SHALIZA HASSANALI
Senior Investigative Reporter
Shaliza.has[email protected]
Several Housing Development Corporation (HDC) communities are facing a growing mountain of trash as the festive season approaches.
The situation reached a tipping point for residents of Cleaver Heights, Arima, after HDC failed to provide garbage collection for eight days, creating a health hazard and eyesore for 388 homeowners. The service was reportedly discontinued without residents being notified.
The pile-up came just days after HDC chairman Feeroz Khan announced that the corporation would end contracts with at least 50 maintenance providers and their employees by year’s end, hinting at possible further staff cuts. Khan attributed the move to a decade of severe financial mismanagement.
On December 5, the Tunapuna Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) intervened to remove the waste from Cleaver Heights. Since then, no rubbish has been collected.
Three other HDC communities—two in El Dorado and Maloney Gardens—are also battling overflowing bins, rodents, cockroaches, flies, and stray dogs scavenging through garbage bags.
Last Monday, TPRC chairman Josiah Austin held an emergency meeting with Cleaver Heights residents, explaining that his corporation could only assist with rubbish collection for December due to a $4 million cut in the UNC Government’s garbage disposal allocation.
This year the TPRC received $42 million for waste disposal, which was reduced to $38 million in the 2026 budget. Austin warned that the garbage crisis is affecting multiple HDC communities.
“The issue unfolded because HDC contractors have walked off,” Austin said. He added that sanitation contracts managed by HDC are set to end on December 31.
“So if contracts are not tendered in time, what will happen to the other developments with ongoing agreements? This issue has now spread. You are one of the first affected, but many more will follow,” Austin told residents.
He detailed the scale of the problem: “I have Goya and Madhoo Heights in El Dorado, and Maloney Gardens… you can imagine the situation there. I had to address that issue and rush here to meet with you. I still need to attend to other developments,” he said.
“I don’t believe this should be our responsibility, but we met with you because at least 20 developments are now facing similar challenges, one by one. Our budget has been cut, we’ve had decreases while other corporations received increases, and it would be impractical to assume full responsibility for all these areas,” Austin added.
Corporation underfunded
The Tunapuna Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) is controlled by the PNM.
Chairman Josiah Austin said that budget increases were redirected to the Penal and Princes Town Corporations, which are under UNC control. As a result, the TPRC is now scaling back services, including garbage collection from schools and main roads.
“Those were additional services we accommodated in the past. It’s hard to add more developments or more spaces with the budget we have right now,” Austin told Guardian Media following a meeting with residents. He added that an assessment was underway and that the corporation would consult with business chambers to address the issue.
Austin said the TPRC maintains a list of private and HDC developments requesting garbage collection, but the corporation lacks the funds, trucks, and manpower to handle all requests. At present, priority must be given to critical areas. The TPRC provides garbage collection across its 16 electoral districts.
When residents asked how TPRC could assist their community, Austin explained, “The process has to go inter-ministerial. The Ministry of Planning, in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government and the Ministry of Housing, must agree, and they will provide the requisite funding.”
He warned that the process was not simple, especially during the Yuletide season, which brings a surge in waste.
Austin also made it clear that HDC must play its part by sending teams to clear the rubbish.
Joining Austin were Frank Ali, representative of the Arouca/Lopinot constituency office; Cleaver/D’Abadie councillor Shuquila Clarke; and the TPRC’s Public Health Officer, Natasha Johnson. Clarke advised residents to establish a management committee to coordinate solutions.
Some residents in the Cleaver Heights WhatsApp group suggested hiring a contractor to manage garbage collection ahead of the Christmas rush.
An attorney and resident of HDC’s Trestrail Lands development in D’Abadie recounted how 100 single-unit owners in her community had been left scrambling after HDC abruptly stopped garbage collection a few months ago.
“In that case, we established a management committee, wrote to HDC for the maintenance fees we had been paying, and asked the TPRC to pick up the rubbish temporarily. Then we sought quotes from sanitation companies,” she said.
