Hundreds of millions of dollars have already been spent in the Couva North constituency in infrastructural development, water projects, and street lighting programmes. But according to MP for the area Ramona Ramdial, in spite of all the developmental works and improvement, she has been facing challenges with brothels, drug blocks, human trafficking, the slow disbursement of allocations to her constituency from various ministries, and even the attitude of some of the residents themselves.
Ramdial, also Minister in the Ministry of Water Resources and the Environment, was speaking with the Sunday Guardian when she said: “We have challenges with the residents themselves. Sometimes we go in to do a project and they claiming state property are theirs and it hinders the whole process. “With crime, I have had challenges with the brothels, drug blocks and human trafficking, but I am working closely with Snr Supt Johnny Abraham.”
The Sunday Guardian, in its pre-election constituency watch, went to the Couva North constituency to speak with residents and hear their thoughts and feelings about the work done or not done in their area, and the performance of their MP to date. Harry Bhagwandeen, 77, of Roopsingh Road, Carapichaima, said he believes that things only got worse in the country compared to long ago.
“Long time people got jobs easily and they were able to save their money and set an inheritance for their children and grandchildren.” Sitting on a chair by the roadside under the hot blazing sun, Bhagwandeen further explained: “Nowadays, people only working to pay bills and cannot save because the cost of living is too high, and the Government not doing anything to help out the situation. “The youths struggling to get jobs and when they do get something, it’s for small money.”
Cassava Street, Carapichaima resident Vandyke Jack, 64, complained of a drain which the relevant authorities failed to refurbish. He claimed he was promised a box drain as the present drain would overflow and cause flooding when it rains. John Singh, 50, of Jagbir Street, Korea Village, reminisced when the village was adopted by Oma Panday, wife of former Couva North MP and former prime minister Basdeo Panday.
Singh said the Pandays frequented the village in those years, so everyone knew them well. “They know what they looked like. They came and made sure the people in the village were okay. I wouldn’t lie eh, she (Ramdial) must be come in the village about three times. That is not enough,” Singh said. He, however, admitted though that a lot of infrastructural works were done by this present administration. “Ramdial really work hard because we have box drains. We have electricity including street lights and most importantly, pipe-borne water,” Singh said.
Another resident of Korea Village, Kishoor Mohan, 47, lamented the absence of box drains close to Jagbir Street Extension and the deplorable roads. Mohan, a father of five, also said there was need for more job opportunities for people like himself and others throughout the village. Mohan, who is unemployed, struggles to make ends meet by doing odd jobs including getting an end at a scrapyard.
Residents of Wyaby, Carapichaima, praised Ramdial for her involvement in getting, for the first time, a pipe-borne supply of water, electricity, box drains and paved roads. Raffick Mohammed, 77, his relative, Zorina, 54, and their neighbour, Audrey Spencer pleaded with the Government to give them Deeds of Comfort for the state lands they have been occupying for more than 40 years. “We cannot do anything to our wooden houses until we get regularised. The lots are overlapping too,” Raffick said.
Waterloo fisherman Lal Ramrattan, 64, said the only thing he was disappointed with was the failure to have a proper slipway constructed to facilitate the fishermen in the area. “Some years ago, we backfilled the area and tried our hand on the slipway but now we need the intervention to have a proper one because here is where the boats are repaired and refurbished,” Ramrattan said. The Waterloo Bay is located next to the Waterloo Cremation Site and the Temple in the Sea.
Residents also noted the lack of maintenance and beautification of the area given the fact that it is a major tourist attraction and people from all over the world frequent the area on a daily basis. Residents of Ragoonanan Road West, Perseverance Road (Chandernagore), complained of a broken bridge that links to the Perseverance Road. One resident, who wished not to be identified, said for years they have begged and pleaded with former MP Panday and now, the present MP Ramdial to have the bridge restored.
A Chandernagore businesswoman, who did not want her name to be used, said there was a high spate of robberies in the area. “Because of the heavy traffic flow in the back here plenty motorists are held up and robbed,” the businesswoman said. The Perseverance Road links Chaguanas to Orange Field Road, Chase Village, and is used as an alternative to avoid traffic backup during peak hours along the Old Southern Main Road. The businesswoman said that the Perseverance Road (Chandenagore) is in dire need of widening and being paved.
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Progress report of work done by Ramdial
Infrastructural projects—60 per cent completed
Water projects—95 per cent completed
Alleviation of flooding—60 per cent completed
Street lighting programmes—work in progress