Oh Boy!

The first is a picture of Boy when he was small

The next is a picture of Boy, older, playing with his mother

Boy died around 7 o'clock on the night of December 27 from poisoning. Not by accident. He died with the poisoned food in his mouth. He was nine months old.

I last saw Boy around 6.22 p.m. playing with another dog in the yard of the Parish of St. Joseph Catholic Church Presbytery on Torrance Street, San Fernando. I stopped and watched him and wondered whether I should call him. But the gate at the Presbytery was open and there were a number of strange people walking around the Community. So I decided that since he was playing he would come home when the time was right.

The truth is that Boy should not have been there. He does not belong there. But Boy and his sisters, his mother and his grandmother before them have kept our community relatively safe, mainly with their barking. Boy's mother Ridgette and grandmother Cricket were responsible for alerting us to young men loitering around the cars parked by Eugene Joseph Dance Theatre for his Christmas party last year. When Boy started to bark the man cursing at the top of his voice in the street early Sunday morning (the same day he died) became quiet.

And this brings me to the saying "one hand cannot clap". To do so I refer to an extract from The Catholic Pulse of November 8, 2009, the 32nd Sunday of Ordinary time. It reads like this:

"In recent weeks a band of marauding dogs has been creating mess and destruction (a shredded spare wheel cover, door mat and newspapers) in and around the church and presbytery compounds in Mon Repos. Attempts will be made this week to get their owners on Torrance Street to exercise responsibility in controlling the 'pets'. If that is not done, then the next step will be to call in the dog catchers. A word to the wise! Kindly pass the word along."

I discovered this by accident because no one from the Church ever approached us. Prize winning communication for you! No, the work of a communication genius if you ask me.

And while I do not believe that the two incidents are linked I feel there is need for the church to handle problems differently. The Church has set the tone for its followers and must review its position.

I will deal with the issue of the note in The Catholic Pulse in my New Year's message to parishioners.

Private, Public, Private

What is a Public Consultation? Whatever your interpretation is, I want to share with you how San Fernando City Corporation organised a public consultation on the development plans for San Fernando.

I had seen an advertisement in the newspaper placed by the Diego Martin Regional Corporation inviting members of the public to share their views on the development plans for that municipality. I know contracts had been given out to companies for development proposals and their contract includes input from all stake holders. Whoever the other stake holders are, I have always believed that the view of the man sitting on the pavement with his beer, the homeowner, the pedestrian, the roadside vendor and the store clerk will be the most important.

So I want to commend the Diego Martin Regional Corporation for doing what is necessary for a public consultation. Not San Fernando, though. I was told by a friend that the consultation would be held soon, how soon I didn't know. I called the City Council and was told that no arrangement had been made yet. I pored through newspapers to see if there was any information. Then I learnt that the date had been set for December 2 at 7.00 p.m. I called the Mayor's office again and learnt that the time was actually 5.30 p.m. So I am coming from Port of Spain in hours of traffic jam... did i ever get there?

It was then I realised what was going on. Another private tea party no doubt! Private guests. A time that suits them. The coordinator, Daniel Dookie, should get a pay cut for not knowing how to do simple things. He is already coasting on taxpayers' money having not faced the electorate. Where do they ever get these people from? Then there are his several extensions in office, legislated, to get additional salary. I have Senator Gail Merhair to thank for that.

This Council will not spend money to place an ad in the newspaper, but they will buy a brand new X -Trail PCL 1672 to go shopping at Southern Food Basket on a regular basis. Who on this Council has done anything to deserve an X- Trail? They will not hire a car with a loudspeaker to tell residents about the meeting but they will do so for some Carnival activity. Mayor Ferguson make big speech at his swearing in about how people will see their Councillors.. on bikes too!

Well, friends don't hold your breath. the San Fernando City Council is a Private Club and it is harder to find out what is going on there than at the Freemasons Lodge

Ariti Jankie talks about Mungal Chattergoon

Dateline Thursday, December 03, 2009

For over 40 years, the camera accompanied Mungal Chattergoon wherever he went.

