April Ravello, the pregnant woman who was rescued along with her husband and two children by Caparo villagers on Thursday, says she has “so much to be thankful for.” Saying she feared she would have lost her daughter that day, Ravello said she is “eternally grateful” to the men who braved the dirty, muddy flood waters to save her family.

A video of the rescue posted on social media has garnered widespread comment and commendation for the men involved.

Yesterday, Ravello said she and her family were driving from Rio Claro along the Caparo Road to get to Chaguanas where her husband had a basketball game scheduled for 3 pm. She said just after 2 pm flood waters started to inundate the car.

“It stalled and started going down. It was being pulled by the current from the nearby river,” she said.

Ravello’s two-year-old son Njisane was in a car seat and she quickly unlocked it, grabbed him and handed him to her husband, Nathyon Lewis. However, before she could get to her daughter, Angel, the car started to sink.

“My daughter went under the water and I tell my husband she gone,” she recalled.

Ravello said she never let go of her daughter’s jersey and by holding on to a bamboo tree managed to pull her out of the submerged vehicle. She said the children started screaming and crying and Angel kept asking if they were going to die. She said she prayed for someone to rescue them.

When a pickup passed near to where they were, Ravello called out to the occupants but believes they may not have seen them because of a bamboo patch.

She said: “We saw a man walking through the water. I don’t know where he was going or why he was in the water, but we started shouting for help and he answered.”

That man, Victor Dick, who had gone to Caparo to attend a funeral, immediately sprang into action and got the help of Neil Joseph and other villagers to rescue the family.

Ravello, who is four months pregnant, said her family did not get the chance to say a proper thank you to the men

“No words could explain what I am feeling. Thankful, extremely grateful ... there are just no words,” she said.

She said she has not spoken much about what happened, not even to her family, because it was too traumatic.

“I don’t like to think about it. I don’t know how I feel, I don’t even want to remember it. Every time I think about my daughter going under the water I start crying. I can’t help it the tears just keep flowing,” Ravello said.

Ravello believes God intervened and when Dick showed up “it was as if God sent him.” She estimated their ordeal lasted about four hours

“I want to go back to the area to meet them. I understand that one of them is not from the area, but the others who helped us are from there. The woman who took us into her home to shower, she took good care of us, she was very nice and gave us clothes, slippers. She gave us something to eat and washed our clothes,” she said.

Embattled Siparia West Secondary School principal Sookoo Sonnylal is threatening to sue the Ministry of Education over a decision to relieve him of duties while investigating a verbal altercation he is alleged to have had with a group of students earlier this month.

In a five page pre-action protocol letter sent to Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday, Soonylal’s attorneys, Anand Ramlogan, SC and Douglas Bayley, said the ministry acted outside its remit when it replaced him with a school supervisor after a video of the incident was circulated on social media.

“We are constrained to point out that neither the Minister nor the Chief Education Officer has any jurisdiction or power whatsoever in relation to the transfer, promotion and disciplining of teachers, including the principal. This power falls under the sole remit of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC),” the lawyers said.

They contend the ministry breached Sonnylal’s due process rights, as he was not given an opportunity to be heard on the issue before being instructed to report to the St Patrick District Education Office in San Fernando.

Soonylal’s lawyers threatened to file a judicial review lawsuit if their client is not reinstated by 4 pm today.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian on October 11, Garcia admitted that the TSC had the sole purview to discipline teachers and principals, but denied that the instructions given to Sonnylal constituted disciplinary action.

The T&T Guardian attempted to contact Garcia for a response yesterday evening, but he responded by text message to say he could not answer and would return the call. He did not do so up to late yesterday.

According to the letter, the incident occurred around 12.30 pm on October 4 while Sonnylal was on patrol during the school’s lunch break. His lawyers claimed the video only depicted a portion of the events, as it was recorded by students in a deliberate ploy to embarrass him.

“At the time, a student was secretly recording the incident. However, conveniently, the student omitted to record those portions when the students insulted our client. It is quite clear that these students premeditated this incident in order to ‘trap’ and implicate our client,” the lawyers said as they related their client’s version of the events.

Sonnylal’s lawyers claimed he was informed by other students that a group of students were smoking and gambling in a classroom. While on the way to the area, Soonylal confronted and spoke to one student, who was armed with a piece of metal in the stairwell. He then went to the classroom where he allegedly saw a student with his feet on a chair and he asked him to sit properly as it was a “learning institution.”

Describing Sonnylal as the real victim, his lawyers claimed he was then mobbed by a dozen of the student’s classmates, who began using obscene and threatening language towards him.

Saying Sonnylal, who has been at the school for the past 25 years, felt afraid and helpless, they said he attempted to call the Siparia Community Police four times but got no response.

“In light of the circumstances, namely the hostility shown by the students, the fact that our client was outnumbered and that the students were aggressive, our client reacted as most adult human beings would and uttered two phrases which are at most, debatably injudicious and unfortunate. The extenuating circumstances are clear and outweigh the human foible,” they said.

They also contend that the ministry’s response will undermine the efforts of other educators attempting to tackle school indiscipline and violence and embolden future perpetrators.

“By taking the side of violent indisciplined students who are not afraid to taunt, provoke and attack educators whose efforts are rewarded with an unexplained removal from office, the ministry will send the wrong signal,” they said.

The audit committee into the T&T Police Service (TTPS) has recommended the establishment of an “integrity cleansing” system where questionable lifestyles and finances of certain officers can be judiciously examined. This is expected to improve professionalism and increase public confidence in the service, according to the Police Manpower Audit Committee.

