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UNC councillor for Kelly Village/Warrenville, Samuel Sankar. Photo courtesy United National Congress

A lone UNC councillor, Samuel Sankar of Kelly Village/Warrenville, attended a meeting of local government representatives hosted by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. The meeting was held at the Government Campus Plaza, Richmond Street, Port of Spain on Tuesday.

A letter sent to regional corporation heads on July 28 invited them to the meeting, along with all councillors and all aldermen. The Prime Minister was expected to attend but did not show on the day. Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday instructed United National Congress (UNC) councillors and chairmen to boycott the meeting. The meeting laid out the operationalisation of the Local Government Reform Bill.

Speaking to Newsday via telephone, Sankar said he attended the meeting because he represents over 12,000 burgesses who are in need of goods and services from local government.

“It was advertised that part of the forum would have facilitated a question-and-answer session by the Prime Minister and the Rural Development and Local Government Minister.

“I made representation for my burgesses at that meeting, and that was my purpose for going there today, to tell and request the Prime Minister: ‘This is my situation, how could you help me? How could you assist my burgesses?’

“That was a direct question for the Local Government Minister, everybody heard it, it was open and that was my sole purpose.”

He said his electoral district had been starved for funding, goods, and services, coming out of local government elections.

“I have five recreational grounds and parks that are overgrown and are not maintained, and I requested those today at the meeting. I need lights in my recreation grounds, I need the grounds to be kept properly, and so my intent was always to facilitate growth and development in access roads, infrastructure development, roads and bridges, drainage. Bejucal Road, Warren Road, Adjodha Road, all are access agriculture roads and they are in a deplorable state.”

Kelly Village/Warrenville councillor Samuel Sankar warns a teenager about the dangers of playing in flood waters as he conducts a disaster management assessment in St Helena on July 30, 2021. File photo/Marvin Hamilton

He said a lot of work needed to be done to alleviate the flooding problems in his electoral district.

“When it floods, I wonder who is coming to help me if I don’t get my representation there. I prefer to treat with mitigation against flooding than to go and look for hampers to distribute.

“I did ask the Local Government Minister those questions and said I need help in my electoral district, roads, infrastructural development, parks and recreation, sanitation, we have challenges throughout the district in terms of services to distribute to our burgesses.”

Samuel said he went to the meeting to speak directly to Dr Rowley and make representation at that level, as he was not in the business of burning tyres and representing at that level.

He said the presentation made by the government was a fantastic one which laid out the direction the government wants to go and the transformation of local government.

“Reform is ongoing, there is a lot of legislative work and how it’s going to roll out was laid out. I think it was a fantastic presentation – if we get 20 per cent of what the government spoke about, it would impact positively on improving the quality of life of our burgesses.

“Based on my interpretation of the information presented, I would say local government elections could happen within a year, but that is up to the minister and the government.”

Samuel said he did not believe he would face consequences for attending the meeting despite the Opposition Leader calling for a boycott.

“I believe that the political leader is an open-minded person, I believe she’s a fair person. I don’t know if I will be punished per se, but I’m there to represent my burgesses and I don’t know any better way to do it than by attending the meeting.”

Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation Chairman Kwasi Robinson said all available PNM councillors attended the meeting. He said while Rowley was not present at the meeting, the Ministers of Rural Development and Local Government, Housing and Urban Development, Public Administration, and the Attorney General and Legal Affairs were present.

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Saint Lucia is monitoring a tropical wave that meteorologists say has a ‘low chance’ of developing into a tropical depression within the next five days.

According to the 6:00 pm weather report from the Saint Lucia Meteorological Services, the wave was over the eastern Tropical Atlantic, moving westward near 23 mph or 37 km/h.

“Based on current projections, it is expected to pass North of the Island chain if it develops,” Director Andre Joyeux told St Lucia Times.

“So we continue to monitor and if there are any changes or any system that would affect Saint Lucia we would notify the public,” Joyeux said.

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Meantime the Met Office has also disclosed that a weak tropical moving westward near 17 mph or 28 km/h will generate some cloudiness and showers over the Windward Islands.