A freelance photographer at the Express during the 1970s and 1980s, he captured on film historic moments during festivals, functions and events.

And at his workshop lies one of the most comprehensive photographic record of San Fernando.

Last Saturday (Nov 28), he made his way to the People's Space set up at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain as part of the activities for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

He carried in his hand a 15-page poem. Minutes before he was scheduled to read on stage around 6.00 p.m, he asked someone to hold the papers.

Chattergoon collapsed.

And died.

He was 67.

San Fernando lost a legend. With a pepper-and-salt flowing beard and a sharp, caustic tongue that spared no one, he managed to have more friends than most.

San Fernando media could always call on him during emergencies.

Praying to hear the signature "Chaaa-ta-goooon" when the phone was picked up on the other end, reporters and photographers were sure to get the required assistance. He gave of himself and the abundant fruits that grew on trees around his Freeling Street home in the heart of San Fernando like no one else.

He captured his friends on film, giving away photographic mementos to almost everyone.

Concerned about culture and a veteran arts lover, he was a founding member of the San Fernando Arts Council, the Hindu Seva Sangh and the San Fernando Citizens Action Committee.

A UWI graduate and Secondary School teacher, he drove Willi Chen to functions often and took John Ramsaran visiting after John suffered a stroke. He had an appointment with Zorina Shah to arrange his photographs and poetry this holiday for publication and had agreed to spend time over the Christmas holidays with several friends.

His sudden demise caused disorientation and grief.

A few days before his death, he attended a book club reading of Ron Ramdin's "The Griot's Tale" at the National Library and Information Services (NALIS) Harris Promenade, San Fernando.

Someone asked him why he did not iron a beautiful shawl he kept folded on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," he said, "my soul is already ironed out. I am ready to meet my maker."

It was typical Chattergoon humour or so the 30-odd book club readers felt.

"Get someone else to do your makeup," he told a woman and said to another, "Your son must have learnt to do business from you. His father was a good man."

Twelve scrawny dogs escaped the San Fernando City Corporation's dog catching gang and found a home with the good-hearted Chattergoon.

As much as we would miss him, he leaves behind a legacy of laughter and a speak-your-mind habit with a don't-care-a-damn attitude that was as endearing as it was irritating but would surely be appreciated in the coming years with no Chattergoon to keep the fire burning.

His son Devi and daughter Luxcmi have a chance in his death to love and honour him as best he deserves, and the children have risen to the occasion. They arranged for 12-nights of reading from the holy Ramayan and have left no stone unturned to give him a grand farewell.

Mungal Chattergoon will be cremated today at Mosquito Creek, La Romaine.

Remembering Mungal Chattergoon

We note the sad passing of Mungal Chattergoon, highly visible in the life of San Fernando for the last 40 years. Mungal collapsed at the People's Space set up for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference on Saturday and never recovered. He was scheduled to read two of his poems, one a 15-page blinder on Osama bin Laden.

It was Mungal, who 32 years ago, had taken the picture of San Fernando Hill that so horrified Mayor Gertrude Kirton, she ordered an immediate halt to quarrying and further destruction of the hill. (See letter to Gail Merhair)

As a photographer he filmed anything of news and social interest. He was active in many areas, the arts, politics, Hindu Seva Sangh, Indian Arrival and development of San Fernando.

The picture of Mungal Chattergoon above was taken at the exhibition at the San Fernando Arts Centre for Indian Arrival Day earlier this year. In picture from left: his dear friend John Ramsaran, a friend and visitor from Texas Sais Maharaj and Michael Tang Yuk.

What is the City celebrating?

Dateline Saturday, November 14, 2009.

The main streets of San Fernando are blocked. Members of the armed forces march through the streets. Taxi drivers and other motorists are fuming and commuters are even more mad.

Maybe it is worth it. Ken Ferguson and his gang of plenty girls and few boys, members of the San Fernando City Council have come out of their shells. So why do the residents of San Fernando not know what is going on? For the simple reason that our City Council does not share anything with the citizens. This is their private council. They make the rules, the bye laws anyway, they serve themselves and they make themselves richer. That of course is their God-given right.