This was one of 100 recommendations proposed by the eight-member audit committee headed by criminologist and former chairman of the Police Service Commission, Prof Ramesh Deosaran. The 700-page report was formally presented to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley last Tuesday in Parliament. On the front cover of the committee’s report were the words: “No Sacred Cows, Now is the Time.”

The committee reported that data collected from the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), the Police Professional Standards Bureau, senior security officials, business organizations, former commissioners and national security ministers, media reports and editorials, TTPS records, hundreds of police officers etc, all expressed strong concerns over corruption, collaboration with criminals and indiscipline in the service.

From inception till 2015, the PCA received a total of 2,139 complaints against police officers.

Of the 2,139 complaints before the PCA, 1,279 are still being actively investigated; 606 investigations have been completed; and 254 of those officers are currently before the courts. According to statistics provided by the PCA, between October 1, 2014, and September 30, 2015, there were 230 allegations of criminal offences, and 442 allegations of disciplinary offences. A total of 674 offences were identified.

As a result of investigations from the Police Service’s Professional Standards Bureau, the T&T Police Service, between 2012 and 2016, suspended over 150 officers from the rank of constable to assistant commissioner, while 63 officers are currently facing charges before the court.

According to the report, a serious implication of the lack of trust in the Police Service is that the work of honest and dedicated officers would also be undermined and obstructed by miscreants and corrupt ones in the service.

While recommending several ways to improve public confidence, the audit committee stated that all the data collected, even from the police officers themselves, show that public confidence in the T&T Police Service is at an all-time low, below 30 per cent.

The committee further concluded that low public confidence in the Police Service undermined police investigations and weakened community policing.

The Police Service, the committee concluded, was too vital an organization to remain in this condition.

Another of the committee’s recommendations is the fast-tracked implementation of the lighter use of force, depending on the level of measured threat.

“Judicious use should be made of taser guns, pepper spray, rubber bullets, body and vehicular cameras and bullet proof vests to position the police at maximum capability and discretion,” the report noted.

Given the changes in the crime, violence and intelligence environment, the committee proposed it would now be of great strategic value if the useful elements of the (former) Sautt and present Strategic Services Agency (SSA) are thoughtfully combined to establish a new evidence-based hybrid anti-crime unit to serve the country’s crime and security needs.

At Tuesday’s presentation, Dr Rowley promised the committee that their report would not be shelved as previous police reports had been, but that he will immediately put this audit committee report before the Cabinet for early action. He also promised to make the report available to the public so they can view the recommendations.

The committee said that after examining the manpower strength of the Police Service (sanctioned, actual), the operational gaps and the views from the wide range of key security stakeholders, it concluded that the challenge is not “more police” but the efficient and effective management of the existing manpower.

Dave Williams does not feel he needs to resign as the deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management despite calls for him to do so.

“Personally, no, there is no need for me to resign,” Williams told the Guardian on Sunday during a telephone interview yesterday.

Williams has come under heavy criticism following a press conference held on Friday at the ODPM’s office in Tacarigua where he admitted that the organisation had a poor response to the severe flooding experienced around the country.

Disaster continued across the country for a fourth day with reports of landslides, rivers breaking their banks resulting in the flooding of numerous homes, and at least two major roadways, Mosquito Creek and the Manzanilla/Mayaro Road having to be closed to low vehicles because of rising waters.

One of the issues in particular that Williams has been taken to task over following that press conference was his comment that the ODPM’s command centre was not activated because the situation was a “small thing”.

During a joint press conference held yesterday, however, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon said his assessment of the situation is that it is a “very serious” one which required some citizens having to be evacuated from their homes and being taken to emergency shelters.

MP for Tabaquite Dr Suruj Rambachan yesterday called for senior employees at the ODPM to be fired and Williams’ “lame excuses” not to be excused.

“The relevant minister should dismiss the senior employees of the ODPM as a statement that enough is enough in so far as public officials who fail to carry out their responsibilities. For too long we have had this organisation performing way below what is expected and required,” Rambachan stated.

“Fire them now! That is if you are serious about a return to productivity and responsibility,” he stated.

Asked for his response to this Williams said Rambachan, like others, was entitled to his opinion.

“Mr Rambachan, like every other citizen, is entitled to their opinion and I am fine with that,” Williams said.

Williams had earlier in the day attended the joint press conference with Dillon.

He was asked whether he changed his perception of the situation following the comments made by Dillon.

“Let’s just say that what was said was said and what was done was done, you guys did what you had to do and we will look forward to doing better in the future,” Williams said.

Williams was asked whether he felt the media had represented what he said.

“I wouldn’t get into that, I think the media has its job to do, I had mine, I did mine the media did theirs and we’ll press on,” he said.

Williams said a review of the ODPM’s handling of the situation was undertaken and this will guide how things are done in the future.

“Definitely there were learnings that took place that the media knows nothing about at all and that’s fine but we had a review of what happened, certain things were mentioned, certain information was shared, we recognise that there were gaps, we found ways of closing the gaps so we look forward to doing better the next time,” he said.

Still hospitalised and recovering from a stroke he suffered last month, MP for La Horquetta/Talparo Maxie Cuffie yesterday posted a message on his Facebook account to his constituents affected by recent flooding.

On September 6 Cuffie, the Minister of Public Administration and Communications, suffered a medical emergency and was taken to the St Clair Medical Centre, Port-of-Spain. He was taken abroad for treatment.

