Man objects: 'This street should be named after me’

A ceremony to mark the renaming of Quenca Street in San Fernando after Dr Rupert Indar was unexpectedly interrupted yesterday when a man began shouting, “This street should be named after me.”

The businessman, identified as Anand Chatoor, 62, said he had lived in the area for the past 55 years and had contributed to its development. Chatoor’s outburst halted the ceremony for a few minutes as he demanded that the name be changed to his.

“Indar was a businessman who made money for himself and did not help the people,” he said.

Indar and San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello were at the ceremony.

Regrello said, “This street is named after a man who made considerable contributions toward healthcare in the city of San Fernando and south Trinidad.”

He told Chatoor that from research, it seemed the name Quenca Street had no links to the development of San Fernando or the country.

“Dr Indar was the first to open an oncology centre and to do CT scans and MRI scans for the people of south TT. We must recognise those who developed medical institutions, as it goes towards people's well-being,” he said.

Regrello said Indar had established an institution that helped save lives. In 1969 Indar set up the Southern Medical Clinic in San Fernando.

Indar, 91, remained silent during Chatoor’s outburst, but thanked the mayor for his research towards renaming the street and the honour bestowed on him.

Regrello asked Chatoor to forward his details to the city corporation and said consideration would be given to naming a street after him.

Chatoor said he was disappointed the street was still renamed after Indar instead of him.