Then news gets around, they are celebrating more than a hundred years as a municipality and 21 years as a city.

What exactly do they have to celebrate?
1. A dump for a market in Marabella
2. Coffee Street, a pedestrian hazard because the pavements are used as private parking for business people.
3. Secretive issue of contracts. If you wonder why, go back to an earlier post headlined "Who's the contractor now?".
4. A development plan for San Fernando that we are yet to get information on. We understand that a member of Council named Daniel Dookie is reponsible for liaising with all the stake holders. Maybe he has liaised with the pigeons that are taking over Coffee Street.
5. Vendors who are still on High Street a full year after big money was paid to a Town Planner from Port of Spain to relocate them.

Whew I just got tired so I will ease them up for today. Let them celebrate. Let them fete their way into a 22nd year of City status. Let them issue contracts to themselves. Let them go to church and pray and thank God that they are lucky they are the ones in office. Let the business people who break the law brag and continue to say that they own the police and the politicians.

Let them celebrate their rule over this dump and wait to collect more land and building taxes so they will have more money to do things more badly.

Fellow Muslims....

I waited until the end of Ramadan to write this message to Muslim businessmen in the City of San Fernando.

This is neither a Ramadan nor an Eid ul Fitr message. It is simply an appeal to these brothers and sisters to practise some of what they have learnt during the month of Ramadan. I use Ramadan specifically, because at no time during the entire month did I hear any Imam or Maulana address Muslim businessmen directly. I have heard them being complimented for sponsoring the Azaan and paying for radio programmes on radio and television. But is that all we expect from Muslim businessmen?

I have long been saying that it is not enough to announce that you are a Muslim. In fact, you don't have to make any announcement. Your name will do... Mohammed, Khan, Edoo...

It is not enough to say that you do not sell pork and alcohol in your grocery. You don't have to wish the community Ramadan Mubarak with huge banners. You do not even have to dress up nicely on your way to Taraweeh in the evening.

I want you to look at your business in relation to your workers, your customers and most important, the community in which you operate. Do you treat your workers fairly? Are they well paid? Do they feel oppressed by the long working hours because you are understaffed? When you are planning your business, do you make provision for parking for your customers? Or do you use up all your space in building and warehouse and block up the pavements and streets for your exclusive use? Do you put pedestrians and school children in jeopardy with your trucks and containers. And do you brag about making use of the "government road"? Do you brag about your relationship with the police, to protect you?

When your employees are washing your cars, are they aware that they are spraying water into the road where pedestrians are passing? Have any of you ever told your customers that they shouldn't park their long tray vehicle where the tail hangs out on the main road? Especially when it is in front of a traffic light such as in Mon Repos, near Circular Road?

To tell the truth, I am ashamed of some of these Muslim businessmen. They contribute nothing to the immediate community. Most of their employees are from rural districts. Is it any wonder that these employees are exploited? Do they ever think of sponsoring some activity for young people in the community? What about their pricing of goods? I know of one in particular who boasts of low prices. Yet, the dates (fruit) had gone up by three dollars on the third day of Ramadan.

I want to draw the attention of these businessmen to activities of Sumadh on Coffee Street. That business has been there for as long as I can remember and I have always noticed how much attention is paid to the needs of customers and the community. Although I believe that the Sumadhs are Roman Catholics, an uncle Lynne, who had served on the Borough Council, once told me that the family has Muslim roots. Ishmael Khan and Sons have also been on Coffee Street for the longest while and you never see a truck offloading goods from the street. I am told that they once sponsored a basketball team in Roy Joseph Scheme.

It is about time the our religious leaders reject the donations made by companies which put our citizens at risk. You cannot treat people with disregard and hope to buy your way into Jannat. It just doesn't work that way.

Here's to PC Griffith!

I apologise to PC Griffith for not sending him this thank you note earlier.

In the week before school re-opened, I called the engineering department of the City Corporation on three separate occasions to tell them about a broken slab on the pavement in front of Mon Repos RC School. I explained that new children would be coming and I didn't think they should come upon that huge hole unexpectedly.

