Category: Media Release

Media Release

DMUs on site as Volcanic Eruptions occur at Devil’s Woodyard, New Grant

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February 13th, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – At around 6:30pm last night, reports were received by the Princes Town Disaster Management Unit via their 24 Hour Toll-Free Hotline that volcanic activity was detected at Devil’s Woodyard, Hindustan Road, New Grant.

Senior Disaster Management Coordinator at the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, Mr. Rishi Siew accompanied by personnel from the Princes Town DMU visited the site and confirmed these reports and further advised members of the public to be cautious when traversing the area.

Acting Minister of Rural Development and Local Government and Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Senator the Honorable Clarence Rambharat urges citizens to be cautious saying, “I understand that people are anxious to view the volcanic eruptions however at this time, I strongly urge all residents and citizens to avoid going to the site and allow the emergency first responders and Seismic personnel to do their work in order to get this situation under control and prevent any incidents.”

At this time the Chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation, Councillor Gowrie Roopnarine, along with the Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the Princes Town Disaster Management Unit and Senior Disaster Management Coordinator in the Ministry are on site, coordinating efforts in order to ensure safety and security for all residents and by extension citizens.

Citizens are kindly asked to be vigilant and proceed with caution when traversing the area.

 

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Media Release

Minister Haji Kazim Hosein congratulates Batch 1/2017 of Municipal Police Constables

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March 10, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – Yesterday, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government hosted a Graduation Ceremony to congratulate the 26 Municipal Police Constables from Batch 1/2017.

The event was held at the City Hall Auditorium, San Fernando and was well-attended by local government practitioners as well as friends and families of the graduating batch. The graduating class comprised of 23 women and 3 men which was duly noted by all speakers as a movement towards gender balance in the service, on the heels of International Women’s Day.

These officers will be placed across the 10 Regional Corporations that fall under the Public Service Commission (PSC) adding to the present complement of Municipal Police Constables, with the task of ensuring citizens’ safety and security.

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Media Release

Minister Haji Kazim Hosein wishes Senator Avinash Singh a speedy recovery

March 6, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Haji Kazim Hosein, who is currently acting for Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat, has expressed his sincere concern for Parliamentary Secretary Senator the Honorable Avinash Singh, who was hospitalized after being subject to over 200 bee stings last Saturday at his home garden.

Minister Kazim Hosein recognizes that Senator Singh suffered a traumatic experience and is grateful that he is now in a stable condition. He takes this opportunity to wish his dear colleague a speedy recovery and has no doubt that the medical staff at Mount Hope would do their utmost best to ensure his well-being.

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Media Release

Six New Chief Executive Officers for Municipal Corporations

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March 5, 2018, Kent House, Maraval – The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government is pleased to announce the appointment by the Service Commissions Department of Trinidad and Tobago of six new Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for the Municipal Corporations.

Minister Haji Kazim Hosein hosted an introductory meeting yesterday afternoon, to acquaint the Chairmen with the new administrative heads who will be serving in their respective Municipal Corporations. The Minister stated, “This is an orientation session to encourage good relations between the political and administrative arms at the local government level. Whichever arm you belong to, the objective is service and putting people first. We have an opportunity here to begin on the correct footing, with an open line of communication, and we want to maintain that throughout the tenure of all local government practitioners.”

The appointments are as follows:

Municipal Corporation Chief Executive Officer Chairman
Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation Ms. Satragie Maharaj Chairman Henry Awong
Diego Martin Regional Corporation Mrs. Ann Hosein Chairman Susan Hong
Princes Town Regional Corporation Mrs. Magdalene Matthews Chairman Gowrie Roopnarine
Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation Mrs. Betty Ramdass-Ali Chairman Paul Leacock
Sangre Grande Regional Corporation Mrs. Dianne Lakhan Chairman Martin Terry Rondon
Siparia Regional Corporation Mr. Ravindranath Gangoo Chairman Glenn Ramadharsingh

 

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Media Release

Landslide on the Lady Young Road

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February 28, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government wishes to advise that there is a landslide on the Lady Young Road currently rendering it impassable. The landslide is located approximately ½-mile up from the Morvant Junction. The traveling public is asked to seek alternative routes and citizens are asked to avoid the area.