However, Cuffie took to social media to empathise with his constituents.

Several areas in Cuffie's constituency were affected for the recent flooding caused by days of heavy rain.

"As I concentrate on my rehabilitation and recovery programme, which thank God, is proceeding well and exceeding expectations, I empathize with all my constituents affected by the ravages of the recent flooding. I have utmost confidence in the arrangements that have been put in place to look after you, my constituents, in my absence due to illness. At my constituency offices there are established protocols and procedures in place to treat with emergency situations such as these."

He told constituents, "As always, you remain in my thoughts and prayers."

Affected people, he said, can contact the listed constituency offices (La Horquetta: 664-8770 and Caparo: 672-3473) as necessary.

KEVON FELMINE

kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal says he will not contest the leadership of the United National Congress (UNC) in the November 6 internal elections.

Given the current political climate, Moonilal said the Government could collapse in the coming months and a general election could follow in the new year. Therefore, he said the UNC was in need of unity and he would throw his support behind the current leadership, including Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar who he fiercely contested against two years ago.

"At this time in our party, unity is needed more than gold, given where we are and the collapse of the Government. The mass flooding, uncontrolled crime, corruption and incompetence; this Government is on the verge of collapsing and it is a time for the party to be united, strong and focused,

"It could be a matter of days before we form the government again and we must be focused and that requires a unity of purpose. It is not a time for division and conflict as we can have a general election by the end of this year or early next year. The current executive, including Mrs Persad-Bissesar, has been there for two years they have done a good job in the circumstances of an opposition and they should be allowed to continue working," Moonilal said.

Vasant still unsure about contesting

The 2015 internal elections was marred by bitterness over the People's Partnership loss of the general election months before. Allegations of corruption, voter padding and dumped ballots plagued the process. It was, for this reason, former leadership candidate Vasant Bharath was unsure whether he would contest.

"I will be giving serious consideration, but I need to consult with my team that I have been working with for the last year, " Bharath told the Guardian on Sunday.

He said he will need certain assurances from whoever is appointed as the election officer, that there will be accountability in the process.

The internal election will take place between 8 am and 6 pm. UNC public relations officer Anita Haynes said 18 of the 20 posts will be contested while the positions of Women's Arm Officer and Youth Affairs Officer will be contested later on.

Nomination forms would be available at the UNC Head Office, Exchange Village, Couva, from October 30 to November 8.

kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt

With an estimated 2,500 households severely affected by flooding up to yesterday, the unrelenting Inter-Tropical Conversion Zone over the past four days is proving to be even worse than Tropical Storm Bret.

Senior Disaster Coordinator in the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government Rishi Siew said because of this, line minister Kazim Hosein has called for all hands on deck. Siew said even the few regional corporations that were not affected were mandated to assist other regions with manpower and resources.

"This is actually worse than Tropical Storm Bret. The impact of this weather is severe and this is in fact what we would call a disaster that we have never seen before. The magnitude of the damage is still being assessed. Currently, I am heading down to Mayaro where the Defence Force is helping with their trucks to bring supplies to the people of Kernaham and Mafeking who have been affected badly.

"Minister Kazim Hosein is collaborating with entities to provide meals and supplies to affected people during this critical time."

Siew said the Princes Town Regional Corporation was the hardest hit so far, with flooding in Moruga and Barrackpore. This was followed by the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, especially lower Barrackpore, Suchit Trace, the SS Erin Road and Ramai Trace. Sangre Grande, Tunapuna/Piarco, San Juan/Laventille and the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo regions followed in that order.

Woodland residents brace for more rain

Almost 1,000 affected residents in Woodland were fearing more rain as they tried to put their already soiled furniture on higher grounds. Meanwhile, farmers undertook a dangerous operation to rescue the livestock that was trapped in the flood. In a daring mission, two farmers swam into a river to retrieve pigs that washed away. It was a task for others to pull their cows and bulls from the wetlands.

Zinool Khan said since Friday he has been trying to move his cattle because there was no grass in the flooded areas. Khan said because there was nowhere for the cattle to rest, they would have eventually got cramps in the cold water and die.

Allan Jaimungal had to take his cows home and cut grass for them to eat. Jaimungal said the water levels rose overnight and when he went to check on his cows, there was nowhere for them to go. As he told of the risk of snakes and scorpions attacking his cows in the flooded field, a caiman swarm close to the flooded road.

Chairman: Residents reluctant to seek shelter

Despite the adversity, residents showed survival skills, catching cascadura and crab along the flooded Pluck Road. For the second day, members of the Krishna Mandir in San Fernando brought warm food for the residents whose kitchens were filled with waist-high water.

Agreeing that the flooding was worst than TS Bret, Siparia Regional Corporation chairman Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh said it was difficult to get food into some areas. He said one villager had to walk through chest-high water at daybreak to get something to eat.

Ramadharsingh said clean water was not available and residents have been falling ill because of the unsanitary condition. He said he pleaded for residents to seek accommodation at the nearby community centres and school. However, people were reluctant to leave their homes. Shelters were being set up at the nearby San Francique Presbyterian Primary School and the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir.

kalifa.clyne@guardian.co.tt

Shifting land compounded by heavy rainfall over the past week has caused a Hindu mandir in Freeport “to collapse to some extent”.

There was evidence of huge cracks on the wall stretching from ceiling to floor and the walls pulled apart along lines in several areas at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir located at 112 Siewdass Road.