On the Sunday before Independence Day, the hole was still there. I called the City Police Department and spoke to PC Griffith. He said he understood the scenario with the school children. With half an hour, a borough truck was on the scene covering the hole with a barrel and sealing of the area with caution tape.

I commend PC Griffith for his prompt response and also use this opportunity to draw the incident to the attention of his employers.

My thanks also to Councillor Wendy Gibbs for e-mailing me on two occasions with the progress reports.

Questions for the City Council

I was invited by a friend in Marabella to look at a video of the Marabella Market. Yes the Marabella Market! So if you live in the Borough of Chaguanas and you think your market is bad, you should really take a look at the Marabella Market. If you live in Chaguanas and you are among those pressing for City Status, oppose it immediately. All you will get for it is higher land and building taxes. There are no benefits. There will be no improvement to facilities. You will live in a place like San Fernando, devoid of representation. But you will live in the City of Chaguanas, just as we live in the City of San Fernando. And your representatives will get higher salaries.

So just to get back to the Marabella Market. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, the dilapidated sheds, dogs sleeping on the tables, chicken feathers stuck up in what passes for a ceiling, pools of water everywhere, moss, the works. I asked my friend if he was sure we were not looking at video footage of a Haitian slum. You too must see this video, so I'll see what I can do about including clips on this site.

This brings me to the questions for the Mayor and Members of Council and the Chief Executive Officer.

1. Seven years ago, Mayor Gerard Ferreira described the Marabella Market as a failed UNC project and he promised to build the new market. What is the status of that project? Mayor Ferreira of course is best known for having made Harris Promenade narrower. A main thoroughfare with several large schools, churches, the street was narrowed to make way for a promenade with wide steps that no one can use. Pardon me, but the vagrants do find the sleeping accommodation very comfortable. No wonder the promenade is now popularly known as FERREIRA'S FOLLY.

2. Just before Christmas last year, a town planner from Port of Spain, Margaret McDowell was paid to relocate vendors from High Street. She supervised the painting of road spots on Mucurapo Street. The Princes Town taxis were brought to the Library Corner to create more congestion. The vendors are still on High Street. How much money was spent to relocate the vendors? How much money was collected from the vendors? What is this CITY Corporation doing about relocating the vendors? Has the Mayor ever seen the police walking up High Street and vendors folding up their tents in anticipation?

3. The Chief Executive Officer must tell us why contracts were given to a member of the San Fernando City Corporation and the value of those contracts. The sums must relate to the two companies linked to the Councillor: Marryshow Maintenance Services Limited and Hasoma Company Limited. The CEO must also tell us what other Councillors and employees of the Corporation are in receipt of Contracts. (See article on WHO IS THE CONTRACTOR NOW?)

4. One contractor built a drain in Battoo Avenue that took water into the community instead of into the river. Was that Contractor paid? How much extra did it cost the Corporation to correct the problem? As a matter of interest, how did that person get a contract in the first place?

While the Corporation will spend plenty money celebrating Independence and probably much more on Republic Day and City Day, the City moves closer to achieving DUMP STATUS. And do you know that the people of Chaguanas and Arima want this for themselves?

I met my Councillor!

I was walking around my community one night, shortly after my letter to Gail Merhair, when I heard my name being called.

Susan Cornelius (I have known her since she was a toddler) was walking around with another female, giving out flyers for a health fair. Susan introduced me to my councillor Wendy Gibbs.

So here is the story. I told Councillor Gibbs exactly what I had written in the letter to Gail Merhair. We stood on the pavement for about half an hour discussing some of the problems of Mon Repos Navet. I must say I was surprised by Councillor Gibbs. Not just that she is young and extremely attractive. I understand that most of the female Councillors on the San Fernando City Corporation are.

She took the criticisms well. She asked me to e-mail her the blog address. She was most articulate in debating some of the points and presenting some of the obstacles facing a local government representative, any local government representative. I met Councillor Gibbs a second time and she was still cheerful and optimistic. I consider this the basis for a good working relationship. I look forward to seeing Councillor Gibbs again.

Readers Please!

Dear readers.

