Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) chairman Gowtam Maharaj, who worked as a farmer and a vendor after he was retrenched from Petrotrin, is taking the Corporation’s monthly statutory meeting to the Debe market.
The meeting, scheduled for Monday in the haberdashery section of the market on a platform used by vendors to sell clothes, is aimed at taking the intricacies of local government to the people.
Maharaj explained that too many people are oblivious to the roles, functions, and limitations of the regional corporation and “do not know how to access services or hold public officials accountable.” He wants the community to become more actively involved in the monthly statutory meetings.
“Usually, the public gallery is empty when we hold statutory meetings in the council chamber. By taking it outside of the chamber we bring the procedures to the people so they are aware of the instruments and forum that are available to them as it relates to services,” Maharaj said.
The Corporation is already receiving queries from the public about the meeting and students from Barrackpore West Secondary have expressed an interest in attending.
“Usually, the public gallery is empty when we hold Statutory meetings in the Council Chamber. By taking it outside of the Chamber we bring the procedures to the people so they are aware of the instruments and forum that are available to them as it relates to services,” Maharaj said.
“The officials from the village councils and sporting clubs and community groups are really overwhelmed, so if we have a direct forum with the laymen, they will be able to bring relief to issues. The Corporation will also be more cooperative when the people bring ideas,” he explained.
At the meeting, farmers are expected to ask questions about flooding in the Oropouche Drainage Basin and the utilization of the US$10 million grant from the Adaptation Fund which is intended to mitigate floods.
Head of Hunters Search and Rescue Team Captain Vallence Rambharat is expected to speak at the meeting and will receive a donation of protective gear for his team ahead of the rainy season.
PRO of the Puzzle Island Farmers Group Anirudh Boodram wants to attend the meeting and thanked Maharaj for taking the statutory meeting to Debe.
“This is truly a great idea. We now have the chance to meet everyone. Out of all the chairmen that passed through the Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, it is the first time that we are actually being invited to attend this meeting in our market. We feel we now have a proper connection with our councillors,” he said.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 pm.