Further cracking of the structure could be heard as Seeta Mahabir, president of the mandir and other devotees attempted to remove items from the structure.

Mahabir, during an interview with the Guardian on Sunday, said while there had been small cracks in the walls prior to last week, it was only after consistent rainfall two days ago that the walls started shifting away from each other, leaving gaping spaces along the building.

“The building has collapsed to some extent and we have been advised that it is not safe to occupy,” Mahabir said.

“Two weeks ago there were slight cracks but following the rain the cracks expanded. The experts tell us there is a level of land shifting as well as the rainfall. We were told the rain undermined the building which resulted in the destruction.”

Mahabir said the mandir, which was constructed in 2006, was used by the community and by people from all over the country and saw about 300 people attend service every Sunday.

Mahabir said next week the mandir will be demolished and devotees had already committed to giving financial and technical assistance to have it rebuilt with a stronger foundation in the shortest possible time.

The Ministry of Works yesterday closed part of the Manzanilla/Mayaro Road, while the National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (Nidco) presented alternate routes for motorists as a result of flood waters in various parts of the country.

In a release, the ministry advised the public that the Manzanilla/Mayaro Road between LP#1235 (68km) to the bridge at the 72km, will be CLOSED to low vehicles yesterday, due to rising flood waters. Drivers were advised to use the Cunapo Southern Road via Plum Mitan Road, if trying to access Rio Claro and environs.

Higher vehicles were still allowed access to the Manzanilla/Mayaro Road.

In south Trinidad, as motorists found the Mosquito Creek almost impassable due to floods, Nidco advised the travelling public of persistent flood waters that have not subsided further to Friday’s advisory on the roadway along South Trunk Road, La Romaine.

Motorists using the flooded roadway were advised to proceed with caution or use recommended alternate routes.

South Western Division police said that by 9 am, the wall separating the sea from the road was no longer visible, causing several brave motorists to stall in the water. Luckily they were assisted by trucks. Commuters told of the fear that overcame them while trying to pass through the creek. Many of them said it felt like they would be washed away in the ocean.

The alternative route through Woodland was also blocked as water from the rivers and lagoons spilled onto Pluck Road. The other alternative was an estimated two-and-a-half-hour long drive through the SS Erin Road.

The continuous rainfall over the last three days has resulted in the overflowing of the Godineau River, which created a new channel that has impacted the Mosquito Creek roadway.

Conditions further deteriorated by spring tide occurrences on Friday.

Nidco identified a low area in the exiting embankment causing the ingress of water and mitigation works are underway.

The ongoing exercise will make the pumping and de-watering operations more effective, making the roadway fully accessible by midday today.

Flooding was reported in Central and south Trinidad and parts of the East-West corridor.—Kevon Felmine

CNC3 meterologist Segonie Mohammed says that as rainfall tapers off over this weekend, the affected municipalities are starting to take stock of the damage as it enters the phase of recovery.

“Clean-up efforts are underway after the unprecedented flooding event. But with rivers still full and flood waters only starting to recede, it could be a long time before the full extent of the damage reveals itself. Although minimal rainfall is forecast for the next 12-18 hours, a Riverine flood alert will be maintained across the islands.

“In case you’re wondering what caused this event. Blame an active ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone), which has now retreated eastward into the Atlantic Ocean. It has dumped over 140 mm or almost six inches of rainfall across the islands over a 72-hour period. This typical wet season weather is far from over. Daytime temperatures will help to warm up and dry some areas on Sunday (today), making for a big improvement in clean-up efforts. Another round of showers will increase in the days ahead.”

Court documents filed by Government in the case against five contractors—where former PP Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal was named—detail a trail of text messages allegedly among Moonilal, former Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBD) officials and others.

Government recently filed court claims against the five contractors for alleged cartel arrangements and attempt to defraud. Claims relate to $200 million in work described as “worthless” and of “no value”. Contractors named are TN Ramnauth and Company Limited, Mootilal Ramhit and Sons Contracting Limited, Kall Company Limited, Namalco Construction Services Limited, and Fides Limited. They have denied the claims.

Minister in the Office of the Attorney General Stuart Young said the claims support a conclusion of alleged “bid-rigging, collusion, conspiracy and cartel behaviour for over-inflated contracts” allegedly among the five “with the support of” Moonilal, former EMBD CEO Gary Parmassar and former EMBD Divisional Manager, Madho Balroop”.

Alleged text message exchanges are on social media activist Rhoda Barrat’s Facebook site.

Court document excerpts detail trails of alleged text messages among Moonilal and several others.

Asked yesterday about the texts detailed (including over 2014 to 2015), Moonilal reiterated, “It’s cut and paste. It’s not a screen shot from phones or a full outline. The missing pieces from this which were left out, will be in my favour. There must be a full printout from a computer server.

“Unauthenticated by a service provider, it can’t stand evidential value beyond mauvais langue. They defeated their case by typing out texts— it’s not judicially sustainable. Daily, the media asked me, ‘Are you being served’ with anything and I haven’t been.”

Government yesterday stood by the claim, stressing a forensic audit was done on the matter and it was not “any cut and paste” issue.

kalifa.clyne@guardian.co.tt

The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has a long-term solution to treat with tenants living in deplorable conditions which involves replacing and rebuilding apartment buildings. This project will cost billions of dollars.

That was HDC Managing Director Brent Lyons' response to questions from the Guardian on Sunday regarding complaints about the corporation's apparent failure to meet its responsibilities for maintenance of the HDC's rental properties.