One company quoted $27,000 per month for twice-weekly collection, while another offered a more economical $10,000 per month, which the committee accepted.
Some Cleaver Heights townhouse owners noted that for over a decade, residents had been paying monthly maintenance fees of $200–$300 and questioned where the funds had gone.
On Tuesday, Austin updated residents via WhatsApp, saying he spoke with HDC’s deputy managing director and “we agreed to assist them in one large area, which is Greenvale.” HDC would collect garbage in Cleaver, Goya, and Maloney, all in urgent need of clean-up.
“I have asked them for a schedule so residents can be informed. They promised to liaise with their teams and get back to me in the morning. This is expected to continue until the end of January, by which time new contractors should be in place,” Austin said.
On Wednesday, he provided a further update that HDC had agreed to service the area “today and tomorrow (Thursday),” but no collection occurred. The chairman has now promised to send a truck and crew on Monday to remove garbage that has accumulated over ten days.
Guardian Media contacted HDC chairman Feeroz Khan with questions and sent two follow-ups regarding the garbage crisis, but he did not respond.
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Maloney mess
Flies buzzed in and out of rubbish crammed into the 12 dumpsters of Maloney Gardens. The stench of decaying waste filled the air, while huge rats scurried through the trash and cockroaches crawled among the colourful garbage bags on Wednesday.
This has been the daily reality for hundreds of Maloney Gardens residents for the past seven months, a result of HDC’s inadequate garbage collection.
Matthew Peters, president of the Maloney Gardens Community Council, described the ongoing health hazard as “unbearable and disheartening.”
Maloney Gardens comprises 21 apartment buildings, each housing 62 tenants. “That’s over 1,300 tenants living here,” Peters said. The community also has roughly 3,000 single-unit homes.
“That’s over 4,000 homes in our community, yet the 12 dumpsters in the car parks are always overflowing. People from outside the community also dump their garbage here, which only worsens the health problem.”
HDC is supposed to collect trash twice weekly, but Peters said the service is often provided only once a week—or not at all—leading to piles of waste.
“The dumpsters are always full, and the stench is unbearable,” he said.
When the situation reaches a crisis, the TPRC steps in to clear the rubbish. “I know the TPRC is overwhelmed at the moment. They can’t service all these HDC communities—it’s too much,” Peters noted.
With Christmas approaching, the problem has become even more pressing, as the compound surrounding the 12 car parks remains littered with waste.
“There’s no other place to put it. Imagine Christmas morning—smelling your nice ham baking in your kitchen while outside it stinks of rotting garbage. How can anyone enjoy Christmas in that environment?” Peters asked.
He said the council intends to write to HDC to stress the impact of the situation on both community life and public health. “They have to get their act together,” he said.
Peters also criticised the UNC government for moving too quickly on reforms. “It’s just too much. With all these changes, many people are being negatively affected. I have friends and family who voted for UNC, but now they regret it.”
Reflecting on the political fallout, Peters said: “When UNC won the election, Maloney did not win. To me, when UNC won, a lot of people in the country ended up losing.”
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Corporations worried about public health risk
Port-of-Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne said while HDC is responsible for clearing rubbish from its housing developments, his corporation occasionally steps in to provide relief to residents.
However, Alleyne noted that a significant reduction in the 2026 budget allocation for garbage collection limits their capacity.
“We would not be in any position to take on any additional responsibility,” he said.
The corporation’s garbage allocation was cut from $21 million last year to $13 million in 2026—a decrease Alleyne described as “too drastic.” The reduction also forced the corporation to cut garbage collection in east Port-of-Spain from four days a week to three. The four-day schedule will be maintained only during the Christmas season, after which the three-day schedule will resume in January.
Alleyne warned this change could negatively affect small sanitation contractors who employ local residents. He said he had already informed the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) about the financial challenges.
“The reduction in the number of collection days has a material impact on these contractors’ operations and their ability to contribute to the local economy. It is a significant challenge. But the resources we have are what they are—we have to adapt to the new reality,” he said.