And Another tropical wave over the central Tropical Atlantic is also moving westward near 17 mph or 28 km/h.

The Director of Saint Lucia Meteorological Services explained that moisture and instability are affecting the region.

“From the weekend, we had a number of tropical waves that went through, giving us scattered showers, and the pattern continues,” Joyeux noted.

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Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum has announced its support of Jamaica’s senior netball team, and Netball Jamaica to the tune of $14 million.

The support follows the Sunshine Girls’ impressive performances in the netball competition at the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

The Sunshine Girls secured the silver medal after losing the gold medal match 55-51 against Australia on Sunday.

That defeat came three days after they scored a shock victory against Australia in their final Pool A game, their first triumph over Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

The partnership will be an initial three-relationship, with an option for renewal thereafter.

A press release from Wray & Nephew stated that “over the years, there have been calls for public and private sector support to match the successes of the Sunshine Girls, who have had consistent world-class displays on the global stage.

“Their moments of heroism include medal-winning displays at past Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games.”

Tricia Robinson, president of Netball Jamaica, is thankful for the Wray & Nephew sponsorship.

“With their David versus Goliath-like performances personifying what it means to be ‘wi likkle but wi tallawah,’ Wray Rum, the Official Spirit of Jamaica 60, found it to be of national importance to support the girls,” said Robinson.

Pavel Smith, marketing manager, J. Wray & Nephew Limited, says his team is honoured to partner with the Sunshine Girls and Netball Jamaica.

“The Sunshine Girls have consistently showcased to the world, what true Jamaican character and spirit looks like by Jaminating their competitors against all odds,” said Smith. “As an integral part of the fabric of Jamaican culture, Wray Rum believes that it is important for us to sponsor the trailblazing senior Sunshine Girls senior programme. The $14 million cash support over three years, will go towards their gears, local transportation, international travel, and other recurring expenses, that they have been vocal to the public about.”

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Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales . File photo/Angelo Marcelle

PUBLIC Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales has urged the population to appreciate and be grateful for the availability of the utilities.

At a utility grant distribution ceremony at the Bon Air West Community Facility on Tuesday morning, Gonzales briefly spoke on the evolution of public utilities, recalling times in his life when he had to fetch water using a bucket from a nearby river.

Despite the faults of the TT Electricity Commission (T&TEC) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Gonzales said the government has continued to work to ensure all communities have access to water and lights.

This is done through a bill assistance programme, rebates and special grants.

Gonzales said, “We hear so much negativity, (but) as citizens we ought to be grateful for the kind of intervention we have taken over the years to improve the lives of people, because in many countries they don’t have access to these social services and programmes.”

He said T&TEC has one of the lowest electricity rates in the world and through the rebate programme 228,000 customers benefit from a 25 per cent discount on bills lower than $300.

“Access to public utility services is, after all, a human right. In some cases, they are necessary for our very survival, and in others, they provide a measure of comfort and security that help us live our best lives.

But he admitted, “Not everyone is able to access these critical services due to financial constraints or geographical location.

“It is this understanding that led the government to implement the Utility Assistance Programme (UAP). Initially, that programme provided financial assistance to eligible persons for the payment of their electricity or water bills. Subsequently, Water Tank Assistance and Solar Panel Assistance were added, providing eligible households with these amenities.”

Since 2015, he said 108,000 people have benefited from the UAP, at a total cost of $29.5 million.

“And then there is the Residential Electrification Programme (REAP) and the Electrification Assistance Programme (EAP). The first provides first-time wiring and rewiring services to eligible homeowners, and the second provides access to an electricity supply to unserved households and communities through the installation of poles and other electrical infrastructure.”

Over the past seven years, the ministry used $19.4 million to benefit 2, 500 people through the EAP and REAP has benefited over 2,100 people, he said.

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L’enquête sur le meurtre d’Yves Gaoulé, 56 ans, tué le vendredi 29 juillet à Sainte-Anne a connu une avancée ces derniers jours.

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