The State has already spent approximately $95 million on the maintenance of housing estates over the last seven years. That $95 million in actual expenditure has been spent on apartment complexes in east Port-of-Spain, remedial infrastructure work, and the rehabilitation and general maintenance of HDC sites across the country.

According to the HDC's website, there are 275 housing estates in this country which they manage—78 in North West Trinidad, 76 in North East, 46 in Central and 75 in South.

HDC tenants pay between $100 and approximately $1,500 per month in rent, heavily subsidised rates significantly more than the market value.

This financial year, the allocation for rehabilitation and maintenance of HDC Rental and Apartments and Housing Units in the Draft Estimates of Development Programme Expenditure is listed at $20 million, an increase of 25 per cent from the preceding year.

In 2016 the allocation for rehabilitation and maintenance of HDC rental units was $4.9 million.

In 2014, prior to the announcement that this country was facing a recession, the actual expenditure for this item was $30.6 million.

The HDC has an Estate Management Division which manages the maintenance of the corporation’s estates from area offices located in Maloney, Morvant, Port-of-Spain East, Port-of-Spain West, Port-of-Spain Central and San Fernando.

The division is responsible for preventative maintenance, emergency/urgent maintenance, vacancy preparation, routine maintenance and preventative maintenance.

While the division states on its website that its goals is to maintain the properties in superb condition among others; On that particular aim the division has fallen short.

Residents Living in Poor Conditions

On Nelson Street, Jamila Nelson, a single mother, who shares her apartment with her two children, said for years she had complained to the HDC that the apartment was leaking and chunks of debris often fell from the ceiling.

"I live on the third floor, above me is the wash house and there are electrical cords hanging down in the rooms. Concrete slabs fall in my sons' room. I called HDC, they said to send letters, I sent two and nobody has come.

"Every time rain falls, inside by me is flooded out.

Nelson, whose first son is seven years old, said she had been complaining since before he was born.

One Duncan Street resident, community activist Hazel Smith said while she wished the HDC would sell the buildings to the residents, if they chose not to, then they should at least do frequent repairs.

"We haven't had our buildings repaired."

Acknowledging that gangs made it difficult for workers, Smith recalled that at Clifton Towers, a gang told HDC workers to take a hike.

"They did it over in St Joseph Road. How can we allow a gang to do that? I am so ashamed of how they did that. We sent a letter to HDC a few weeks ago and they went over there and went to put out illegal tenants. They called the city police and as soon as they left the evicted people came back and they vandalised the building with obscenities and told the HDC workers do not come back."

Smith said residents in east Port-of-Spain needed some type of stability.

Earlier this month, the Guardian highlighted a number of cases where HDC tenants complained of insalubrious conditions, mostly in Morvant and east Port-of-Spain.

Some residents said they have been ignored by the HDC for years.

Lyons: Lack of funding, threats against workers affecting HDC maintenance

In a telephone interview, Lyons said while the HDC had a long-term plan to rebuild many of the poorly maintained buildings, short-term maintenance measures were being blocked by criminals in some communities.

Lyons, who said the HDC does have plans for many of the older tenant buildings, some older than 40 or 50 years, from a design perspective he admitted many needed to be replaced and rebuilt.

"The long-term plan is to replace, rebuild, regenerate these communities, including the city, and east Port-of-Spain but do that will require expenditure that ranges in the billions," Lyons said.

He added that at present, the corporation did not have the funds to do the work.

"What we try to do is repair as best as we can. We'll attend to plumbing, electrical, carpentry. We try to repair roofs as they leak but we simply cannot afford to replace everything."

Lyons said one of the corporation's main challenges was that workers were prevented in a lot of cases from going into some of these communities to do the work.

He said in areas like Canada and St Paul Street, the workers were being told to not come around.

"I commend the workers for wanting to do their jobs. A lot of times they cannot and our efforts are hampered significantly."

He said in some communities, such as Lions Gate, in Chaguanas, workers were blocked by residents from something as simple as garbage collection and in other communities, and regular maintenance of properties was not being done because workers were being threatened.

"The police provide us with tremendous support, they respond to us but even with the police the workers are hesitant to go to some areas because now the police are being shot at."

Asked about the previous government's proposal to sell apartments to tenants for $100, Lyons said as far as he knew, that plan never got off the ground.

"It is not now a current policy or strategy that the HDC is pursuing but until we can get to a point where we can, rental is what we are pursuing.

"In rental agreements, minor repairs renters can do for themselves but there are other things the HDC is responsible for. Even so, our tenants come to us for practically everything."

Moonilal: PP refurbished 9,174 units

Former housing minister Roodal Moonilal provided statistics of repairs which would have been conducted between 2010 and 2015.

According to Moonilal, in that five-year period, the People's Partnership completed refurbishment of 9, 714 units within tenanted communities including, painting, roof repairs, roof replacement and pigeon proofing, repairs and replacement of windows, new common area lighting including solar (Beverly Hills, Laventille), repairs and construction of sewer systems, new garbage disposal systems, repairs to potable water systems including repairs and construction of water tank farms in areas prone to water problems, repairs and upgrades to electrical systems, repairs and replacement of elevators.

Moonilal said the then government also modified 102 housing units for people with disabilities and built detention ponds in Oropune Gardens, Piarco; Greenvale Park, La Horquetta.

