hope the next time around the word “confusion” does not

come up that much in our deliberation. So thank you all gentlemen. This meeting is

suspended for 10 minutes.

10.59 a.m.: Meeting suspended.

11.05 a.m.: Meeting resumed.

OFFICIALS OF THE TUNAPUNA/PIARCO REGIONAL CORPORATION

Mr. Edwin Gooding Chairman

Mr. Michael Serrette Chief Executive Officer (Ag.)

Ms. Annette Stapleton-Seaforth Planning Officer

Ms. Judy Thompson Inspector of Police

Mr. Larry Seecharan Building Inspector

Mr. Rishi Siew Disaster Management Cord.

Ms. Theresa Noel Public Health Officer

Mr. Masud Mohammed Engineering and Survey Officer

Mr. William Best Corporate Secretary

Mr. Esmond Forde Vice Chairman/Councillor (Auzonville)

Mr. Chairman: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. As we continue with the 30th meeting,

of the Joint Select Committee appointed to enquire into and report to Parliament on Municipal

Corporations and Service Commissions with the exception of the Judicial and Legal Service

Commission, I want to welcome the chairman and staff of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional

Corporation. Over the next hour or so, we intend to raise some questions as well as to get

some responses to questions that have already been put to you in writing about the operations

and the administration of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation. I will start first by

asking Chairman Gooding to introduce his members and to make some short opening remarks

with regards to the


120

corporation. Mr. Gooding?

Mr. Gooding: Thank you, Chairman, and good morning to the other hon. Members of the

Joint Select Committee. My name is Edwin Gooding and I am the Chairman of the

Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation. I will ask the members of the team to introduce

themselves starting on my left with the CEO.


Mr. Chairman: Mr. Gooding.

Mr. Gooding: Yes, Chairman. Firstly, let me thank the committee for providing this forum

to account for the stewardship of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation. I believe that

good governance demands this and we welcome this opportunity. This council was sworn in

on November 5, 2013 and we have since settled down to focusing on improving the lives of

our burgesses which I think is what is the main focus of the council. The council is made up

of 15 councillors and four aldermen. We are supported by a very committed management

team.

A review of the performance over that period will indicate that in all areas we have

focused on improving drainage, improving infrastructure, basically improving the lot of our

burgesses. We have worked well with other agencies, with other governmental agencies

because we recognize that as the corporation we cannot get everything done by ourselves, but

we need the support of people like T&TEC, WASA, the Ministry, the MPs in the area and we

have worked well with them so far.

One of the areas that I feel that we have really excelled in is, disaster management.

We have an able coordinator, very experienced and right now we have the only self-contained

mobile disaster unit that can be mobilized at a moment’s notice to respond to any

emergencies.

So again we have focused on dealing with our burgesses, but we have also looked at

how we can improve and we are looking at some longer term issues in terms of employment—

that is a big problem, but we recognize that the 10-days syndrome is debilitating and need to

move beyond that. We have also commenced relationship

with MIC and the Tunapuna Chamber to see how we develop sustainable employment

as opposed to temporary employment. We are also considering new ways of garbage disposal

through recycling. We have looked at flood mitigation. In our area it is prone to flooding


121

and a lot of the work that we are doing now in the dry season is looking at how we can correct

situations in terms of drainage so when the rain comes we will not have that problem. The

corporation is also looking at how we can make greater use of technology. A lot of our

records are now hard copy, we are looking to see how we can computerize those.

11.15 a.m.

We are also looking at improving the safety and security of our burgesses through

CCTV cameras and so on, and also—which is very critical—through the strengthening of our

municipal police. Some of the challenges we face, Chairman, are enforcement in the areas of

unauthorized buildings, vending, garages being set up on streets, abandoned lots; a major

issue in terms of health. I mentioned the municipal police in terms of strengthening. They

are very badly undermanned. We have a complement of 14; we have four officers on board.

So those are the areas that we looked at. Those are the challenges and those are what

we are going to be looking at in the future. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman: Thank you, Chairman Gooding. Let me first set the stage for the questions

that will follow. First of all, we had raised a number of questions in writing from your team

relating to, not only your previous reports, but to the current position and, indeed, looking for

your programmes for the future, and these would have involved human resource management,

financial management, public health, infrastructure. You would have also mentioned policing

and security, as well as disaster management. In setting the stage, I would like to ask you,

first of all, what is the geographical coverage of the corporation and, secondly, what is the

population that is serviced by the corporation?

Mr. Gooding: Chairman, as at 2000, the population is just over 200,000 burgesses

and we have an area of approximately 527 square kilometres of area. We are located between

the regional corporations of San Juan/Laventille and Sangre Grande and the borough of Arima

sits smack in the centre of our corporation—our region.

Mr. Chairman: What are your boundaries then, to the south, north and so on?

Mr. Gooding: Our boundaries, we are, the coastline in Blanchisseuse; we go to the Uriah

Butler in the west and we go as far in the south—we are Munroe Road, Bejucal and Uriah

Butler on the western boundary.

Mr. Chairman: And the audited accounts of the corporation, what was the last audited

accounts?


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Mr. Serrette: Good morning, again. Unfortunately, we do not have the municipal

accountant or financial officer with us here today, but the last audited account should be about

2010.

Mr. Chairman: Should be?

Mr. Serrette: Yes. I stand corrected. I have to get back information on that.

Mr. Chairman: Well, you would need to find that out and respond to us.

Mr. Serrette: Yes.

Mr. Chairman: Now, I am advised that there is an administrative report for the period 2011

to 2012, but this report has only been recently submitted to his Excellency the President in

accordance with section 66(d) of the Constitution, and as such, has not as yet been laid in the

Parliament. Therefore, Members of the committee should be aware that they cannot

necessarily refer to the report as though it has been tabled and accepted in the Parliament.

So without further ado, I want to open up the floor for questions. My first question,

if I am permitted, would really be with regard to the whole question of—take us forward on

what you consider to be your strong point, which is disaster preparedness.

Mr. Gooding: Mr. Chairman, I say this based on my experience with the unit in terms of the

work that they have done. During my short tenure we have had to deal with a

number of emergencies which I was very heartened by the response of the unit, and I have

today the coordinator of that unit who may be able to give a little more detail as to what kinds

of work we do and how we respond. So I will ask Mr. Rishi Siew if he could just expand on

that a little bit.

Mr. Siew: Good morning, Chair, good morning to the committee again. When the unit came

on board last year—well, I am newly appointed as the disaster coordinator. We came on

board last year. We came into the corporation with a three-year plan. We sat with the unit

and we decided this is what we are going to do for the next three years as we are there.

One of the things that were supposed to be established was a new building, which we

have done. It is being outfitted at this point in time—the emergency operating centre mobile

unit, which is already being used in different scenarios as well as mitigation projects in

schools, and another is an ambulance which we are now putting things in place for the

paperwork. This has been done before the three-year period and we still have two years to

go.


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Some of the things we are doing are awareness campaigns in schools through the same

mitigation project, with the buses going into the schools with our disaster truck, informing

the kids of what we do, letting them know how they need to respond. We recently finished a

drill called Project Dark Wave, which was three days, from March 25th to March 27th. That

was successfully done. We simulated a vehicular accident on the highway in the vicinity of

the Caroni Bridge. That took the forum of an oil spill. We had real trucks. Everything was

simulated real time where the fire services left from where they were based; the Red Cross

left from Port of Spain, Tunapuna/Piarco left from—everybody left from where they were.

The simulation was excellently done.

We are in the process now of putting in place other simulations. We are training

communities in terms of disaster response, a project called the CERT, (Community

Emergency Response Training). What we are looking at doing is building resilient

communities in our region as well as other regions. The Tunapuna Corporation is

now being used in the borough of Point Fortin, San Juan/Laventille and other corporations to

assist with their CERT training. They are utilizing the members and the staff of the Tunapuna

Corporation to assist with training them. We have that capacity now.

Other things we are doing are sandbag distributions. We are collecting damage and

needs assessments before the actual incident happens, so we will know where we target the

upcoming hurricane season. These are all projects that we are doing under the Disaster

Management Unit. We are conducting a VCA project as well, which is a Vulnerability

Capacity Assessment. We are identifying the vulnerable areas in the community, looking at

the capacities and basically looking at the capacities to fix the vulnerable areas. This is

another project we have ongoing.