Reports were received of a vehicle being partially covered by rubble, however, the San Juan/Laventille Disaster Management Unit and Trinidad and Tobago Fire Services were deployed and are currently on scene. The driver has now been moved to safety. First response agencies including the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, Port of Spain City Corporation, Ministry of Works and Transport, Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, and Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service are currently working together to clear the debris, direct traffic, and bring order to the situation.

 

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Media Release

Minister Kazim Hosein encourages citizens to work with all service providers in their communities

February 23, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Haji Kazim Hosein has made an appeal to the public to adopt a more collaborative approach to all service providers in every community. He specifically made reference to the garbage collectors, public health officers, litter wardens, and Municipal Police Officers who regularly traverse the regions, boroughs and cities of Trinidad and who habitually interact with the public.

Minister Kazim Hosein empathizes with the public saying, “Services such as scavenging, remain an essential to the every community. Failure to collect garbage on a regular basis can lead to numerous health risks. We at the Ministry want to bring service delivery closer to the people, and help to forge deeper ties between all service providers and the communities in which they operate. Everyone should be able to recognize the Municipal Police Officers, the garbage men, the public health inspectors, so that they know who they can turn to for help, and so they can feel safe seeing familiar faces in the area.”

Minister Hosein further urged members of the public and service providers alike, to work together to keep our surroundings clean and safe, and to build community relations. “A key element of local government reform is improving the delivery of goods and services provided at this level. Developing better customer service is one part of it, and building these ties in the community is certainly the other. We must continue to work together so that we can make lasting progress.”

 

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Media Release

Inter-agency Team monitors mud volcano eruptions, alert level at the lowest

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February 13, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – Following three confirmed eruptions of the mud volcano at Devil’s Woodyard, New Grant, Princes Town from as early as 4:20 a.m. today, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government is confirming that the alert level for the site is currently level 1—the lowest on its disaster management scale— which means the volcano is in a state where it poses no immediate danger to human life and there is so far no indication, based on seismic and other tests, that a hazardous eruption is imminent.

“There has been some structural damage to the surrounding road but there’s a vast distance between the mud volcano and the nearest homes,” said Rishi Siew, the senior coordinator at the ministry’s disaster management unit. “A level 1 alert really means the regional corporation can handle the incident at this time since the volcanic activity does not disrupt or threaten the life or livelihood of any person or community.”

The ministry’s Level 1 rating is bolstered by the fact that air quality tests conducted by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) at the New Grant site have so far returned normal results with only minimal traces of nitrogen dioxide detected.

The EMA is part of an interagency team which includes officials of the Princes Town Regional Corporation, the Seismic Unit of the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, the Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago (GSTT), and the ministry ’s disaster management unit who are working alongside police and fire officers on site to conduct air quality, seismic and other tests and put measures in place to ensure the safety of residents in the area.

Such measures include the temporary closure at approximately 10 o’clock this morning of the Hindustan Road in New Grant to vehicular and pedestrian traffic except to people who live in the area. The police also put residents of some 25 homes with proximity to the mud volcano on notice should a full-scale evacuation become necessary.

Further, in the event of an evacuation, the ministry and its partners at the regional corporation took a decision early today to activate and equip three shelters at the Hindustan Government Primary School, the Hindustan Presbyterian School and the Hindustan Community Centre, all of them well outside the “hot zone.”

Meanwhile, acting Minister of Rural Development and Local Government and Minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat cut short Carnival engagements to visit the New Grant site in person late Tuesday.

Minister Rambharat is urging both residents and members of the public not to visit the New Grant mud volcano until there’s official word that it is safe to do so.