Tabaquite MP Dr Suruj Rambachan said yesterday he is throwing his support behind Kamla Persad-Bissessar to be re-elected as political leader of the United National Congress.

He said, “between 2015 and now she has done a credible job in keeping the party together, and leading a strong fight back against the PNM, which has caused the Government to be brought to its feet.”

According to Rambachan: “We have not seen a Government deteriorate as fast as the PNM over the governance promised and the governance delivered.”

Rambachan believes that in going forward Persad-Bissessar needs to have a “more vibrant composition of the National Executive (NATEX) in preparation for an election that could be called at any point in time given what we are seeing in the country.”

“I am supporting her but will have reservations about the quality of people on the NATEX, we need a mix of professional people and political activists,” he said.

In addition, Rambachan said he would like Persad-Bissessar to set up a number of strong policy committees in order to prepare for widespread consultations with the public on how they wish to be governed and what policies they want to see in place.”

It is now a “worldwide phenomenon” he said where “people do not want to be left out of the governance process. That will demand a change in the style of leadership to one that is more inclusive and participative.”

He said there is need to bring young people “below 35 years of age into the party and I still think she has the ability to attract the youth into the party. So I give her my support but I will be very strong in terms of what I would like to see for that support.”

There has been criticism within and outside the party that Persad-Bissessar had been too silent on national issues, but Rambachan said he expected she will continue to “have a fair share of criticism.”

Admitting that there have been times when he himself had “doubts about her decision making,” he said leaders have to make decisions which sometimes may not meet with everyone’s approval.

But he said at this time there is a need for “unity of purpose,” within the party.

Asked whether he felt some sitting MPs will switch allegiance to other contenders for the leadership of the party, he said: “the fact that we all worked as a team as never before to bring down the PNM will be the guiding factor that will keep people together.”

Oropouche East Member of Parliament Dr Roodal Moonilal says he will not be challenging Persad-Bissessar for the leadership in elections to be held in November.

Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday Moonilal who had challenged Persad-Bissessar in the 2015 internal election said he had decided against challenging her two years later because “I am not interested in any position. I have quite a few other matters on my table.”

Moonilal has recently been named by the Government in an investigation involving corruption in contracts given out by the Estate Management Development Company EMBD while he was the line minister. He would not say whether that matter has impacted his decision but told the T&T Guardian “if the current political leader Kamla Persad Bissessar is offering herself, I am prepared to support her.”

Vasant Bharath said he will have to “consult with my team that I have been working with for the last year,” before he makes a final decision on whether to contest the November election. But he said he is giving it “serious consideration.”

Bharath challenged Persad-Bissessar in 2015 and said he will need “assurances,” that there will be accountability in the process. This after allegations of corruption and voter-padding plagued the 2015 election.

Rambachan described Bharath as a “very brilliant man,” who he said had a lot of “good skills that a UNC in government will need.”

He is advocating that “it is important at this stage for the political leader to speak with everyone who has a contribution to make to the development of the party.”

Nomination forms for the internal elections will be available at the UNC's head office, Exchange Village, Couva, from October 30 to November 8.

The internal elections which will be held on November 26.

The Government of the People’s Republic of China says it stands ready to assist Caribbean countries like Trinidad and Tobago with natural disaster prevention which includes flood mitigation. This forms part of what it calls its new age of co-operation with Latin America and the Caribbean.

Last Friday, Guardian Media as part of a Caribbean delegation of journalists spoke with the Deputy Director General of the Department of Latin America and the Caribbean Affairs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zhang Run, where he presented China’s Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean.

As part of the policy, China is willing to deepen partnerships with Caribbean countries with respect to disaster prevention and reduction.

Asked to elaborate on that partnership, Run said while China already maintains strong bilateral communications with the Caribbean in that aspect, if a country has specific needs then that same channel of communication can be used to ascertain how China can best help.

His statement came at a time when Trinidad and Tobago suffered widespread prolonged flooding throughout the country.

Most times when there is a discussion on flood preparedness in the country, several regional corporations often say that funding is an issue. In fact, just this year at the start of the rainy season, Guardian Media contacted the Port-of-Spain City Corporation to query if any measures were completed to protect the flood-prone capital.

A senior official at the City Corporation said then that while some work was done, to redo the drainage in the capital would cost several million dollars, money it just does not have at this time. Given China’s invitation to open dialogue on such initiatives, this could be one avenue towards a solution.

In its new partnership policy with the Caribbean and Latin America that infrastructure cooperation will be the main thrust. In that policy, it says that China will strengthen cooperation on technical consultation and construction and engineering.

Apart from direct assistance, Run told Guardian Media that China is happy to enhance co-operation by contributing more to disaster relief funding through the Organization of American States (OAS) and to strengthen its partnership through the Inter-American Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank to make disaster prevention an agenda item.

Run says China does have the expertise to help countries like Trinidad and Tobago with flood mitigation as it is also prone to natural disasters. Just this week the province of Guangdong, China’s most populous city prepared for Typhoon Khanun, this year’s 20th typhoon.

The Chinese Government said it also contributed nearly US$1.3 million in food and items to Grenada and Antigua and Barbuda following the passage of Hurricane Irma.

China said it sympathises with small island states which find it difficult to access concessional loans due to its per capita GDP.

This issue was raised by Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit following the passage of Hurricane Irma.

Dominica due to its high per capita incomes, have advanced or “graduated” from the low income Least Developed Country (LDC) designation to Upper Middle Income.

Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne argued before the UN General Assembly (UNGA) recently that it was unfair for small, vulnerable states to be denied access to concessionary rates because of their per capita income.

Browne told the UN there was no justice in large, wealthy countries borrowing at a favourable three per cent per annum while “so-called ‘high income’ small island states are forced to borrow commercially at 12 per cent per annum, to repeatedly rebuild.

China’s Government said it fully understands that position and will try to increase aid to the Caribbean and collaborate with multi-national institutions.

AKASH SAMAROO

SEWA T&T has supplied roughly 3,500 meals over the weekend to people who have been affected by floods throughout the country, according to president of the group Revon Teelucksingh,

“As the floods started we have already started distributing meals in areas like Barrackpore, Rio Claro, Debe, Penal, Madras and Couva. These meals are prepared in churches and temples and other areas. Some of the meals include sandwiches like bread and cheese paste. We are also aware that some people eat meat and others do not.”

Teelucksingh spoke to the T&T Guardian yesterday at the Divali Nagar compound, Chaguanas.

He said the group was also preparing hampers for communities hit by the floods.

“We already have 120 hampers prepared. That is going out today.”

He said they budget every meal at around $10, so the cost of the 3,500 meals would be roughly $35,000.

They are also sending supplies regionally.

He said next week, they will be sending supplies to Dominica which was recently devastated by a Hurricane Maria.

He added that this relief will be in the form of buckets to these islands.

Each five-gallon bucket contain goods worth around $400. The bucket contains food supplies such as flour, rice, sugar, lentils, seasoning and other non-food items like toilet paper, candles and medicine. It holds enough food to feed three people for four days.

“We are not sure how many buckets will be going to Dominica next week. That decision will be made in consultation with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM). Every week as more aid comes and goes, the dynamic changes. We were told that the majority of aid is going to Dominica.”

He said the value of the entire project to send relief aid to Dominica and other islands is about $1 million.

SEWA T&T is 100 percent financed by the public and corporate bodies and Teelsuksingh urges the public to continue to assist financially the work they are doing.

Southern Division police seized an estimated $40 million worth of cocaine at a house in South Oropouche on Saturday.

Two fishermen, ages 20 and 34, were arrested and are expected to appear before a Siparia magistrate today.

However, investigators believe that the suspects were pawns in a bigger drug ring.

As a result, more work is being done to root out the major players in the drug operation.

In the operation spearheaded by Snr Supt Zamsheed Mohammed, the team of officers headed by Cpl Bisnath went to a house at Red Brick Trace, Otaheite. The officers searched the house and eventually found 25 packets of cocaine hidden in a generator in one of the rooms.

The officers had to cut the generator open in order to retrieve over 28 kilogrammes of high-grade cocaine.

Police said based on intelligence provided by the Transnational Organised Crime Unit, officers from the Southern Division Task Force and Fyzabad CID, carried out the raid.

Several areas in North Trinidad are expected to be without a water supply as the Water and Sewerage Authority’s (WASA) treatment facilities have been adversely affected due to the heavy rainfall over the past few days.

According to a release issued yesterday, several of the water treatment plants have been shut down due to a number of issues, such as turbid river conditions, clogged intake screens and power failures.

The affected facilities include: North Oropouche, Tompire, Matura, Aripo, Quare, Guanapo, Luengo and Naranjo, Maraval, Blanchisseuse, Las Cuevas and La Fillette.

The affected areas have been identified as: Toco, Rampanalgas, Salybia, Manzanilla, Sangre Grande, Malabar, Maloney, La Horquetta, San Rafael, Arima, Maracas St Joseph, Maraval, Blanchisseuse, Las Cuevas and La Fillette.

“The affected facilities are expected to return to service when conditions normalise at the various locations,” WASA said in its release. People are being strongly advised to manage their water use efficiently, as it may take up to 24 hours for the restoration of their scheduled pipe borne water supply, the release stated.

The authority, however, assured customers that the water currently being supplied through its distribution system complies with the guidelines for drinking water quality of the World Health Organisation and is, therefore, “safe for use.”

With heavy rains battering their home and a leaking water line eroding their property, a Pointe-a-Pierre family said their home is on the verge of crumbling down a hill.

John Mendoza and his family stood in the rain yesterday as they monitored a landslip between their home and the neighbour at Plaisance Park.

Mendoza told the T&T Guardian that the 15-inch Petrotrin water line which transfers water from Claxton Bay to the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery had sprung several leaks in the past two years. Despite several complaints to Petrotrin, he said nothing much was done.

He said children were playing in the yard when the earth started moving, taking with it coconut and fig trees. Inside his house, the tiles the living room had begun to crack and lines ran from ceiling to floor in their bedrooms.

“So far, all they did was to put a cap on the pipe and a little piece of thin sheet. The pipe is not leaking from one position, it’s five or six different leaks onto the ground. That patch up that they did, cannot do anything really.

“If anything is not done soon, the entire house will be gone. Just like the coconut tree, just like the fig tree, everything will be gone. The next step is to contact the EMA and our attorneys and see what legal advice we can get as to what to do about the situation.” Mendoza said.

Already a shed at the neighbour’s house has begun slipping and the landslip is just a few feet away from the exterior wall. Near their home, the water could be seen spraying from the pipe, causing several streams to run through both properties.

Mendoza’s wife, Lisa Cooper said when she got fed up of the situation on Friday; she reported the problem to Petrotrin police.