Mr. Chairman: Let me just connect the dots with regard to disaster preparedness and

building permits. We have seen recently the developments in some part of the US with regard

to a mudslide and the impact it would have had on the hilly mountainous areas and so on.

Are you satisfied that in the corporation, Chair, that there is sufficient control and oversight

in the matter of building permits and so on, above a certain level up the mountainside?

Mr. Chairman: Chairman, I am happy with the work that we are doing in that area. In terms

of the mountainside, I would not be able to speak that much, but I know about in terms of

buildings, that we visit where we need to get permits and so on, and the concern that I raised


124

as a challenge, is where we identify buildings that are built unauthorized. The problem is

really enforcement. That has been the problem. But the building inspector is here and he can

speak to the mountainside dwellings.

Mr. Chairman: Yes, well, let us hear from the building inspector.

Mr. Seecharan: Good morning, Mr. Chairman. What we have is a portion of the northern

range that we consider as very vulnerable, but just like the other corporations we are bound

by prior approval from Town and Country Planning for development along the hillsides.

Once, as a private citizen you apply for permission to develop and

Town and Country grants you permission, the application is forwarded to the regional

corporation.

My tenure at Tunapuna, what I have been trying to do is work with the applicants to

ensure that they conform with all the requirements, and one of them has to deal with the

engineering aspect. What we do is that we forward their applications to the designs branch

of the Ministry of Works, once it is hillside development. We also engage the services of the

engineering and surveying officer. He is at the corporation, so he reviews those applications

also. So we are starting to get this process in order and to, sort of ensure that the general

public is aware of what they should and should not do once they get approval.

The challenge, Mr. Chairman, is the general public who do not obey the law and who

just go about the business of doing their own developments on hillsides. It is a challenge at

the corporation and at all the other corporations. Unfortunately, we have one building

inspector attached to every corporation.

Mr. Chairman: Well, what are you authorized to do in law and what are you doing?

Mr. Seecharan: Well, once we identify an unauthorized development, we issue notices to

cease work. If the offender refuses to stop the work, I do my reports to my CEO who now

presents it to council. Council now decides, by way of resolution, to go for an injunction

before the courts to cease the work. We have successfully done that on the Maracas Valley

in the last couple years—not under Mr. Gooding’s charge, but the prior chairman—where we

ceased a big development that tried to develop the riverside bed and we got the injunction

and they have stopped.

So, generally, that is where we tend to go because even though we serve the notices

out there, we find that the general public just does not take us on. Generally, they just go


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about their business, and it is not only in Tunapuna. We have had that situation throughout

the country.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. Well we will come back to regulatory and legislative suggestions

for greater enforcement. Mr. Maharaj, you had a question?

Mr. Maharaj: Yes. Thank you very much, Chair.

I am advised that there may have been the existence of a vacant lot and flood

mitigation team in existence at the corporation. Is that team still in existence and how have

they been working so far?

Mr. Serrette: May I respond to that? That team is not in operation at present, but it was

operational up to December 2013 and it worked well because at that time you had a lot of

rainy season there, a lot of floods, and they were responsible for cleaning up empty lots. But

that programme is still to be revitalized.

Mr. Maharaj: So it was working well and you stopped it?

Mr. Serrette: It was working well but due to a lack of funding right now—we are in the

process of getting a virement to continue the programme.

Mr. Maharaj: So all the worker are fired—how many workers are affected there?

Mr. Serrette: Well, remember they were on short-term contract, and originally short-term

contract is for a specified period. So you are not obligated to have them employed

continuously.

Mr. Maharaj: Sure.

Mr. Serrette: They were short-term employed, and based on funding, you either continue

or you stop the programme for a while until you could assess those available funding.

Mr. Maharaj: And the service they were providing now that you said was working, what is

being implemented to try and—

Mr. Serrette: Well, right now we have the health section. Well, they normally will be the

ones who are responsible for doing that, seeing that we had that, you know, that increase in

rainfall and so on, and flooding at that point in time, but we are in the dry season now so it

would not be so much of an issue now. So the health section would fill in the gap at this point

in time.

Mr. Chairman: Mr. Vieira and then Miss Thomas.

Mr. Vieira: Thank you, Chair. Well, I am very pleased to hear about your disaster


126

management plan and I commend the corporation on this. I am concerned about the plague

of bush fires and I was wondering whether the members of the community really appreciate

the link between the burning of the hills and the flooding that follows, and I was wondering

whether you all were doing anything in terms of raising consciousness or awareness in that

regard, or re-afforestation projects.

Mr. Gooding: Chairman, that is a very good observation. We are now embarking—we feel

that one of the plans that we need to use is education, not only in that area but in other areas,

to inform people as to how they can assist in the longer term, because what happens in the

short term comes back to bite you down the road. So education and meeting the burgesses

through the councillors, that is going to be a big plan that we would be using, going forward.

Mr. Maharaj: In line with the same education thrust as articulated by the Chairman, and

given the size of this corporation reaching the east and the west, it is clear that for this

education to be effective and the outreach, have the council had any town meetings at all in

places like, say, La Fillette, Blanchisseuse and other parts of the corporation that may not

necessarily interact with them?

11.30 a.m.

Because if you live in, let us say Blanchisseuse or so, the corporation that you more

likely might have interaction with, though they may not have jurisdiction over you, is Arima

Borough Corporation. Have your council had any town meetings to reach out to these

communities since assuming office?

Mr. Gooding: The councillors have been working very hard meeting the burgesses. We

have met with burgesses dealing with career development and so on. But on April 02, there

will be a consultation with the Institute of Marine Affairs to deal with Blanchisseuse and that

consultation will deal with erosion of the coastal sector and so on, and that will be one of the

formal approaches that we would have. But ongoing, we intend to have those educational

forums with the councillors.

Mr. Maharaj: That appears to be the councillor doing part of his regular duty serving

his catchment or his constituency. I am speaking directly here about the council in total going

to Blanchisseuse or La Fillette or Wallerfield and so on, and having any kind of discussion

with the constituents there as opposed to the councillor’s regular duty of meeting his


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constituents.

Mr. Gooding: Well, the fact is that the councillors have been doing this. This is part of what

they do. You are right. One of the initiatives that the council has committed to is to host

statutory meetings outside of the corporation, and we hope that by going out to those areas

that the burgesses will be better able to come in, because right now at our statutory meetings

we invite the public to come and have their say. So we expect that as we go out to have these

meetings that we will able to achieve what you are asking about.

Mr. Maharaj: Well, I surely would recognize the difficulty of a resident of Fillette travelling

down to Tunapuna on the main road there with the kind of time and expenditure required. So

I mean, has this ever been done or is this a new initiative of your corporation, this reaching

out programme?

Mr. Gooding: As far for this council, this is the first time we will be going out to have the

meetings there. But the point I want to make is that the councillors are committed to working

with their burgesses within their communities, and I am very confident and I am heartened

by the level of work that is being done by councillors in this regard throughout the

corporation.

Mr. Chairman: Mrs. Thomas.

Mrs. Thomas: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I divert my question to the Disaster Coordinator.

Firstly, I want to ask if there are any shelters in your area. One of my reasons for asking that,

I know there was a fire in Maracas Valley yesterday and one of the problems the councillor

indicated is that there were no shelters to accommodate this family that suffered this loss.

And then my next question is to follow up on what the Minister just said, Mr. Chairman,

about the community outreach. I am aware, I think San Juan/Laventille—because I went to

a meeting recently where they go out on

different nights when the burgesses are home, and they go to like schools or so and they

actually host a disaster preparedness and have members from the disaster preparedness come

and talk and then the citizens raise questions.

So, I like the initiative of the statutory meetings, but I also want to probably suggest

that could be another means of reaching out to the community and getting word out, and

getting a feedback from them. As you know, the statutory meetings tend to be more formal

as compared to if you have like these community town meetings which are hosted in the night


128

when people are from work. One other thing, the building inspector. I heard the Minister—

when you look at your process for approval of building—say the process seem so long that

time you get the approval, having to go to council, the building is built.

