Poor delivery of services, favouritism and lack of representation by councillors of the People's National Movement-controlled Sangre Grande Regional Corporation (SGRC) in the last 32 months have left scores of burgesses dissatisfied, disappointed and in a state of despair.
That was the general feeling expressed by the burgesses as they looked at the quantity of work their representatives had put down since the November 28, 2016, Local Government Elections (LGE).
Almost three years later, burgesses in the northeastern region feel cheated by councillors they claimed have not lived up to their promises of providing improved services and enhancing their way of life.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has given his commitment that the elections, which is due by November and early next year, will be held on time.
Sangre Grande, which means "big blood," got its name following a battle that took place between the native Amerindians and the Spanish settlers in the 1770s.
Situated on 358 square miles, Sangre Grande is regarded as the fastest-growing region.
The corporation, which serves upwards of 75,000 burgesses, is divided into eight electoral districts.
The UNC provides representation to Vega de Oropouche, Manzanilla, Sangre Grande South and Cumuto/Tamana with the PNM in charge of Toco/Fishing Pond, Sangre Grande North East, Valencia, and Sangre Grande North/West.
In the last elections, the corporation was faced with a 4-4 tie between the UNC and PNM but Terry Rondon retained his title as the corporation's chairman.
Of the 1,060,863 voters registered with the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) in the 2016 elections, some 56,926 of the electorates were listed to vote in the northeastern region. The corporation captured a mere 21,407 votes.
Two months ago, the Miscellaneous Provisions (Local Government Reform) Bill piloted in Parliament was referred to a Joint Select Committee with a report to be submitted by September 27. The bill proposes that all 14 regional corporations collect their taxes, fees and generate other revenue as part of Government’s thrust towards holding elections.
The PNM began screening its candidates in early July for all corporations. The UNC has signalled they will contest all 137 electoral districts. In 2016, the PNM won 83 of the 137 seats, while the UNC netted 54.
A report posted in 2016 on the Municipality of Sangre Grande's Local Area Economic Profile revealed that Sangre Grande has the highest multi-dimensional poverty index and adolescent births in T&T. The report also stated that 56.9 per cent of its burgesses 15 years and older had no qualifications.
The Land Settlement Agency in 2016 also told a Joint Select Committee meeting that Sangre Grande has the highest squatting population of between 7,000 to 10,000 families.
With news of the establishment of a Toco port, there has been a proliferation of squatters from Salybia to Toco.
Last month, Guardian Media visited the region to gauge from burgesses how their councillors have been working and the services delivered in the last 32 months. The majority of burgesses gave the corporation a thumb’s down on both counts.
Toco/Fishing Pond
At far-flung Begg's Trace, Toco, Ray-Ann Moses said residents have passed the stage of begging their councillor and current SGRC chairman Rondon for proper roads, employment and a regular supply of water.
"We feel neglected because we are not seeing any progress in the area. It's as if we are living behind God back and we don't exist.
"For years the roads are in a total mess. Elections come and go and our roads are getting progressively worst. It's just one problem after the other we have to battle with," Moses said.
In several yards, spanning from Matura to Sans Souci, water tanks were strategically placed under gutterings and spoutings to collect rainwater, which burgesses have grown accustomed to.
With the harsh dry season, Moses said many residents were forced to buy or search for water, as the corporation's truck-borne supply had not been consistent.
Employment, burgesses said, was also hard to come by.
Along the Salybia beach, friends Kenneth Clarke and Knolly Henderson claimed Rondon helps whom he wants.
"Terry has his favourites. He does only help his PNM people. Other people have nothing to get," Clarke said.
At Fishing Pond, deplorable roads and lack of water were their biggest issues, said resident Rebecca Welch.
"Not too long ago the residents raised funds to buy materials to repair some of the potholes because it was damaging our vehicles," resident Deryck Cyrus said.
"These politicians come for your vote and when they get it you can't see them after that."
Asked about Rondon's performance, Cyrus said it left much to be desired.
Sangre Grande South
In the Sangre Grande South district of councillor Kennick Suepaul, residents identified poor drainage, floods, unemployment, inadequate water supply and crime as their biggest concerns.
Nicholas Street resident Faizool Ali said in the last two years the community had seen an upsurge in house break-ins, attributing unemployment as one factor fuelling the crime.
Not far away, Meve Mitchell did not hold back her tongue, saying some councillors have not been working the ground despite collecting a $4,500 monthly stipend, $300 phone and $700 travelling allowances.
"These councillors took an oath to serve the people, which they have not been doing. They collecting taxpayers' money every month and not working. Before Kenneth became a councillor you would have seen him regularly. Now it's a different story. He is never around," Mitchell pointed out.
One resident of Gilkes Street who was affected by last October's nationwide floods said he had not yet received his disaster relief cheque as yet.
"I lose everything and I still sleeping on a strip of cardboard in my bedroom," he said, warning anytime a politician comes to his gate to solicit votes he will chase them.
Cumuto/Tamana
Burgesses of Cumuto/Tamana councillor Nirmal "Scrappy" Singh spoke about the daily hardships they face with deplorable roads, no jobs and lack of water.