Alleyne also highlighted the public health implications of reduced garbage collection.
“There is an obvious public health risk, which is why we continue to raise this issue and advocate for better services. We don’t need less garbage collection in the city; we need more.”
Siparia Regional Corporation chairman Doodnath Mayrhoo and Princes Town Regional Corporation chairman Gowrie Roopnarine said HDC had not asked their corporations to manage waste in housing developments in their areas.
Point Fortin Borough Corporation Mayor Clyde James said the situation in his jurisdiction is less severe than in Tunapuna Piarco. “While we have some sites, I don’t think it’s as bad as the Tunapuna Corporation. They have more HDC sites than we do,” he said.
Guardian Media reached out to the chairmen and mayors of the other eight regional corporations, but they did not respond.
HDC waste disposal contracts
According to HDC documents detailing 2025 expenditure, three companies received contract extensions on January 17 under the PNM government for monthly bulk waste disposal services at Maloney Gardens, Cleaver Heights, and La Goya housing developments.
The companies—Pical Services Limited, Costar Transport & Construction Limited, and Gelister Enterprises Limited—were contracted for services from January to December 2025. HDC records of contracts awarded between late April and late September indicate that no new waste disposal contracts were issued during that period, while it remains unclear if any were awarded between October and early December.
On January 17, Pical Services Limited received an extension contract worth $203,175 for bulk waste disposal at Maloney Gardens. Costar Transport & Construction Limited was awarded $205,411.50 for monthly waste disposal at the same development. Meanwhile, Gelister Enterprises Limited received contracts for Cleaver Heights and La Goya, valued at $53,716.50 and $25,155 respectively.
Company registry documents show that Pical Services Limited is owned by two close relatives of Opposition Senator Foster Cummings: his wife, Juliet Cummings, and daughter, Abiola Cummings. The senator has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing by the company.
“Both companies mentioned have been doing business with the government for years, certainly predating my Cabinet and parliamentary appointments. Tendering procedures are presided over by the board and management of the HDC, and one expects that all legal requirements are adhered to in the award of every HDC contract, including those you have highlighted, which appear to be extensions of existing contracts,” Cummings told Guardian Media in a September interview.
Costar Transport & Construction Limited is owned by entrepreneurs Khaleel and Coreen Stafford and was registered in 2012. Gelister Enterprises Limited, owned by Nigel John St Louis and Affisha Kayan St Louis, was registered in 2010.
According to HDC documents listing contracts awarded in 2024 and 2025, 82 contract extensions were granted for monthly bulk waste disposal services under the PNM government on January 17, 2025. These contracts, with a combined value of $3.8 million, were for services to be provided between January and December 2025, with 15 contracts valued at $50,000 or more.
Contracts for PNM supporters
Documents show that the five companies with the highest single waste disposal contract awards were Rivulet Investment Group, Sure Serv Limited, Pical Services, Klydon Enterprises Limited, and Costar Transport & Construction.
Trinidad & Tobago Landscaping Company Limited, owned by Norman and Natalie Gabriel—the wife and father of PNM financier and businessman Andrew Gabriel—received five contract extensions valued at $336,119. Three of these covered Exchange Housing Development, Powder Magazine Phase 2, and Barataria Housing Development Phases 1 and 2.
Goodvibes & Company Limited, owned by Sea Lots community leader and entrepreneur Kenroy Dopwell, obtained four contracts for Pioneer Drive, Ridgeview Heights, Vieux Forte Building A, and Vieux Forte Buildings B, C, and D, valued at $62,468.
Debros Marketing and Services Company Limited, owned by PNM Vice Chair for San Fernando West Nigel Cleghorn, received a waste disposal extension at Ridgewood Gardens Phase 1 worth $12,577.
Darwen Limited, directed by I95.5 FM host Darian Marcelle and former Port-of-Spain alderman Wendell Stephen, received an extension at Hirondelle Street Housing Development valued at $36,180. Another company where Stephen is listed as a director, MGM Construction Limited, was awarded three contracts at the Leon & Dorata Streets, Malabar, and Rosewood Gardens Housing Developments, totaling $58,131.