I mean it is a real fact and I am wondering, is there not like a process where you, as

the building inspector, can either go to the chairman or CEO, get the necessary disapproval

or whatever it is; you indicate to the person building their property and when you meet that

council for your building community meeting you just advice that certain things were done,

certain properties were not approved, certain were approved. But at least it would not delay

in going through that long process and then when the person already reach halfway in building

the house, you come and say—before reaching that stage then, if something can be done with

the internal staff there, the CEO or the chairman, and you get whatever authorization and then

you move forward and just advise the council after because they too would understand how

critical it is to have an urgent response. So those are my three things that I have raised.

Mr. Serrette: I just want to respond to the second question with the outreach programme.

Now this council, it newly came into being and then we are in transmission. So it has not

gotten around to the town meetings, but the last council had a great deal of town meetings. I

myself accompanied them sometimes after hours in the afternoon. We went to Maloney, we

went to La Horquetta, these different areas, where people would come and voice their

concerns, but, you know, in voicing their

concerns most of the concerns were employment. But still we were there and we went out to

certain communities. I believe we too went to Blanchisseuse once. That was in the last

council. So this council is still in transmission, so I guess they will be coming around to that

sooner or later.

Mr. Maharaj: Refresh my memory. How long ago was this council sworn in?

Mr. Serrette: November 2013.

Mr. Maharaj: And we are in March now. Okay.

Mr. Chairman: Well I am interested in the answer to the third question. When you provide

a cease and desist order or whatever the equivalent is, why it is under the current law that you

cannot enforce that cease and desist order in terms of building and so on?

Mr. Seecharan: Well to begin with, generally it is the urgent matters. Councill meets every

week. So once there is an urgent matter that deals with sometime that is creating a nuisance


129

out there, I would approach the CEO and we will go to council for resolution. So it is not

like it will wait for a month or two months. The issue of—

Mr. Chairman: No, what I am asking: is that the shortest possible process? That is what I

am asking. Or do you have anything else under the law?

Mr. Seecharan: Precedence in the past has been that, and because of the Municipal

Corporations Act is that, we must get council’s resolution to do certain things, and the law is

clear when it comes to that to actually take action. But to stop, we can in discussion with the

CEO—I would apprise the CEO of the situation and we would go ahead and issue out the

notices to stop. Once we revisit and we realize the person is not stopping, generally I would

liaise with the Corporate Secretary so that legally we can see where we are going with this as

to what action could go forward.

Mr. Chairman: So your position is you have to go to council?

Mr. Seecharan: Yes.

Mr. Maharaj: But, Chair, it was said earlier by Mr. Seecharan that council in the past

stopped a major development on the river bank. So we know that council has the

authority and capacity to stop it. So we just have to find a way to accelerate.

Mr. Seecharan: I just want to remind hon. Members that that matter had to go before the

courts. So it is a cost to the corporation when we go to the courts and that—

Mr. Maharaj: Well, it is a cost to the country if you do not.

Mr. Seecharan: Yes, it is. That has been the major factor of the corporations with when

you have to expend this amount of money to go before the courts to actually get somebody

who is doing something wrong to get that person to actually stop.

Mr. Maharaj: Your report to the councillor, to your CEO, is based on a legal authority that

you have?

Mr. Seecharan: My report is based on the guidelines for which I was hired under and

forward to the portfolio of the building inspector for which I follow based on the Public Health

Ordinance and the Municipal Corporations Act.

Mr. Chairman: All right. Let us get some thoughts from Ms. Coudray on this, and then we

still have to answer the question about the shelters. Ms. Coudray.

Ms. Coudray: Thank you, Chairman. I am not clear, Mr. Seecharan, in terms of what do

you go to council for; at what stage do you go to council. I was not clear on that.


130

Mr. Seecharan: The stage we go to council is for action, for demolition, for removal, if the

council—generally, I was advised by the Corporate Secretary back then that if you have to

extend funds to hire an external attorney to go before the courts, you have to go to council for

that aspect.

Ms. Coudray: Okay. But I think we all got the impression here that in order to serve a notice

that you have to go to council. That is what you said initially. So I am saying at the expiration

of that notice is when you go—

Mr. Seecharan: Go to council.

Ms. Coudray:—but you do not wait until the expiration. I guess your timing will be

important.

Mr. Chairman: Sorry. So you do not have any methods of enforcement in that you have to

go to council and you have to wait for a process to go through the court. Is

that what you are saying? The corporation does not have any enforcement powers at all to

stop, to cease and desist? Because I take it somebody is breaking the law. If you give an

instruction to cease and desist, what do you do about that? May be Mr. Vieira can help before

you answer.

Mr. Vieira: Thank you, Chair. Well it would seem to me that the current laws and

procedures may have to be revisited because they are not achieving the objections that we

need to achieve, and I think we really would need to look at the expedited procedures and

perhaps expanding the range of available sanctions and penalties and this is something that

could come up in the Land Development and Facilitation Bill, perhaps.

Ms. Coudray: But you know, in terms of operationalizing the law, I am aware of a particular

corporation that had a standing arrangement with the council that because of how chronic the

unauthorized buildings had been, that once a notice has expired you have council’s blessings

to take it to the next stage and you come back at the first meeting, subsequently, and have it

ratified, and that was expediting it. I do not think any law was being breached.

Mr. Vieira: But I am also thinking in terms of the courts, and I am even wondering perhaps

whether this is an area that should not be put before the environmental commission as a

specialized court to deal with all these types of matters.

Ms. Coudray: Under the new Bill that is coming up, but—

Mr. Chairman: What about the question of the shelters that Mrs. Thomas raised?


131

Mr. Siew: Presently, we have 38 shelters designated as shelters for different scenarios. Not

every shelter is deemed fit for hurricane or probably a flood or whatever. Some of these

shelters are actually in flood zones so we used them for fire victims. Yesterday we were on

site while the fire was actually blazing in Maracas St. Joseph. It was approximately 200 feet

into the mountain. So, fire services had problems getting in, so therefore the house was totally

lost.

In terms of opening a shelter for the family of five, that would not have worked

for them because they did not have anything at all. So what we did is try to expedite

the procedure in terms of getting somewhere for them that would have a stove, proper

facilities for them to use. It is not that we did not have a shelter. The shelter would have had

to be outfitted for the victims, and in order to avoid that—because they are already distraught

by what they lost. So we try to make them as comfortable as possible by opening up probably

an avenue for them to get a place to rent where we can that out sort and that is the ground that

we took.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, let us talk a bit about the question of human resources. Is the

corporation adequately staffed; what is its complement on paper; and what is the staffing that

is available; and talk to me about your chief officers as well.

Mr. Serrette: With the staff we are understaffed. Starting with the chief officers, we have

one corporate secretary, an engineer and survey officer. We have no financial officer, but

hopefully we should get one by May. The person was already appointed to Tunapuna but

they are unable to assume until May, and the last financial officer was there up to July 2013.

So right now we have one corporate secretary, an engineer and survey officer. We are still

missing the financial officer.

11.45 a.m.

Mr. Serrette: With regard to monthly paid officers, we have been writing the Ministry

constantly to get monthly paid officers. Most of the positions now are held by daily paids,

daily-rated employees, like checkers and so on, who would be in the accounting section.

In the municipal police, as the Chairman suggested earlier, the complement is

supposed to be 14, right now we only have four, and you all saw the large area that they have

to man. We are short of monthly paid officers in the different sections. The accounting unit

is supposed to be staffed by monthly paid officers, that is for succession planning and for


132

reporting purposes, but right now we have four daily-paid officers in order to man those

stations. But we are still going before the Ministry of Local Government trying to get extra

staffing.

Right now with the present staffing monthly paids, we have 64. We have contract

officers with the Ministry of Local Government, 30. Contract officers with the

Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation short-term contract, 16, and our daily rated persons

employed at present is 1,322. That will be in different categories of permanent, casual and

regular employees.

Basically we are trying our best to see if we could get another building inspector,

because right now one building inspector to man all these areas is really, really a challenge.

I wanted to add just now while we were speaking about the matters with the building

inspector, the Land Settlement Agency is constantly sending complaints to us of illegal

structures. They would go, do the site visits, take pictures and send them to us. Right now

we have a pile nearly about 500, and our hands are tied even to deal with the ones we have.

Sometimes we are faced with challenges, where you go to a building and it is locked, and we

cannot gain entry by breaking the padlock; so for most of those we have hired an external

attorney. Those matters will be coming up soon at the courts, and once the court gives a

decision then we could probably enforce that. We also need to have an enforcement unit in

order to do these enforcements.