Can you please post your comments on the blog site, instead of sending e-mail messages?

Thank You

The City Assessor Department Story

One day last year I went to the City Assessor's Department to change the ownership of a property. I don't quite remember the date, but it was the same day that a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister (my representative) was being debated in Parliament.

I remember this one clearly, because I was walking along Coffee Street, wearing a red T-shirt. When I reached across the street from American Stores, a woman sitting on the pavement with a notebook asked me what gang I belonged to. "What gang?" She said I could board the bus parked nearby if I registered for work. I went back home and changed my T-shirt.

At the City Assessor's office, I was told by Mr. Crawford that the declaration had to be signed by a lawyer. I explained to Mr. Crawford that an attorney is not an independent person and should not sign the declaration. I was told that more than 100 people had signed declarations and submitted them to the department with false deeds.

Mr. Crawford called another co-worker who squared up her chest and displayed all the mannerisms of a member of a herd of animals mentioned in the Bible. I told her that if the attorney signed the declaration, then no one would be responsible for a false declaration. The same way the department believed the certified copy submitted to them was true and accurate when it was in fact false, the same way the lawyer would believe it. The new owner should swear to the declaration before a commissioner of affidavit. I asked how many people were penalised for making false declarations and received no response.

The very aggressive employee of the Corporation told me that the directive had come from the Chief Executive Officer and if I did not agree with the decree of the City Corporation, I should challenge it in Court. End of her story.

I went to the CEO"s office but Miss Coudray was away, so I spoke to Mr. Ragoobar, the Deputy CEO, mentioned before in the blog on the contractor Hasoma Limited. Mr.Ragoobar called someone, "Savi" and after the discussion told me that nothing could be done.He suggested that I make an appointment to see the CEO. I left my name and phone number with the Secretary. I called once, but I never got to see the CEO. I crossed the street and paid a lawyer $200 to sign the declaration.

On November 11, I was sitting on a stool at the counter of the City Assessor's Office. A young woman came in to change ownership of a property. The officer (whose name I know) took the information and filled out the form and brought the declaration for Dirn Baptiste to sign. Dirn Baptiste (if it was indeed Dirn Baptiste) was given a form to take to Water and Sewerage Authority. End of that story.

If citizens all across this country are being asked to take their declarations to an attorney, then there is something wrong with the bye laws being created by the various municipalities. A statutory declaration has to be witnessed by an independent person, a Commissioner of Affidavit. When that declaration proves to the false, the act provides for a penalty. If 100 people have presented false declarations, why has the City Corporation not acted on it?

Is this just another story of how our City Corporation operates?

Public Servants who work

Today we recognise those public servants who give us an idea of how government services should work.

I called the Traffic Management Branch, San Fernando on July 15 to ask for assistance in making my community safer. Moody Stewart Street is being converted into a business district and no one in the City Corporation could tell me if these buildings are assessed for business use. There is parking on both sides of the street and no provision for pedestrians. Motorists use the back streets to avoid traffic on Royal Road. They break the no-entry on Torrance Street, as do many of the customers of R&Z Electrical.

The street corners are marked with paint to indicate the number of accidents that have occurred. One would think that if these accidents are reported to the police, some action would have been taken.

I spoke to Ms. Denille Bessor, at Traffic Management, who told me that I could come in and discuss the matter with them. Before I had a chance to do that, the Department took its own action and on Monday, July 20, workers were busy painting stop signs all around the community. I called Ms. Bessor to thank her and she informed me that although I had not visited, the department checked the problem and acted immediately.

I now want to tell my readers in Marabella that the Councillor who told them there was a shortage of paint so the road signs could not be painted, could well be mistaken. And today I want to thank Ms Bessor and all other members of her department for their initiative and the example they are setting as public servants.

I want to recognise also the efforts of Mr. John Barnard, of the Sanitation Department of the San Fernando City Corporation, who is always willing to respond to calls for help. Mr. Alexander from the yard at Carib Street sent a crew within minutes to cut the branches of a tree hanging across the street. There is a lesson here for some of the folks at City Hall. I approached Mr. Glasgow for information. I was pleased with his general attitude and I don't believe Mr.Glasgow spends his day in an air-conditioned office.

