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Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Faris Al-Rawi, prepares to debate in Parliament on April 23. – Photo by Angelo Marcelle
RURAL Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi, SC, said an important part of local government reform is the creation of local economic zones and local development.
Al-Rawi, who is also San Fernando West MP, made this comment when he spoke at the 51st annual PNM San Fernando West constituency conference at San Fernando City Hall Auditorium on July 13.
He said local economic booths have been opened in Pleasantville and Embacadere.
“We are not saying to people anything other than (they) deserve respect.”
He wondered how a community like Embacadere with thousands of residents could not have facilities such as a grocery, food stalls, hairdresser salons or bars.
Al-Rawi said in such a scenario, people might have to breach HDC (Housing Development Corporation) rules “to do cooking in their house, do a little small sale outside.”
But he added, “With local economic development, the delivery of the local economic booths, move to create business and enterprise for people.”
Al-Rawi cited the installation of additional booths in the Chaguanas Market.
“By creating anchor institutions in our markets, we were able to add $150,000 to the market with seven booths. So the market is now in control of revenue to allow for the development of the market refurbishment and that becomes the blueprint for every single market.”
He hinted that similar developments were planned for the San Fernando Market in the near future.
Al-Rawi disclosed the ministry would soon hold consultations for every “high street” in Trinidad
He identified San Fernando, Princes Town and Chaguanas as three of those locations.
“By the time we are finished with the development and roll-out of that, which is at costing stage now, you are talking about moving commercial reality from 8 (am) to 4 (pm) on a high street to 10 (pm) at night.”
Al-Rawi asked his audience what that would look like for High Street, San Fernando.
He asked them to imagine parking at the new Udecott carpark near the San Fernando General Hospital and using a shuttle service from the waterfront to High Street to Harris Promenade and back to the waterfront.
“It’s called the loop.”
Al-Rawi said, “Imagine your retail development ending at 10 pm because you’re safe because our municipal police, with our municipal police academy, now churning out municipal police and also others we have trained, including the traffic wardens and the praedial larceny unit.
“We’re now churning them out. Imagine now, where retail development returns to high streets in this country.”
He added, “That is no longer something to talk about. It’s designed and it’s costed and it’s affordable and it’s part of local government reform once the pieces add together.”
Al-Rawi was also pleased about other developments taking place in San Fernando.
“Now in our 11 HDC communities in San Fernando West, just like HDC communities everywhere else in Trinidad, we get to build guard booths with camera systems. So that we now have virtually gated communities.”