 

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Media Release

Applications Invited for Garbage Collection Services Until February 16, 2018

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February 6th, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, through the engagement of the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited, is continuing the selection process for garbage collection contractors for the fourteen (14) Municipal Corporations. Contractors will be sorted into three categories:

  • Small – Contractors with five or less trucks
  • Medium – Contractors with six to fifteen trucks
  • Large – Contractors with sixteen trucks and more

Application packages may be purchased at the SWMCOL Procurement Unit, #34 Independence Avenue, Port of Spain, and must be submitted by Friday 16th February, 2018. Minister Haji Kazim Hosein stated, “So far we have received approximately 300 applications from over 120 companies, so we can see that the process is working and contractors of all sizes are responding. Our aim is to create opportunities within every community for people who want to work. Even someone with just one truck can apply and have a chance to be selected. This is precisely what local government reform is about.”

During the tender evaluation process, the Municipal Corporations will be assisting SWMCOL with the inspection of vehicles and facilities of potential contractors, as well as the preparation of route packages to match the capacity of the contractors.

The MoRDLG through the Municipal Corporations is committed to improving garbage collection services and assures that the service will continue uninterrupted while the procurement process is underway. For further details, interested applicants can email the Procurement Manager, SWMCOL at cdoyle@swmcol.co.tt. Pre-qualification documents can be viewed at www.swmcol.co.tt

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Media Release

Minister Haji Kazim Hosein attends first Statutory Meeting of 2018 in the City of San Fernando

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February 2nd, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Haji Kazim Hosein along with Ministry officials attended the Statutory Meeting of the San Fernando City Corporation on Wednesday. This was the first Statutory Meeting held by the Council for 2018, and the ninth Municipal Corporation Statutory Meeting that has been attended by the Ministry. Statutory Meetings take place in every Municipal Corporation on the last Wednesday of each month and are open to the public.

Proceedings in San Fernando began with the observance of a moment of silence for the passing of former president of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago George Maxwell Richards as well as the mother of former Minister of Local Government Chandresh Sharma, Mrs. Shanthi Devee Sharma.

Minister Haji Kazim Hosein updated the Members of Council and Administration on the recently completed preliminary recruitment process for Municipal Police Constables conducted by the Statutory Authorities Service Commission. Increasing the complement of the Municipal Police Service is one pillar of local government reform, Minister Hosein stated, further saying, “We will grow the Municipal Police service to be 1,107 officers strong, and restore the sense of citizen safety and security in every community.”

The Minister also outlined the ongoing selection process for garbage selection services, for which the Ministry has engaged the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL). This process will now allow small contractors, with only truck, the opportunity to gain employment within their community.

Both these initiatives by the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government are components local government reform. These and other elements continue to move forward as the Ministry awaits the finalization of the legislative amendments required for full implementation.

Minister Hosein reiterated his commitment to working with the Council in San Fernando and all Municipalities saying, “Reaching the people, in every corner of the island, is the biggest component of local government reform. And together, we will get it done.”

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Media Release

Selection Process for Garbage Collection Services Opens New Opportunities for Rural Communities

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January 24th, 2018 Kent House, Maraval – The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government has engaged the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) for the procurement of garbage collection services for the fourteen (14) Municipal Corporations. Contractors will be sorted into three categories:

  • Small – Contractors with five or less trucks
  • Medium – Contractors with six to fifteen trucks
  • Large – Contractors with sixteen trucks and more

Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Haji Kazim Hosein has said, “This type of selection is being employed to give all contractors, even the small ones with just one truck, a chance to bid within their community. With this initiative, we aim to create avenues for people to work and thrive right within their communities. An integral part of local government reform is local job creation, while improving service delivery in all areas, and bridging the gap in service delivery that has long existed for many rural communities. This is just one of the components of the Reform that we are moving forward. ”

Efficient garbage collection is an integral service contracted by the Municipal Corporations. SWMCOL has been engaged to guide this process to ensure that all selection criteria is met and that the best suited contractors will be assigned in their respective communities.

The MoRDLG through the Municipal Corporations is committed to improving garbage collection services and assures that the service will continue uninterrupted while the procurement process is underway. Interested applicants may collect pre-qualification documents at the SWMCOL Procurement Unit, #34 Independence Avenue, Port of Spain, or email the Procurement Manager, SWMCOL at cdoyle@swmcol.co.tt for further details. Pre-qualification documents can be viewed at www.swmcol.co.tt

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