DIQE warns staff about using loud equipment before dawn

The Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Environment (DIQE) said the public should call the police if any of its staff operates motorised equipment while conducting DIQE duties before dawn. The division said it has noted an increase in complaints from the public regarding its employees beginning work predawn and waking residents.

DIQE management said the option to start work at 5.30 am is only applicable for task workers engaged in specific tasks such as: cutlassing; edging; pulverising of pitch manually; sweeping; cleaning of drains, paved and unpaved; and forestry (cutlassing).

Daily-rated employees of the division engaged in all other tasks are scheduled to start work at 7 am.

The division said it is guided by the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 1992 between the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW).

The division warned employees in contravention that noise pollution falls under the charge of public nuisance, which is covered in the Summary Offences Act 11:02 Section 70.

DIQE management said it encourages the public to "exercise its civic duty and report breaches of the stated agreement and law to the Office of the Administrator and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service."