Virgo Consultants Limited, owned by former National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) Chairman and former PNM temporary chairman Wayne Inniss, received four contracts for Mon Repos, Tarodale Hills Phases I and II, and Tarouba Heights Phases I and II, worth $137,374. Inniss was Namdevco chairman at the time of the awards.
Five companies—Rivulet Investment Group, Sure Serv Limited, Pical Services, Klydon Enterprises Limited, and Austin Rogers Holdings & Construction Company Limited—have reported business associations or links with Opposition Senator Foster Cummings.
Pical Services received four contracts totaling $533,961, covering Lisa Gardens & Embacadare Housing Estates Development, Cane Street and Olera Heights Housing Developments, Edinburgh South Housing Development, and Couva North Development.
Rivulet Investment Group, whose directors are the wife and daughter of the PNM General Secretary, received a contract extension worth $201,206. Klydon Enterprises, with directors Donetta Pierre and Oneka Mayers, was awarded two contracts valued at $410,287. Pierre was formerly secretary of Cummings and Associates Limited, owned by Cummings and his wife, though she denied any business association with him.
Austin Rogers of Austin Rogers Holdings Construction Company Limited (AR Holdings) and Cummings are longtime business associates, although Rogers has denied any current business ties. Both AR Holdings and Cummings and Associates Limited are registered at the same address—Unit 2, Metro Building, Noel Street, Couva. AR Holdings received five contract extensions worth over $116,000.
Sure Serv Limited, registered at the Metro Hotel in Couva, lists Ruth Cummings (formerly Ruth Walker) and Gail Jeremiah as directors. The company was awarded three contracts valued at $236,114, including waste removal at Carlsen Field Housing Development and The Village Plaza at Cashew Gardens.
Responding to allegations of associations, Foster Cummings said: “I see here as well, ordinary citizens, ordinary businessmen who have every right, as every citizen, to engage in business. Many of them I know.
“This is a small country, and I come from a business background. Businessmen know each other. Many of the names I was asked about yesterday, I know all. I am familiar with them. But I entered full-time politics back in 2020, and matters of business were left up to my family to manage.”
HDC extensions issued on January 17
Rivulet Investment Group – $201,206.25 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Buen Intento Phase I & Glenroy Housing Developments
Sure Serv Limited – $200,812.50 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Union Hall Housing Development
Pical Services Limited – $203,175.00 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Roystonia Housing, Couva North Development
Pical Services Limited – $209,160.00 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Lisa Gardens & Embacadare Housing Estates Development
Klydon Enterprises Limited – $206,325.00 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Pleasantville Housing Development
Klydon Enterprises Limited – $203,962.50 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Cypress Hills 1A, 1B & 1C Housing Development Phases One to Four
Costar Transport and Construction Limited – $190,575.00 – The Extension of Monthly Bulk Waste Disposal Services at Oasis Greens Housing Development
Trinidad & Tobago Landscaping Company Limited – $145,388.25 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Oropune Gardens Housing Development
Trinidad & Tobago Landscaping Company Limited – $132,995.25 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Oasis Greens Housing Development Phases 1–4
Pical Services Limited – $84,375.00 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Edinburgh South Housing Development
Gelister Enterprises Ltd – $83,603.25 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Greenvale Park Housing Development
Virgo Consultants – $61,312.50 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Tarouba Heights Housing Development Phases 1 & 2 for the period Jan–Dec 2025
SMH General Construction Ltd – $60,786.00 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Hubertstown & Lakeview Housing Developments
Libsco Company Limited – $59,625.00 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Cypress Hills Phases 1A, 1B & 1C for the period Jan–Dec 2025
Mainstream General Contracting – $52,213.50 – The Extension of Monthly Waste Disposal Services at Fairfield Housing Estate Phases 1 & 2