What We Do

Who We Are and What We Do

The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government functions as the coordinating agency which guides Municipal Corporations and Special Purpose Enterprises in assisting communities by pooling resources in targeted areas which include among others Infrastructure Development, Disaster Management, Public Health and Sanitation. The Ministry is also responsible for organizing, promoting and implementing rural development policies and strategies. We have a more direct and constant connection to citizens than many other arms of the Central Government through the Municipal Corporations.  This makes our Ministry critical to the democratic process and a major catalyst in the execution of any citizen-centered national initiative.

The Local Government System encompasses a number of interconnected actors which include:

The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government (central coordinating agency)

Fourteen Municipal Corporations:

 

  •  2 City Corporations
    o Port-of- Spain City Corporation
    o San Fernando City Corporation

 

  • 5 Borough Corporations
    o Arima Borough Corporation
    o Chaguanas Borough Corporation
    o Diego Martin Borough Corporation
    o Point Fortin Borough Corporation
    o Siparia Borough Corporation

 

  • 7 Regional Corporations
    o Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation
    o Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation
    o Penal/Debe Regional Corporation
    o Princes Town Regional Corporation
    o San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation
    o Sangre Grande Regional Corporation
    o Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation

Affiliates

 

The role and responsibilities of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government are mainly to:

  • Convey the policy perspectives and guidelines of Central Government
  • Monitor the finances and expenditure
  • Render expert advice
  • Issue guidelines on administrative and statutory regulations
  • Supervise the execution of projects and programmes
  • Coordinate the activities of Municipal Corporations in order to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of services in a timely manner and also balanced growth development.
  • Act as an adjudicator in cases of disputes between Municipal Corporations