Since in Tunapuna—I came there in October 2012—we did one demolition, and that

was in Farm Road where a guy used a muster point, blocked it around and was claiming—he

had a pit bull and so in there. That was the only enforcement I did since my tenure at

Tunapuna/Piarco. So we need an enforcement unit separate and apart from the building

inspectors unit in order to do these enforcements, because you give notices, you go to the

council after a while for a demolition and people are not taking you on. So right now a lot of

matters are before the court, and what the court decides, we will see how best we can hire

some agency to do the demolition, once the court gives that order. Basically your hands are

tied most of the time.

Mr. Chairman: So what are you suggesting? We did ask you some questions about the

legislative and regulatory adjustments that would be useful and helpful to the


133

corporation. I am not sure that you answered those questions. With regard to this specific

matter, I would ask the corporation to consider and provide some suggestions that we can

look at, with regard to expediting enforcement on cease and desist orders for building illegal

structures.

Any other questions with regard to the human resources?

Mr. Maharaj: Your allocation the last fiscal year and this fiscal year, how does it compare?

Mr. Serrette: This is 2011/2012, the releases—this is the releases—let me just tell you the

allocation. [Interruption] The releases that we got, recurrent and DP was $213,163,699.

Under DP the allocation was $15,400,000. I do not have a figure for the recurrent, but those

are the releases. Releases, $230— and DP $213,163,699.

Mr. Maharaj: Did your allocation increase from the last year compared to this year or did

it go down or stayed the same?

Mr. Serrette: The allocation increased, especially in the development programme.

Mr. Maharaj: So you are getting an increase in funding, but you seem not to have the

funding to hire people, because you said you closed down this flood and vacant lot mitigation

team. How many people were affected, who had to be released from employment?

Mr. Serrette: It would vary. The amount might be about 200.

Mr. Maharaj: So 200 people—

Mr. Serrette: Who were rotated at different times.

Mr. Maharaj: And you said they were working well, and you have an increase in funding;

it is kind of a little confusing that you would have had this increase—

Mr. Serrette: Now recurrent funding—and this is short-term as I said before. Short-term

funding is for a specific period and a specific project; once that project has been completed,

that is supposed to be the end of that project. But as I said before, based on the flooding and

all that, we had that problem ongoing and running. Now that we are in the dry season—if we

have to bring those people back now it might be just for

empty lots, to clean up empty lots. There is supposed to be a charge to the persons having

these empty lots just running away, but normally we will go and clean them because of health

issues and all that.

Mr. Chairman: Are you saying that you do not know what your allocation is for recurrent

expenditures?


134

Mr. Serrette: Not that I do not know; I will give you that in a while.

Mr. Chairman: Yes, please. While you are working on that, Mrs. Thomas has one more

question on the human resource side.

Mrs. Thomas: Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I realized in the CEO’s comments and even in the report that most corporation just

like yourself have this shortfall of staff, and for monthly paid positions they have to utilize

the daily paid to really get the job done. Are these daily paid people compensated? I am

aware of a situation where the daily paids were not compensated adequately because of some

regulation in the bargaining unit about doing the function of a monthly paid. Of course, it is

causing a little rift with the union intervening and so on.

Are these daily paid employees compensated so as to avoid any sort of intervention

by the union, and allow for a smooth flow of the operations of the corporation?

Mr. Serrette: They are not compensated in any way.

Mrs. Thomas: They are not?

Mr. Serrette: Only to perform the duties of the monthly paid officers.

Mrs. Thomas: But they are doing the functions of the monthly paid?

Mr. Serrette: Yes, and very well too. Chairman, getting back to the allocation, the recurrent

allocation for 2011/2012 was $154,389,000; under recurrent expenditure 2013/2014—

Mr. Chairman: I want to know 2013/2014, the current year.

Mr. Serrette: The current year—recurrent allocation, $156,215,400.

Mr. Chairman: One more question from Mr. Maharaj about the flood.

Mr. Maharaj: I have an observation with the flood issue. I mean, I am getting to know about

this flood issue through the Ministry I am in. You said they were occupied during the rainy

season and so on, but it seems to me that the practice is you prepare for flood in the dry

season, not in when the floods are upon you. So your argument there has me a little confused.

Mr. Serrette: That programme that you are speaking about, it would be initiated very, very

soon, maybe in the next week or two. As I said before, we were trying to get a virement to

see if we could boost up the vote and to continue—

Mr. Maharaj: I have an interest in floods, because it will affect the farmers in the area.

Mr. Serrette: In a week or two that will be back on track, but only for a short while really.

Mr. Vieira: Thank you, Chair. Mr. Serrette, earlier on you had mentioned about when people


135

come to these town hall meetings often they are looking for employment, unemployment is a

biggest issue, and your region, you have access to universities: UTT and UWI; there is

CARIRI nearby; you have the airport. There is ecotourism like with Asa Wright; you have

agriculture areas, farms, forests. So my question is, with all of these potential support systems

in place, what efforts have been made regarding strengthening this economic base in your

area?

Mr. Gooding: I think in my opening remarks I said that we were working with the Tunapuna

Chamber, and we also began a relationship with MIC through their MuST and HYPE

programmes, where we are taking young burgesses to channel them through those

programmes. It is just about to start, so you would expect to see the benefit of that down the

road. Similarly with the Tunapuna Chamber, we are also looking to see where we can attach

apprentices to their operations, because they have a large number of businesses.

However, in my short experience in the corporation, I have found that when

people come for employment they are coming specifically for the short-term

employment, and if you were to suggest to them, because we have relationships with

companies in the area, and you would tell them, “Well listen, you can get a job down at KFC

or you could get a job somewhere else”, they are not particularly interested in going for those

kinds of jobs. They are prepared to sign their names on the register once a month, so that

when short-term employment comes up, they would be in line for being hired.

So our midterm to long-term view really is to see how we can encourage people into

more sustainable employment through the kinds of relationships that we are trying to build

now.

Mr. Vieira: Have you looked at things like Nedco and business incubators and that sort of

thing as well?

Mr. Gooding: We are now starting up, and the first step was really the MIC, because we

were very much aware of those, and the Tunapuna Chamber who represents a large number

of businesses, but surely we would want to look at those other opportunities that you just

mentioned. We have to look at a wide range, because the number of unemployed in our area

will be significant.

Mr. Chairman: Tell us a little about the public health and sanitation issues in the

corporation.


136

Ms. Noel: Good day, Mr. Chairman and members. The public health issues: I will start with

the scavenging service. We have a relatively good scavenging service in the area. We

certainly had meetings with the contractors as well to keep them abreast with our findings or

any complaints, et cetera. Recently, within the month, we had inspection of the vehicles,

because sometimes we get complaints such as seepage of liquid from the compactors and the

charging of money too. Sometimes the contractors may ask for money for the services, et

cetera, so we had some visits to the contractors’ premises inspecting the vehicles and liaising

one to one with them. So far we have seen some improvements and we are not getting as

much complaints since that recent

inspection.

We have complaints concerning scavenging such as, sometimes people may complain

that an area or the truck did not pass, and when we do investigate, sometimes, yes, there might

be some mechanical problems or sometimes the truck passes and the resident did not put out

their waste on time, so in that case we would normally go.

The litter wardens would go house-to-house and inform the public, the members, of

the days and times that the area would be serviced.

In addition, whenever the compactors or the trucks do not perform their services, and

we are aware of it through the monitoring of the checkers, we do what we call a percentage

payment, in that, if they leave out any areas we inform them. They are supposed to be

informed in writing within 24 hours, and this we do, and we work out the percentage that was

not completed and we pay them accordingly, what we call a percentage payment.

Mr. Chairman: Are your sanitation services fully contracting out for the corporation?

Ms. Noel: Yes, 100 per cent, yes.

Mr. Chairman: What is your assessment in terms of the level of satisfaction of your

burgesses.

Ms. Noel: Based on the level of complaints we have, I would say about 85 per cent, because

we really do not get much. In a particular area we may tend to get complaints; in that way we

will know to zero in on the contractor, but we do not really get very much complaints on

scavenging presently.

Mr. Chairman: Mr. Maharaj, you had a question?

Mr. Maharaj: Chair, through you. There was a programme called Clean and Beautify


137

Curepe; I understand that was working very well. Is that still ongoing?

Ms. Noel: Yes, we still have a programme.