At Tamana Hill Road, Doolam Lalla and his wife, Lenore said for weeks they have not received a truck-borne supply from the corporation. In 2007, the couple along with several residents in the community paid for water connection. Eight years later, their taps are still dry.
Twice weekly, the Lallas would trek three miles behind their home to fill water from a natural spring.
"The situation is unbearable. All our lives we have never seen a drop of water come through our taps. Our suffering has been never-ending. We are not getting the basic things that we need.
"A vital commodity like water we don't have in this day and age? This is nonsense! It seems as though we would go to our graves without getting a pipe-borne supply," Lenore said.
The couple bashed Singh for focusing on his full-time job as a driver with the Eastern Regional Health Authority than representing his burgesses.
Pensioner John Marine said after years of clamouring for better delivery of services their pleas had fallen on deaf ears.
Manzanilla
As you enter the electoral district of Manzanilla, where councillor Kenwyn Phillip is the elected representative, burgesses voiced displeasure over the lack of representation.
For as long as they can remember, burgesses said, they have been complaining of deteriorating roads, clogged drains, unemployment and water shortage.
Former farmer Joyce Charles frowned when asked when last she saw Phillip.
"Ask me a better question than that," she snapped.
"The people have nobody to represent them in here. We don't see we councillor."
Cornelia Scott, who operates a shop along the Manzanilla Main Road, felt their community was regressing.
"They are taking everything from us. First, it was the Cepep gang, now we have no water. We have to ask what next? Everything in this place in shambles...it going downhill," said Roy Mohammed.
Roy Mohammed said unemployment also needed to be addressed as several people were laid off from their jobs.
Rondon—I treat everybody the same, there is no favouritism
Despite vowing to bow out of politics in the upcoming Local Government Elections because he could not deliver to the people, Terry Rondon has thrown his hat back into the political ring.
Rondon's decision to be screened in early July by the PNM for the electoral district of Toco/Fishing Pond came weeks after he had promised not to re-enter politics because he could not deliver to the people the way he wanted.
During an interview with Guardian Media in June at his office in Toco, Rondon said he had made up his mind to hang up his political boots after two decades of service.
He admitted that he "went through hell" serving the PNM-led SGRC, as many burgesses who were accustomed to getting jobs and services started to turn against the corporation after Government cut its funding and money stopped flowing.
"I have seen young men cursing me...saying that I ain't doing nothing for them.
"When these men were children I gave them toys for Christmas. That bothered me because after giving my blood, sweat and tears I have been verbally abused," Rondon said back then.
"I can't ask people to vote for me. I am not feeling the same Terry to ask people to go back and vote for me. I take a stand that enough is enough. I am hurting because what the people want I cannot give them."
But weeks after taking a firm stand, Rondon stepped back into the political fray.
However, addressing the most recent claims by burgesses, Rondon rubbished claims that he only helps PNM supporters.
"That is not true. I am a fair person. I treat everybody the same....there is no favouritism," Rondon insisted.
On any given day, he said, droves of people would visit his office seeking assistance for food, shelter, clothing, flood relief assistance, and jobs. He described some people as "ungrateful."
With regards to deplorable roads, Rondon said for this year the corporation had injected $4 million into repairs but needed an additional $20 million to have some roads paved. Several roads along the northeastern region, he said, were the responsibility of the Ministry of Works and Transport. The corporation, he boasted, has also upgraded a number of recreational grounds.
Responding to some burgesses' claims that councillors have not been visible on the ground, Rondon said: "I can't beat them with a big stick to get things done."
In 2017 and 2018, the corporation was allocated $175.7 million, while its expenses were $179.9 million.
Lack of funding—councillors
Lack of funding at the SGRC is being blamed by councillors for poor delivery of services to burgesses.
The cry was expressed to Guardian Media by four of eight of the corporation's councillors
Since January, Sangre Grande South councillor Kenneth Suepaul said funding has been not forthcoming to the corporation to buy materials for roads and developmental projects.
"This is a bad reflection on the corporation and impeding our work," Suepaul said.
But Suepaul dismissed reports that he has not been visible enough, saying he has been trying his best.
Manzanilla councillor Kerwyn Phillip also expressed similar sentiments, saying the delay in funding has been hindering councillors from undertaking their tasks.
"Obviously, when funding is not forthcoming in a timely manner, projects and works would be stalled. But I have been working," Phillip said.
He said burgesses sometimes are unaware of the issues councillors face and chastise them for non-representation.
"But I have been representing my electoral district," he insisted.
Nirmal Singh, Cumuto/Tamana councillor, also defended his position of having two jobs. He said the $4,500 monthly salary he receives as a councillor was insufficient to maintain his family and he had to work full time with the ERHA to make ends meet.
"Whether people see you or not it does not mean that you are not working for them," Singh said.
Singh admitted one of the issues affecting his burgesses was a regular supply of pipe-borne water. He said in 2007 the then PNM Government spent $17.5 million on the installation of pipelines, digging of wells and water generators to take water to 2,000 households in his electoral district. However, Singh said 11 years later, efforts to get a booster pump to push the water to the residents' homes had failed. To compound matters, Singh said the $1 million the corporation was allocated for a truck-borne in his electoral district had been slashed by half.