“I can’t remember the guy I spoke to but what he told me was not to let the media be aware of it and I don’t need to let the public be aware of it. He said they would visit the site on Friday evening or Saturday morning but up to now I have not seen them,” Cooper said.

Mendoza’s house is unfinished and he said the contractor stalled construction because of the leaks two years ago. He said all he wants is for Petrotrin to be fair. Either repair the line and the landslip or provide somewhere safe for his family.

Acting corporate communications manager at Petrotrin, George Comissiong said that he was unaware of the issue and will check on it today.

An Estonian engineer on the inter-island cargo vessel Cabo Star has been "removed" from the ship and sent home after complaining about safety issues on the vessel.

The T&T Guardian understands that Edurak Lasuk, who came with the vessel when it arrived in Trinidad in July, complained in a letter to Port officials about concerns which he had with the Cabo Star including issues which he thought posed a risk to those using the vessel.

But Vice President of Bridgemans Services Group Andrew Purdey in response to queries said that Lasuk was "a disgruntled employee," who had "baseless concerns."

Responding to emailed questions, Purdey said "we had the union and our ship managers attend the vessel and understand his concerns. The concerns are baseless and he has been removed from the ship."

Asked how Lasuk’s departure had affected maintenance of the Cabo Star, Purdey said operations “remain as always operating fully within class and all port safety requirements.”

Last weekend the Cabo Star was delayed in its normal sailing schedule because the starboard engine failed. Purdey assured "all issues," had been "resolved."

He said preventative maintenance spares which were required had been “held up at Customs. All spares are now in our control and maintenance is in hand.”

As a result, he said, “the Cabo Star remains ready and durable for ongoing service.”

But truckers told the T&T Guardian that the vessel had slowed down considerably.

One trucker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the vessel is now travelling at 13 knots.

“We believe that there are engine problems and they don’t want anything to happen to the vessel. So they have slowed it down considerably.”

The T&T Guardian understands that there is a request that the sailing time of the vessel be brought up to midday, from the current departure time of 2 pm from Port-of-Spain. This is being resisted by truckers who said the proposed change in time will affect their trade.

Stakeholders in the Tobago business community also lodged their concerns about the proposed change in sailing time. They said the earlier sailing will not allow the truckers enough time to offload and get goods back on the vessel in time for the return sailing.

The issue of the change in departure time is expected to be discussed in detail at a meeting which has been called by the Port Authority with stakeholders this week.

Truckers also complained that there is limited cabin space on the Cabo Star. They say there are about six bunks in each cabin and some truckers are still sleeping on the ground.

Asked whether there are any plans to improve the cabin capacity of the Cabo Star, Purdey said that was up to officials of the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (PATT).

He said “currently all cabins are available to the PATT which operates this phase of the service. It will be their determination which cabins are delivered for service. Going forward we are working to increase passenger capacity but this is a few months out.”

The vessel has a one-year contract which costs taxpayers US$22,500 a day.

Purdey said he is hoping “to make the Cabo Star a long-term fixture in this route and anything we can do to improve service will be considered to secure future contracts.”

Meantime, Purdey confirmed that the Ocean Flower 2, the passenger ferry which has put in a bid for the passenger service on the seabridge is off drydock.

“I am considering inviting the media for a tour at a mutually acceptable date,” he said.

The Port Authority also confirmed that the evaluation of tenders for a passenger ferry for the seabridge has begun. Tenders closed in September but the evaluation of the bids only started last week.

Asked about the composition of the tenders committee the Port confirmed that evaluation had started but in an emailed response stated it could not provide any information on the committee.

Well-placed sources told the T&T Guardian that the Port had sought the assistance of the Coast Guard in evaluating the tenders.

The T&T Guardian understands that Tobago stakeholders decided against sitting on the evaluation committee following a request from Port Chairman Alison Lewis.

As flood waters recede in many areas throughout T&T, there is the high possibility that animals such as snakes and caimans can find themselves into your homes.

Do not be alarmed and try not to injure or kill them, instead, you can call upon officials from the Wildlife and Environmental Protection of T&T (WEPTT) to assist in removing them.

In the past two days, the group has rescued three snakes, two caimans, one hawk and several birds from the Valsayn, St Augustine, St Helena, Lange Park, California and Marabella areas.

Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, one of the directors, Kristopher Rattansingh said their intention is “just to help the animals get back out if they become stuck or too disoriented to leave the area where they drifted off too.”

“One caiman was inside a flooded house and it was just panicked by all the people. Of course, we can't ask the people to leave their home so we just had to remove it from the house,” Rattansingh said.

“We are trying our best not to disturb the animals any more than they have been and only intervene if absolutely necessary," he said.

Rattansingh asked for members of the public to be understanding towards the animals as they mean no harm.

“They certainly do not intend on staying. Like many of us, their intention is to survive. They do not want to be there as much as we do not want them to be. They will leave on their own,” he said.

What to do

1) Leave it alone – Do not approach the animal because a cornered animal will defend itself. Take a picture if possible so we can identify the animal accurately.

2) Call WEPTT at 341-9983 so we can properly identify the animal and advise you what you can do or if expert assistance is required.

3) Do not try to move the animal or get close to it without first identifying the animal with an expert and finding out if it's possible and safe to do. They also guide and assist you in contacting officers of the Wildlife Section.

4) Most importantly, do not kill the animal. It does not want to be in your home as much as you do not want it to be there. Not only is killing the animal unnecessary, chances are, it is against the law since the animals are prudent to a sustainable bio-diverse environment that is already disturbed by the floods.