12.00 p.m.

Mr. Maharaj: If it is working well, is there any intention to replicate that in some of the

other hubs in the corporation’s jurisdiction?

Ms. Noel: You see, because of the location of that Curepe hub, that is why we implemented

it. It is a thoroughfare, a transportation hub so that is why we implemented that project in

that area.

Mr. Maharaj: All right.

Ms. Noel: Now, however, we can survey and if there is need to expand that programme, we

will look into it and do accordingly.

Mr. Maharaj: There were some serious allegations being made against the supervisors and

checkers taking bribes to give good appraisals to these contractors, sanitation contractors in

particular. Have any investigations been initiated to check the veracity of these claims that

there was some kind of underhand activity taking place to ensure that these contractors

continue to benefit from these contracts being awarded to them?

Ms. Noel: I do not know if the CEO wants to comment on that.

Mr. Serrette: I have learnt one thing at the corporation, there are a lot of hearsay and “them

say”. All right. There are times when you hear an allegation made against someone and

when you investigate it, it is not so; people like to talk.

Mr. Maharaj: But by that model there, we should, in Government, adopt the same thing. If

we hear something, just ignore it too.

Mr. Serrette: No, no, we investigate as I said, but after investigation, you find that it is not

true. We have heard the talk, we investigated it and there is no truth to it.

Mr. Maharaj: So it is false allegations?

Mr. Serrette: It is false.

Mr. Chairman: I want to further the matter of public health, what is happening in terms

of—apart from sanitation—inspection of restaurants and those public buildings and so on

which require the inspection—public health inspection? What is the status in the corporation?

Ms. Noel: That aspect of public health is done by the County Medical Officer of Health


138

department. We are the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, we really do not do that

aspect of public health.

Mr. Chairman: Okay.

Ms. Noel: If you have any issue or any problem, they come to our health committee meetings.

In addition, we liaise with one another and coordinate so that we communicate with them on

the issues and follow up from there.

Mr. Serrette: If I may add, Chairman? Right now, we do not have any public health

inspectors on board. We had one and she retired some time ago and we have no public health

inspectors here, so most of those undertakings are done by the CMOH. We have public health

officers who are contracted with the Ministry of Local Government, like Ms. Noel here, and

they would just do public health issues, but like restaurants and so on, the County Medical

Officer of Health.

Mr. Chairman: You had given an answer with regard to litter wardens and security issues

for litter wardens. Can you expand on that?

Mr. Serrette: Well, more or less, the litter wardens now, when they go out to certain areas,

they have no security. They are at risk going out there open to the wolves and in certain areas,

it is very detrimental, even in the building inspector’s office. Well, obviously when they have

to go out, sometimes, to certain areas, the municipal police would accompany them. But the

litter wardens, in extreme cases, we could ask the municipal police but they are severely

understaffed presently so there would be a little challenge there. But really, there is no

security for them when they go out there to perform their duties.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, well that will take us naturally into the area of security. What are the

hot spots in the corporation and what is being done about it? The Inspector of Police can

answer.

Ms. Thompson: To start with, Mr. Chairman, Tunapuna itself is a hot spot. We have the

housing communities like Malabar, La Horquetta and some of these areas north of

Tunapuna and Arouca area, on that side, also are hot spots. What happens, when we do

encounter problems, we ask the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to give some assistance

where necessary. They, too, are understaffed.

Mr. Chairman: Okay. What is the reason for your shortage in terms of complement?

Ms. Thompson: The complement, we never got the sanctioned strength to start with. I came


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in 2010 where I met only seven officers and then we had three estate police. They are since

be out of the system. Right now, we have four officers, one pregnant person, no driver, the

inspector, the sergeant and two corporals—corporals to supervisor nobody.

There is, in fact, that I am aware, a recruitment process taking place because I came

off vacation to start the first phase of the recruitment. I do not know at this point how far it

has reached. So, that is from my aspect I will be able to answer you, Sir.

Mr. Chairman: So you could hardly be effective in terms of the question of policing and so

on in the corporation and you really have to rely much more on the national police.

Ms. Thompson: Yes, Sir, but I try with the little staff that I have to accompany the Building

Inspector, to accompany the litter wardens.

What I do, the Building Inspector will inform me when he has to go to any hot spot,

we get a corporation driver—which I do not think it is safe—and police officers to accompany

him to go and serve notices. With the litter wardens, that is also the process at this point in

time.

Ms. Cudjoe: My question also is in regard to policing and security. I am dealing with pages

59 to 61 of your report. So your full complement right now is—well, the previous report says

14 members of your police department. How many do you have now in total?

Ms. Thompson: The sanctioned strength is supposed to be 14, we never got the complement

of 14.

Ms. Cudjoe: Right. The previous report which I know this current committee would

not be responsible for but it says your actual strength is five.

Ms. Thompson: Yes, please.

Ms. Cudjoe: Right. Your ideal strength, though, is 48 and I know this would have been the

previous body, but why 48? Do you still believe that it is 48 and if so, why? Because the

sanctioned strength is 14 and you are saying your ideal strength is 48.

Ms. Thompson: To cover all the areas that we have presently, Ma’am, because we have the

university town, we have the airport, we have lots of schools in the area, plus the housing

estates. We could start off with the base of 48 as sanctioned strength and build on capacity

from that.

Mr. Chairman: Let us turn now to the question of—[Interruption]

Ms. Coudray: Mr. Chairman, I have one question on police. Why would the municipal


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police be covering the airport?

Ms. Thompson: Now, vending takes place also at the BWIA Boulevard, around that area,

the Factory Road area coming across to the Oropune Housing Development.

Ms. Coudray: So you are not talking about the airport itself?

Ms. Thompson: No, not the airport itself.

Ms. Coudray: Okay.

Ms. Thompson: Because we have vending issues which we cover under our by-laws and it

is becoming a sore point on the highways and in those areas also.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, you spoke a bit about your development allocation. What are the

main projects that you are pursuing under infrastructure?

Mr. Serrette: Presently, our development programme 2013/2014, under local roads and

bridges, the allocation is $10.6 million, and to date, we have received, through releases, $5

million. There is a Phase I of the project, a total of 41 paving projects. Tenders were awarded

and that is currently on the way. Phase II of the project, well, estimates are being prepared

as we speak.

Under drainage and irrigation, the allocation is $8 million. To date, we have received,

through releases, $5 million. Phase I of the project is 37 projects comprising of box drains,

curb and slipper drains and culvert. Phase II of the project, well, estimates are being prepared

as well.

Recreational facilities, allocation, $2.3 million; to date, $1 million was released.

Phase I of the project, 15 projects are underway, and this will comprise of installation of

exercising equipment. I think that should be completed—most of it—fencing to recreational

grounds, lighting to pavilions, installation of concrete bleachers, refurbishment of netball and

basketball courts.

Under market and abattoirs, the allocation is $300,000, we have not received any

release to date, but that project will involve or the refurbishment of the fish and meat section

and general upgrade of the roof.

Local government buildings, allocation $500,000; no release to date. Project to be—

extension to workshop and transport office buildings at Macoya compound. Provision of car

park for employees at the transport and workshop compound. Under cemeteries and

cremation sites, allocation $500,000; released to date in the sum of $500,000, project to be

implemented. Paving of Lopinot Cemetery, paving of roads at Industry Cemetery and


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Streatham Lodge Cemetery. We also have procurement of major vehicles, allocation of $2.5

million, no releases to date, but we are hoping to procure one hydraulic bucket lift truck, two

dump trucks, one 10 tonne truck, another 10 tonne flat tray and one five-tonne half-canopy

flatbed truck.

Under disaster preparedness, allocation $300,000; no releases to date; project to be

implemented: the outfitting of the Disaster Management Emergency Operating Centre at the

Macoya compound. So those are most of the projects— some almost completed in 2012.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, very quickly. You have heard from other corporations about the level

of coordination with other agencies, local authorities and central government and so on. How

well coordinated are you with these other authorities, central government, et cetera? What

are the challenges, if any, you are having in that regard?

Mr. Serrette: Like requesting releases, it is a process. They have to send the request to the

Ministry of Local Government and from there, they will forward it to the Ministry of Works

and Infrastructure.

Mr. Chairman: I am not talking about infrastructure, I am talking about coordinating roads

and other things in terms of development side.