Very soon, I will be telling you the story of an encounter at the City Assessor's department and why I think that there is need for some human relations training at the Ivory Tower.

Letter to Gail Merhair

Dear Gail,

I know you will not be offended if I call you Gail. I do so the same way I call Prime Minister Patrick Manning "Patos" After all he is my representative. I live in San Fernando East.

Now that you have both decided who my councillor should be for the next year, I feel even more comfortable calling you by your first name. I decided on this blog long before you put your name into our history books. I visited the Mayor of San Fernando and told him what I was doing and drew his attention to several irregularities.

I have no interest in contesting an election, so why am I doing this? A former councillor was telling a member of the San Fernando City Corporation in my presence that Councillors cannot really change anything. I was horrified, to say the least. And here I will tell you a little story.

In 1977 Gertrude Kirton was the Mayor of San Fernando. She was a humble woman who worked hard and worked her way up to head the Borough Council. You will notice that I used the word "worked" twice in that sentence.

I was part of a group called San Fernando Citizens Action Committee chaired by James Lee Wah. If you have never heard of James Lee Wah, google his name and you will see a record of a really committed man who never made it to the Senate. I also worked at the Express San Fernando Bureau.

This group fought hard for a link road to Gulf City and an end to quarrying on the San Fernando Hill, among other things. We got the link road but the Hill issue was stonier. One day I went to San Fernando Hill with a small group that included photographer Mungal Chattergoon. It was a Wednesday, middle of the school week. We saw several boys of primary school age bathing in a huge pond of dirty water. When I say huge, I don't mean like the Ste. Madeleine pond, but something about 100 feet long.

That story appeared the next day, the same day as the statutory meeting. Mayor Kirton referred to the newspaper article and ordered City Engineer Vasco Loreille and Superintendent Fitzroy Fahey to organise the documents to stop quarrying on the San Fernando Hill immediately. Many other people have claimed that they stopped quarrying on the Hill, because Mayor Kirton was not around to challenge them. I have never been to the Hill since then.

So today I want you to read the blog headlined "Who is the Contractor Now?" to get an idea of the runaway corruption that you have supported. But that is not all you have supported.

In seven years, I have never seen my Councillor, Wendy Gibbs. I called City Hall for her on one occasion and was told that she was in the USA. On another occasion I used up $11 B-mobile airtime waiting for her to come to the phone. She never came.

When I could not get her to clean the bus stop where a vagrant slept and schoolchildren waited in the morning, I paid to do it myself. I walked to Traffic Management Branch in blazing sunshine (only half mile away) to ask Mr. Ganpat to paint the zebra crossing and put markings by the traffic light. I call Mr. John Barnard at Sanitation very often to make sure the garbage contractors do their work properly and treat people in my community with respect.

I am telling you only so much in this letter, but this site will continue to update you on all the problems you decided my community should face, because you did not want to thwart the government in punishing us. You decided that the barrel covering the hole outside of the house of Mr. Gregory Caesar over the last two years should stay there for another year at least. And if you vote the same way next year, who knows....

And Gail, I want to share a little something with you. When I undertake to do something, especially if I am paid, I try to do it properly. I read and plan and put my whole self into it. I don't just open my mouth.

One last thing, when I first googled your name last week, there were five attempts. This weekend they had crossed the 200 mark. So people are getting to know you, I must say.

So you take care and make a diffference in the Senate.

Sincerely

Zorina Shah

Gail Merhair chooses my Councillor

Senator Gail Merhair had saddled me with Councillor Wendy Gibbs for another year. While I look after the needs of my community for free, Wendy Gibbs will collect a fat salary from taxpayers. Read my letter to Senator Merhair this week.

Picture tells it all!

Who is this man?

You have seen him in the picture in the previous post on the San Fernando City Corporation project at 366 Sixth Street, Marabella. His name is Randolph Patrick and he is believed to be an environmental worker in the company Marryshow Maintenance Services Limited.

