Rondon: Pamzanilla resort not linked to flooding

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

In this 2017 photo, then Sangre Grande Regional Corporation chairman Terry Rondon listens to Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan as they toured flood-affected areas in north-east Trinidad.

Former Sangre Grande Regional Corporation (SGRC) chairman and present councillor for Valencia East/Toco Terry Martin Rondon said, to his knowledge the diversion of the river near the Pamzanilla resort on the Manzanilla Road has not contributed to flooding in the area.

He was responding to questions from Newsday after assertions were made by Caroni Central MP Arnold Ram during the UNC’s virtual report on Monday. Ram called for an investigation into how the river, which runs near the resort, had changed course.

“This has to be investigated by the Drainage Division of the Works Ministry and the regional corporation.

“There’s a resemblance to the name Pamela, who is the wife of Minister Rohan Sinanan, and it’s alleged that they are the owners of the property. We are told the river has been blocked, and that is the cause of the flooding that happens in the Manzanilla stretch that leads between Mayaro and the main thoroughfare between Mayaro and Sangre Grande.”

A councillor later joined Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on the platform and related what, he said, happened when he went with an excavator to clear the river.

“We went with the supervisor from the Works Ministry where they would have placed 90 working hours for the excavator to clear the watercourse there. The Minister of Works came down and told the supervisor and myself this was the wrong area that they sent the excavator.”

Rondon said since the resort was built, there had not been any flooding in that area.

“That’s Rohan Sinanan’s place. I don’t think that’s causing any flooding. It’s been there for years. I was chairman of the constitutency and I never got that report. I went to a flooded area higher up that we call the cutaway.

“Up to yesterday we had a meeting and I heard of all other places that were flooded out, and I didn’t hear about Manzanilla or the resort. Knowing the UNC, that would have been brought up in the meeting, which was about infrastructure. I heard about Ramdass Street, Sangre Grande Northwest, Sangre Grade Northeast and Vega flooded out.”

Rondon said while there was flooding in Manzanilla last week, it was not opposite or close to the resort.

Efforts to reach Manzanilla councillor Kenwyn Phillip were unsuccessful.

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