Mr. Serrette: Well, there is a big problem with certain agencies like PURE. For instance,

we might programme a road to be paved and when we go through all the process of tendering

and all of that, when we actually start the project, we realize that PURE already did the

project. Those are cases that we will have because there is no communication, there is no

relation between the agency.

Mr. Chairman: Why not? Why is there no communication and coordination?

Mr. Serrette: Well, we would invite them to our regional coordinating meetings but they do

not always turn up. CISL, on the other hand, they would send a list of all their projects, we

would send a list of all our projects so we could relate to one another about what are the

projects that they will be doing, what are the projects that we will be doing. Oftentimes, there

will be overlaps but not on a regular basis.

Mr. Chairman: What do you intend to do to improve that level of coordination then?

Mr. Serrette: Well, develop more communication; have a better rapport with these agencies

in order to find out what their plans are.

Mr. Gooding: Mr. Chairman, if I may? At the regional coordinating meeting, that is where

we really have contact with these various agencies, and to date we have had good response


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from some of them. Where we have not seen people attending meetings, we have written to

the relevant authorities setting out that according to the Act, they are supposed to have a

representative at these meetings, so we are trying to get them to come. Because what happens,

it is just as the CEO says, there is lack of coordination so that we begin a project or we just

finish patch a road and then they come and pave the whole road, so that is wasting our

resources. So we need to get the coordination right but the regional coordinating meeting is

where we are able to achieve that, and we are working with the relevant people to get better

attendance at those meetings.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, we are getting very close to 12.15 and I will allow one last question—

short—from Mr. Maharaj.

Mr. Maharaj: I do not have a short one but I have a couple, but I will try to see how much

I could squeeze in. Given the state of in-betweenity you have with these various projects that

you have on and given the fact that we are already six months into the fiscal year, do you

have the ability and capacity to complete these projects that is before you right now?

Mr. Serrette: I could boast about that. I came into office here in October 2012 and every

single project between that fiscal year, they were completed on time and within budget. We

could boast about that, so I know for a fact that these will be completed on time without a

doubt.

Ms. Coudray: Have you requested all your releases so far? What percentage have you

requested?

Mr. Serrette: Well, as I said, in phases. The first phase, we got all the money. Second

phase, we are in the process of doing the estimates so that is a next—[Interruption]

Ms. Coudray: How much do you have to apply for still? What is your total allocation and

how much have you requested to date?

Mr. Serrette: I do not have that figure but 2013/2014, that is the current. Ms. Seaforth, do

you have it there? Okay.

12.15 p.m.

Mrs. Seaforth: I will say about fifty per cent of the releases were requested and outstanding

ones will be 50 per cent.

Mr. Chairman: I want to wrap up because we are more or less out of time. There are some

areas that I would like to still bring to the attention of the Chairman and the executive. In

your submissions you spoke to some matters such as lack of internal audit, poor


143

communication in terms of roles, responsibilities, policies and procedures not clearly

documented and communicated.

Given the background of the Chairman, I would expect that he would move very

swiftly to resolve some of these matters so that we would like to hear what are your plans and

programmes for resolving lack of internal audit, poor communications, and policies and

procedures properly documented. And hopefully—not hopefully—we would request that

you write us on your programmes to solve these outstanding matters, but I will leave a

moment for Chairman Gooding to make some concluded remarks.

Mr. Gooding: In terms of the strategic plan, we have more or less had some time to review

what is in that plan and a lot of what you just spoke about is in there. So we now have to take

the next step of developing those systems and procedures, and that is the governance part of

it. Internal audit—that is one that we are dependent on the Solicitor General—Auditor, sorry,

Auditor General, so we are dependent on that but we would do whatever we need to do to

ensure that we are ready.

In terms of bank reconciliations and cheques reconciliations, we want to make sure

that all of those things are in place. So in answer to that, we are following the strategic plan

to follow through in terms of execution. But the closing remarks really are to thank the Joint

Select Committee for inviting us to have this meeting. It has also worked to give us an

indication of where we are, where we are falling short and what we need to go back and do.

But generally I am satisfied with the level of work, and I am amazed with the level of work

that the workers, the management and workers are able to achieve with the resources that we

have.

So in terms of roads and drainage and cleaning up areas and recreational parks,

cemeteries, I am very happy with how we have responded. I think we need to strengthen

certain areas in terms of governance, in terms of the systems and procedures and so on.

Security is a big one for us and I know that we have been constantly following up. There

have been recruitment processes that perhaps the time it takes from recruiting to actually

having the people available takes too long. So by the time we are ready to get the people,

they have moved on to somewhere else. But the security part of it is critical and we need to

get help for our Inspector here to be able to do the kind of work that she wants to do.

As I said, I am happy with the team. We need to also strengthen our management

team and the staff in terms of development and so on and we will—I will give you the


144

undertaking that we will be working towards that so the next time we meet we will be able to

give you maybe more answers and better answers than we gave this morning.

Mr. Chairman: Okay, well I think you did most of my wrapping up. [Laughter] So all that

is left to do is to thank you and your team for responding, as you have, to the questions. There

are still some unanswered questions and the Secretary will communicate with you in writing

so that we could get some of those questions answered over the next couple weeks.

So thank you all very much for spending the time with us and we hope to meet with

you soon again when some of these issues and challenges, we would like to hear, are fully

resolved. So without further ado, I suspend the meeting for five minutes, when we will

continue thereafter.

12.18 p.m.: Meeting suspended.


145

Appendix 4

Legislative

Framework outlining

the functions of

Municipal

Corporations


146

THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

The Municipal Corporation Act 1990

The Municipal Corporations Act (act 21 of 1990, amended 1991, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2003,

2008) made provision for the establishment of “other Municipal Corporations (which

included the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation) and for the consolidation and reform

of laws affecting Local Government”6. The Act, which is the primary piece of legislation

governing local government bodies, gives details of the purpose, function, structure,

constitution and operations of these entities.

The Act makes provision for a governance structure, namely a council made up of members

of the community; and an administrative/operational arm; and instructs on the “powers,

authorities, rights, interests and privileges” vested in a Corporation. The Act authorizes

Corporations to carry out specific function within a municipality viz.

Issuance of licenses to peddlers, hawkers and hucksters

Management of markets and slaughterhouses (including food safety matters)

Inspection of buildings for public use

Assessment and collection of rents for homes and businesses

Make bye-laws for traffic management and the construct and maintenance of roads

(subject to the provisions of the Highways Act and to section 110 of the Motor Vehicle

and Road Traffic Act)

The Municipal Police Service

Other functions of Corporations defined by the Act7 include:

a) The distribution of truck-borne water subject to the provisions of the Water and

Sewerage Act

b) The provision, maintenance and control of all Corporation buildings

6 Municipal Corporations Act No 21 of 1990 7 Ibid, Section 232


147

c) The maintenance and control of homes for the aged established by the Corporation

d) Subject to any other written law, the maintenance and control of child-care centres

established by the Corporation

e) The construction and maintenance of all drains and water-courses except main

drains and water- courses, and drains along main roads and highways

f) The provision, maintenance and control of such parks, recreation grounds, beaches

and other public spaces as the President may from time to time by Order prescribe

g) The promotion of development within the Municipality in accordance with plans

approved by the Minister with responsibility for physical planning;

h) The maintenance of State property including— such police stations, health centres,

post offices, and other government buildings as the Minister to whom responsibility

for construction and maintenance of buildings is assigned may by Order determine;

i) The disposal of garbage from public and private property, the development and

maintenance of sanitary landfills, chemical treatment for insect and vector control,

abatement of public nuisances and dissemination of information for primary health

care

j) The co-ordination of local and regional trade fairs, athletic events and cultural

displays and entertainment

k) The collection and distribution of forms issued by Departments of Government

l) The maintenance and control of burial grounds and crematoria, subject to the

provisions of the Public Burial Grounds Act and the Cremation Act;

m) The provision, maintenance and control of public pastures and recreation grounds,

subject to the provisions of the Recreation Grounds and Pastures Act

n) Such other functions as the President may from time to time by Order prescribe


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Appendix 5

SWOT analysis

conducted by the

SLRC


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SJLRC Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (May 2012)

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

Political Political

1. The elections in 2010 saw the SJLRC being

represented by three parties the PNM (which

is in control of the Corporation) UNC, COP.