He is also an employee of Hasoma Company Limited and is present on the worksite once work is in progress. Councillor Jennifer Marryshow is a shareholder of Marryshow Maintenance Services Limited and a Director of Hasoma Company Limited. The Registered Offices for both companies share her home address at 3 Theresa Street, Marabella. Read more...

So who is the contractor now?

This picture was taken at 366 Sixth Street, Battoo Avenue, Marabella, a contract awarded by the San Fernando City Corporation to Hasoma Company Limited

Marabella residents are calling on the City's Chief Executive Officer, Marlene Coudray, to explain the award of a contract by the San Fernando City Corporation to an elected member of the Council.

Residents were first alerted when, over the last six weeks they saw Councillor Jennifer Marryshow, the member for Marabella West supervising the project at Sixth Street, Battoo Avenue, which is in the Marabella East district represented by Deputy Mayor Malaika Blair.

This coincided with the presence of a worker on the project, Randolph Patrick, who is also a CEPEP employee in a company owned jointly by Councillor Marryshow and Marabella businessman Allen Campbelle. Materials for the project were delivered by the CEPEP Company's truck driver Sonny Baksh early in the morning while the company was engaged in environmental work all around the Marabella West area. It is also believed that Baksh is on CEPEP's payroll but I was unable to confirm this.

The Engineering Department of the Corporation told us that Hasoma Company Limited and Kerwin Belfon were the two contractors building a drain around 366 Sixth Street which will take water from the drains in the community into the Marabella River.

When we checked the records of the company at the Companies Registry, it was discovered that the company was indeed incorporated in 2005 by Jason Bobb, whose address is the same as Councillor Marryshow’s, 3 Theresa Street, Marabella. This is also the registered address of the company. Mr. Bobb is believed to have been the common-law spouse of Miss Marryshow

In 2008, Councillor Marryshow was named a director of Hasoma in a notice of change of directors. No annual returns have been filed since incorporation, so there is no record of shareholders, but a source close to Councillor Marryshow told us that the power in Hasoma is wielded by Marryshow.

Contacted yesterday, Mr. Campbelle said he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the CEPEP company Marryshow Maintenance Services, but to the best of his knowledge be believes Mr. Patrick to be on the CEPEP payroll. He was later able to confirm that when he drove by the construction site, Mr. Patrick was there at the same time his CEPEP work gang was engaged in environmental work. SPACEAGE also spoke to an official at CEPEP, Chaguanas who promised to let us know if Mr. Patrick's name was on their payroll for those days. He said that CEPEP is a regular on-going programme and the workers remain on their payroll unless they are removed by the contractor. He also said that NIS is paid for those workers so it is easy to trace who the employer is.

The Corporation said its process for prequalification and the award of contracts is simple. First the Chief Executive Officer is informed and the engineering department supplies a prequalification form to get details of the applicant for scrutiny. All contracts are awarded through a tenders committee. This means that all parties would have known that the company is linked to Miss Marryshow because of her address and Mr. Bobb, who we are told, all officials are familiar with.

Asked if they were aware that Councillor Marryshow has an interest in Hasoma, the Deputy CEO Ragoobar said that there was nothing wrong with a Councillor getting a contract. He said that anybody could form a company and tender for a contract.

I have news for Mr. Ragoobar, a senior public servant! The Central Tenders Board Act states very specifically that no government employee, elected official, spouse, child could be awarded a government contract. These conditions apply to contracts awarded by the Central Tenders Board, the Special Ministerial Tenders Committee and the local tenders committees at the Municipal Corporations.

Councillor Marryshow has not been answering her cell phone and we are told that she does to respond to numbers that she does not recognise. Tough luck for constituents who may need her urgently.

We have informed Mr. Ragoobar that we will make a request for information from the Council for all contracts awarded to Hasoma since its incorporation and the value of those contracts. So Look out for that information.

Police Planning

Friday, May 29th...that's around month end right? Saturday, May 30th, that's a public holiday, Indian Arrival Day. So then the weekend could easily be called a holiday weekend.

To recap... month end, holiday weekend...plenty commercial activity, traffic, the works.

