Siparia, Diego Martin borough bill passed in Senate

The Miscellaneous Provisions (Establishment of the Borough of Diego Martin and Borough of Siparia) Bill, 2021 has been passed in the Senate.

In his closing presentation, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Faris Al-Rawi said Opposition Senator Wade Mark should apologise to members of the Siparia Regional Corporation for saying they had failed to use their allocation to repair their pathways and roads. He said that the corporation received $10,957,333 in 2020 and 2021, and in 2023, it received $43,987,000.

He said the corporation asked for $104 million in a wishlist. He said the property tax yield in Siparia was conservatively estimated to be $60 million. He said these two figures would add up to more than the $104 million asked for by the corporation, but the UNC was standing against it.

“In the context of this bill, what I can tell you is that local government reform is the genuine issue, are you for or against it? Is the borough status of the law for or against it?”

The bill was passed through the committee of the whole, with no amendments proposed, read a third time, and passed.

Independent Senator Anthony Vieira said while some people might criticise the name change as bpeing cosmetic, he thought it would add gravitas to the areas.

“It’s a matter of prestige and status, which are serious matters, especially where it can cause feelings of respect and trust in others. It’s also another step towards the idea of decentralization. TT suffers from over-centralisation, and it leads to people feeling disinterested and apathetic, as the decision-makers live too far away from the people on the ground.”

He said it was vital to give consideration to the people who would represent people at the local level.

“Come election time, it will be essential to get good people to represent their communities. We want council members who are willing to work together as a team, to put aside personal agendas, and to have clear and regular communication with their communities. We want critical thinkers who can consider the long-term impacts of their decisions.”

Vieira said Diego Martin was sufficiently populated and diverse to form a borough. He said if that was the wish of the residents, he didn’t see why it couldn’t be accommodated by the legislation.

Former Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein said the matter of making the two areas boroughs was raised during his time in office and he would be happy to see it brought to fruition.

He said the bill, which contained only seven clauses, was the culmination of intense research and deliberation by legal personnel who worked to ensure that the legal framework was robust.

Hosein said he was present at the statutory meeting on January 31, 2019, where the motion was moved by alderman Alderman Christopher Encinus and seconded by councillor Gerald Debestte, and was approved by all present, including then president Glenn Ramadharsingh.

He said he also attended the statutory meeting of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation in February 2019 where a similar motion was approved.

Hosein said it had been 33 years since the last municipality had been upgraded. He said the last municipality was the Chaguanas City Corporation in 1990, while Port Fortin became a borough in 1980. He said since then there had been significant population and economic growth in Diego Martin and Siparia since then, which required their upliftment.

“The bill will not shift any boundaries nor will it infringe on the powers given to the Elections and Boundaries Commission, but it will fulfill the wants of the burgesses of the area through their elected representatives.”

Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial said the government had not outlined any actual benefits to the citizens of these areas through them becoming boroughs, so their suffering would not change. She noted statements by government that the Opposition was against local government reform.

“We don’t support the installation of an executive council which silences the voice of a minority when the corporations are split, that is what we object to. We are not opposed to reform, we want meaningful decent reforms. Give constitutional representation to local government so central government can’t delay elections. Put fixed dates for elections. If you want to improve the lives of people, ensure they don’t have to go to court to ensure the right to elect their representatives.”

Independent Senator Deoroop Teemal said the reform being considered was ambitious. He asked whether government had consulted with the TT Association of Local Government Authorities (TTALGA). He wondered why central government was still so involved in the process, if the object was decentralisation. He asked if the two municipalities had been evolving their development plans, and recommended the use of highly skilled change managers.

Al-Rawi said he appreciated Teemal’s suggestions but the government had not gone that route because of the intense consultations which had taken place, including 1.1 million online contributions and 32,000 in-person.

Independent Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye said elevating the municipalities to borough status would give the burgesses a sense of pride in their community. She noted when people go to Arima and Pt Fortin for their borough day celebrations, they spend money in the community.

“That particular pride that comes with a new status, you feel like a member of the distinguished society of TT. Borough status will bring a sense of hope that something good is happening in this country, it will bring people bonded together and they will look out for each other more. We have a lot of alienation in the society, if this can make us feel more special, bring it on.”