This means the burgesses have a cross section

of representation on the Council.

2. The present government’s strategy for the

development of local government is still being

formed, with opportunity for the Corporations

to influence this agenda. Local Government

is considered one of seven critical pillars of

sustainable development (Pillar 6 – Good

Governance)

3. There is the opportunity to deepen

partnerships with the Ministry of Works &

Infrastructure to facilitate timely and effective

road works and drainage works.

4. Though the Corporation is PNM-led, the

Central Government is supportive of the

Corporation and is giving full support to the

new market.

5. Because of political mix the SJLRC is better

positioned to offer a balanced response to

corporate and national issues, possibly

enhancing its ability to impact on new and

existing policies.

1. Local government reform that was being

planned and now shelved means that no

change is taking place in the system and the

new government has not articulated their

plans.

2. Lack of employment opportunities for both

skilled and unskilled persons is growing as an

issue for public discourse. There are greater

demands being placed on the politicians

including councillors to provide sustained

employment. Organizations like SJLRC are

especially targeted bearing in mind that many

services being delivered are labour intensive.

3. The development of new housing projects

within the region for example in Laventille

and Champs Fleur, will place additional

burdens on the Corporation to provide

services

4. The Local government system is not in the

constitution and can be disbanded easily.

5. If the central government does not agree with

the Corporation’s programme of action e.g.

rebuilding of the abattoir, resources will not

be made available. This will stymie the

delivery of services to burgesses.


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Economic Economic

1. Challenges in the oil and gas sector have

shifted focus to other productive sectors like

agriculture and in that regard new

opportunities for burgess to create/grow

business (training, funding etc.)

2. The new market can stimulate addition

interest in the municipality as a hub for

business activity.

3. The natural assets of the municipality make it

a good area for tourism, retail, manufacturing

etc. which can support further business

development and employment opportunities

for burgesses

4. The new market and the Renaissance Project

will create new opportunities for small

business development and corporate

partnerships

1. Trinidad and Tobago has experienced two

years of economic downturn (2010, 2011)

with two deficit budgets. Projected growth is

expected to occur in 2012 but is likely to be

small. This trend will likely mean tightening

of the government’s budget is all but the

essential/highest priority areas e.g. health,

public utilities etc.

2. Oil and gas revenues have not provided the

returns as in previous years despite high

prices for oil (natural gas prices have fallen

below the budgeted amount), which further

reduce Government’s revenues

3. Sustained high prices of food and other

essentials can exacerbate households and

communities living in poverty or with limited

means, placing greater demands on the

Corporation to provide services to more

persons

4. Industrial relations challenges and crime have

negatively affected business growth (and

have pushed prices of necessities such as

cement and steel).

5. The Corporation may be overwhelmed with

applications for employment in light of rising

unemployment.

6. A growth of illegal business where

unemployment is a concern SJLRC lacks the

resources to monitor such activities.

7. The increase in vehicles on the road results in

challenges in traffic management.


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Socio-Cultural Socio-Cultural

1. The municipality of the SJLRC is rich in

cultural diversity and opportunities abound

for this culture to be displayed. These

positive experiences can be highlighted in

response to the negative images that often

appear to dominate the national psyche as it

relates to some areas of the municipality

2. Opportunities exist for civic and community

minded retired persons in the community to

give support to initiatives targeting young

persons, particularly at risk youth, with the

Corporation making the link between persons

and programmes

3. Parks, sporting and recreational families can

make the region a hub for ‘healthy’

community and family activities

4. There is a growing pool of skilled persons

seeking opportunities to support community

development initiatives

5. A strong civil society movement is available

to support social development in the region.

1. The high crime rate in the municipality poses

threats for services to be provided as workers

are challenged when they go to certain areas.

2. Higher unemployment and inflation could

lead to rises in criminal activity.

3. Persistent poverty, low income households,

urban migration and other social ‘drivers’ put

a strain on the limited resources of the

Corporation.

4. Lifestyle diseases including hypertension,

diabetes, cancer HIV/AIDS, are rapidly

growing. These create heavily demands on

the ‘public purse’ and can shift the focus of

funding which may compete with other

critical social concerns to be addressed for the

burgesses

5. Social diseases like HIV/AIDS prevalent in

the most productive years of the workforce

lives can lead to a depletion in the work force

and a strain for social assistance.

6. Growing migrants (international)

communities in the region add to the demand

for services from the Corporation

7. Lack of good zoning policy and enforcement

causes conflict between types of commercial

activity and between residential and

commercial activity in the Burgess


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Technology Technology

1. New, less costly technology is available for

delivering services – environmental

management, infrastructure development,

crime fighting as well as communicating with

burgesses.

1. Technology is being used to facilitate

criminal activity where the central and

municipal police are unable to cope

Environment Environment

1. Opportunities exist for the SJLRC to

seriously get involved in recycling which will

not only ensure a clean environment but

increase economic activity as small business

ventures in the community can be created.

Some communities have already set up pilot

projects

2. Opportunities to beautify the community and

improve the appearance throughout the

municipality will improve the wellbeing of

the burgesses.

3. The closure of the Beetham landfill can create

urgency for recycling.

4. The introduction of litter Wardens can greatly

enhance the overall environment of the region

and support initiatives to keep water courses

clear that contribute to flood control

1. Flooding and poor waste disposal habits by

burgesses create heath challenges in

particular vector bourn disease

2. In the absence of regulations for the Scrap

Iron industry, the indiscriminate use of road

reserves, and criminal activities associated

with acquiring the produce, pose a challenge

to the SJLRC to manage.

3. The inability to get to certain areas to clean

and collect garbage due to the crime situation

can pose challenges for the SJLRC.

4. The indiscriminate cutting of the hills, along

with inadequate cleaning of drains and poor

building practices create challenges, causing

flooding in the plains, affecting both

residential and commercial (agriculture)

interests

5. The growing incidence of unregulated

camping on beaches create public health and

security challenges

6. Poor traffic management creates congestion

in the region’s city centre that challenges both

persons and businesses as well as emergency

services seeking to access communities

7. The management of traffic poses a challenge

for the Police, the Ministry of Transportation

and the corporation.


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Stakeholders Stakeholders

1. Stakeholders in the community like

Neighbourhood groups NGOs and CBOs and

Business associations provide good

opportunities to work together to improve the

community

2. Burgesses provide opportunities for the

SJLRC to achieve their goals and they should

be brought closer into the fold as they will

know what is going on in the community and

be able to assist the SJLRC in prioritizing

services.

3. Contractors and suppliers work well with the

corporation

4. Vendors in the market can be given the

opportunity to work on committees with the

corporation as the new market is opened.

1. Burgesses as Stakeholder can be very

demanding and demand services which at

times the SJLRC may have difficult in

providing.

2. The indiscriminate dumping of garbage,

construction of illegal buildings and other

illegal activities by burgesses create serious

challenges e.g. flooding, while the

Corporation has very limited resources to

regulate and enforce policy.

3. There are many social challenges in the

region and the councillors need to identify

needs more readily.

Organization Organization

1. The SJLRC has an important role to play in

the lives of its burgesses. It operates closer to

the people than central government and

provides the services that the people identify

and need.

2. The SJLRC has a Vision and Mission to set

the focus for the organization. They are also

taking steps to ensure implementation of the

priorities.

3. The SJLRC’s political arm and

administrative arm are part of the statutory

meetings together so when decisions are

taken the administration is aware of the

circumstances surrounding the decision and

are in a position to implement.

4. There is a good blend of newer and more

experienced councillors so that fresh ideas

and understanding of the local government

systems are available for progress of the

Corporation and the region

1. The structure of the organisation is

hierarchical in nature. This may pose

challenges within an operational environment

that requires high levels of creative energy,

teamwork and personal initiative when

decisions have to be taken quickly e.g. in

times of disaster.

2. The structure of the Corporation may need to

be reviewed in light of the changing

personnel and enhanced demands for service

and the new skills required to meet these

demands.

3. The CEO has limited

leadership/management support. There is a

need for a good battery of chief officers,

with the required competencies to

implement decision.

4. There is no IT /. Research Dept and those

functions are missing. There is a need for

more manpower.


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Operations Operations

1. The SJLRC assists other regional

corporations in times of need and has built up

good working relationships. Reciprocating

when needed

2. The councillors have good camaraderie and

teamwork with all having concerns to provide

services to the burgesses.