So on this busy Friday morning, this is what is happening in SanFernando. Students of Vistabella Presbyterian School circle the San Fernando Hill on a walkathon. The route.... Circular Road to Mon Repos traffic light, Royal Road, along Coffee Street, Harris Promenade, High Street, (yes High Street!), Pointe -a-Pierre Road back to the School.

This walkathon is escorted by a police vehicle. The students are chanting "Go Green!"

Now if you have ever seen Vistabella Presbyterian School, it is a blue concrete block with not a sign of green. But they are teaching us about green. Yes they are!

The question is, however, how do the police ever come up with permission for these events on days such as these? The long lines of bumper to bumper traffic are more likely to make people "See Red" than "Go Green".

What this tells us is that there is need for the police to understand this City. I'll share a few anecdotes with you so you will know how the service works.

1. I once flagged down a police vehicle on Cipero Street near Republic Bank to show them that the bank's customers preferred to park on the pavement than the bank's parking lot. Pedestrians were forced to walk in the street to accommodate these customers. The policeman looked at the vehicles on the pavement and said "I don't see a No Parking sign there?"

2. I called Mon Repos Police to ask for an officer to speak to the students of Mon Repos R.C. School about their behaviour on the streets. The police station is 300 feet away from the school. And the officer...clearly his head is in the clouds... "I didn't know there is a school there..."

3. I called again to let the police know that someone was tying nylon wire across the streets at night. Cars caught in the web had to stop to cut the line. The policeman's offering.."Why would they want to do that?"

Happy policing!!!

Fr. Michel celebrates a double

This weekend marks a double celebration for Catholic priest Fr. Michel de Verteuil.

On June 5, Fr. Michel celebrates his 80th birthday and this coincides with the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

A member of the Holy Ghost Congregation, he is now based at the Fatima Community, Fatima College, Mucurapo Road, Port of Spain. Fr. Michel distinguished himself as a leader when he was Rector of the Seminary of St. John Vianney and the Ugandan Martyrs at Mount St. Benedict in the 1960s and 1970s. Among his prized students are Fr. Clyde Harvey, Fr. Christian Pereira and Ronald Tagallie who is no longer a priest.

He was recognised internationally for his teachings using the Lectio Divina Method of Meditation, (easily googled) and travelled far and wide to share his knowledge. He established the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre at the Chaplaincy in St. Augustine. For years the Centre served as the backbone for outreach and teaching in the Catholic Church. Every year in the first week of August, hundreds of parish activists and parish council members came together at Mount St. Benedict for Liturgy School.

Many young people rallied around Fr. Michel, a fine mind and leading thinker in the local Church.

In the 1990s, Fr. Michel took over the editorship of the Catholic News and transformed it from a drab publication to a modern newspaper. He served as editor until he resigned four years ago.

Congratulations to Fr. Michel for the wonderful work he has done in all the rural communities around Trinidad and Tobago.

Some thoughts on San Fernando

I have always wanted to share my thoughts on the City of San Fernando with other people who live here.

I first became interested in the development of our city (a borough back then) when I worked at a newspaper and covered the activities of the Borough Council as part of my portfolio. At that time of course, we called it a beat.

It is difficult to find out what is taking place in the City from the media. I walk the streets of San Fernando and wonder where our representatives are. Since Local Government Elections have been postponed three times, representation has fallen by the wayside. I polled 68 people last Thursday, May 21, 2009 and only one knew the name of our Mayor. People were still saying that the Mayor is Ian Atherley. Not one of them knew the name of the Deputy Mayor.

The Councillors are under no pressure to perform, so representation is reduced to what takes place at City Hall. No one asked these Councillors if they wanted to continue to serve. They were just given an additional period to collect their stipend, or whatever it is called these days. No doubt other municipalites are afflicted with the same problem.

So the gap between the Corporation and the citizens widens. Local government is conducted behind closed doors. Participation from citizens is limited to paying taxes and the celebrations for Carnival and Borough Day.

I have decided to use this space to open up an area of discussion on our city. If we can get one proper response from the people who run our city from the tower up there, we would have made some headway.

Hope to hear from you too.

Many good wishes
Zorina