3. The Corporation is taking steps to set up

management systems and structures for the

running and maintenance of the new market

and Renaissance Park.

4. Systems and procedures are being put in

place to stem the pilferage in the stores and

works sectors of the corporation

5. The building of the Abattoir can afford

opportunities to partner with other regional

corporations and provide a service to them.

Funds are required in draft estimate for the

next financial year.

6. The corporation is currently seeking to

construct new headquarters, either through

building or purchase.

7. CEO’s award for contracts has increase from

$100,000.00 to $ 300,000.00 giving the

Council some inputs in awarding small

contracts

1. About 50% of the services must be contracted

out as the SJLRC does not have the Human

resources or equipment to undertake some

projects.

2. The Political and Administrative arms do not

always work as a team.

3. Contracts over $300,000 for scavenging and

other activities are awarded by the Ministry

and the majority contracts are awarded to

contractors outside of the corporation’s

boundaries, much to the disapproval of the

Councillors.

4. The present headquarters of the Corporation

are totally inadequate particularly for serving

burgesses and other members of the public

5. Most of the services are contracted out with

little inputs from the Council. The award of

scavenging contract is handled through

SWMCOL formerly Central Board


155


Human Resources Human Resources

1. The SJLRC has committed reliable staff and

councillors willing to provide services.

2. Some of the daily paid workers are from the

municipality and will be able to provide the

service needed in their communities.

3. Unskilled staff is readily available in the

catchments area.

4. Training programmes are provided for staff

in-house or externally

5. The recruitment of Litter Wardens will afford

opportunities of employment for several

persons in the community.

6. The establishment of an IT Unit would

enhance the quality of work produced by the

staff.

1. There is no fully functional HR Department

to administer all the functions required for

HR Development. The SJLRC operates with

a Personnel Management Unit that is

inadequate.

2. The SJLRC is understaffed in certain areas

and a manpower audit is required.

3. Monthly paid staff is sent from the Ministry

and the SJLRC have no inputs in recruitment

and placement.

4. The quality of some staff is poor as they do

not possess the necessary basic qualifications.

They are employed as a social service.

5. Workers who are not from a region are unable

to provide services in some specific

communities.

6. The SJLRC is called upon to provide

employment for its burgesses some of whom

may be mental, ex-convicts or recovering

addicts. The supervisory staff is not trained to

handle some of these cases as there is no EAP

program or other support systems in place.

7. The HR system is not fully computerized and

many records are kept manually.

8. The recruiting polices of the SJLRC are weak

and need upgrading.

9. The SJLRC changed four CEO’s in six

months 2011, and with the frequent changes

in leadership managerial weaknesses result,

affecting the overall functioning of the

Corporation.

10. Staff of the corporation is operating in

cramped and inadequate conditions.

11. There is a need for litter wardens

12. There is no IT Unit to enhance the use of

technology


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Marketing Marketing

1. There is no marketing department and

communication internally and externally is

weak

2. Proactive communication at the level of the

community is lacking and there may be a

need for Community notice boards to

promote Social tiding

3. Customer Care services are lacking in the

corporation as customers are sent from one

person to another to secure services Re-

introduction of a Customer Care Desk is

required.

4. The telephone system is inadequate

Finance Finance

1. The Finance system is well organized and

reports are sent to the Ministry of Finance and

Local Government as scheduled.

2. The payroll systems is computerized

3. The SJLRC generates income for itself

through rentals of its facilities and services,

particularly in the market.

1. Budgets are usually cut and releases are

oftentimes received late from the Ministry of

Finance.

Plant and Equipment Plant and Equipment

1. The Corporation is in the process of

identifying a location to commence building

its Administrative Complex.

2. The new San Juan market is well underway,

and the first two buildings have been made

available for use

3. Disaster Management Unit networks well

with other Agencies to deliver services when

required.

1. The building currently occupied by the

Corporation is inadequate and uncomfortable

for staff members

2. Equipment and supplies are frequently being

pilfered from the corporation, resulting in

having to replace them as the expense of other

important items.


157

Appendix 6

Key External and

Internal Risks


158

KEY RISKS LEVEL OF

RISK

RISK MITIGATION

STRATEGIES

EXTERNAL RISKS

1. Unclear Government Position on

Local Government

Medium Development of the Business

Plan for the Corporation.

Development of a non-partisan

Regional Development Strategy

2. Lack of Support from key

ministries e.g. MOLG, MOWI etc.

High Specific strategies to develop

relationships with key personnel

in Ministries

Re-establish the Corporation’s

Coordinating Committee, with

selected members (in decision

making positions) of partner

ministries, specific tasks and

good support for follow up on

decisions

3. Local Government elections in

2013

Medium – High Strategies in Business Plan must

be promoted and amended if there

are changes in leadership,

membership of the Council.

Returning members and the CEO

must be advocates of the Plan and

its strategies.

4. Lack of Commitment to Shared

Targets between Council and

Administration

High Agreement on communities most

in need, projects of the highest

priority between Council and

Administration further to the

Business Plan

Development of a non-partisan

Regional Development Strategy

5. Inadequate resourcing for planned

action in light of the economic

downturn/Competing Priorities

High Agreement on communities most

in need, projects of the highest

priority between Council and

Administration further to the

Business Plan


159

KEY RISKS LEVEL OF

RISK

RISK MITIGATION

STRATEGIES

EXTERNAL RISKS (cont’d)

6. Persistent Poverty, Crime,

Incidence of Disasters

High Closer collaboration based on

MOU with social service

ministries and MNS

Strengthening of the Corporation

Disaster Response system

Formation of partnerships with

private sector and civil society to

foster disaster preparedness

strategies in these sectors

7. Ineffective Legal

environment/Slow reform of

legislative framework e.g. building

codes, zoning

High Closer collaboration based on

MOU with Ministry of Planning

Strengthening of the Building

Inspectorate with additional

officers to enhance monitoring

and enforcement

Strengthening of the collaboration

with business associations to

facilitate self-regulation of the

sector

8. Persistent dissatisfaction with

programmes, services among

burgesses

High Develop and implement the

marketing/communication/re-

branding strategy for the

Corporation

Develop and implement effective

customer care protocols including

enhancement of the telephone

system, introduction of the

Corporation’s website, customer

feedback systems at convenient

locations across the region


160

KEY RISKS LEVEL OF

RISK

RISK MITIGATION

STRATEGIES

INTERNAL RISKS

1. Change in Key Personnel e.g.

Engineer, CEO

High Specific retention strategies put in

place

Non-crisis discussions with

MOLG HR and CPO to share the

Corporation’s Strategy and

supporting HR initiatives (based

on HR Audit)

2. Inability to attract and retain

skilled staff e.g. Building

Inspectors, IT,

Marketing/Communications

High Recruit critical officers through

the OJT and Associate

Professional programme in the

short to medium term.

Hold non-crisis discussions with

MOLG HR and CPO to share the

Corporation’s Strategy and

supporting HR initiatives (based

on HR Audit)

3. In adequate resources to address

inefficiencies in operating

structure and systems

High Review and strengthening of

business processes as a high

priority with low cost solutions

applied in the short term

4. Inconsistent Performance of Key

Partners such as MOWI

High Develop MOUs with key partners

that outline specific targets to be

met, proposed schedule, and

source of required resources

Re-establish the Corporation’s

Coordinating Committee, with

selected members (in decision

making positions) of partner

ministries, specific tasks and

good support for follow up on

decisions


161

KEY RISKS LEVEL OF

RISK

RISK MITIGATION

STRATEGIES

INTERNAL RISKS (cont’d)

5. Contractor non or under

performance

Medium to High Institute performance-based

contracts in collaboration with the

MOLG

Strengthen project monitoring

through the recruitment of project

officers and training of managers

and technical officers

6. Equipment failure/Inadequacy

Medium to High Acquisition to critical equipment

and vehicles for disaster

management , works projects,

public health (including water

distribution)

7. Limited Monitoring and

Evaluation

High Strengthen project monitoring

through the recruitment of project

officers and training of managers

and technical officers

8. Inadequate Strategic Review and

Adaptation/Change Management

Medium to High Institute monthly strategic review

meeting between the Council and

Administration

fifteenth (15 ) report · 2014-12-01 · 2 mr. hugh russell ian roach replaced mr. subhas...

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