Mayor: Homelessness a top priority

Martinez made the statements while responding to questions from reporters at an event commemorating the 100th anniversary of Woodford square’s renaming last week.

He said while he understands the issue of homeless people is one that requires special care, he is prepared to meet the challenge and pick up where his predeccesor Keron Valentine, left off.

“The matter as it is right now is currently before the magistrate’s court, but I will say that I have been working closely with the Ministry of Social Development in drafting a document that will be presented to Cabinet within the next few days and whose intention will be to seek some long-term solution with respect to the homeless,” Martinez said.

Last year, then mayor Valentine, in an attempt to crack down on homeless people sleeping in Tamarind Square locked the gates to the square. In addition to homelessness, Martinez said he was also prepared to work closely with engineers of the city corporation and the Ministry of Works and Transport to help reduce flooding in downtown Port-of-Spain during the Rainy Season.

At the event last week, guide and historian Joseph Bertram was on hand to explain the Square’s importance in Port-of-Spain’s historical timeline.

“The square has been here for a while needless to say, it originally came about when the Spanish governor Chacon rerouted the St Anne’s river that once flowed through here to transform the port into the city we now know as Portof- Spain.

“Then when the British took control, the governor Sir Ralph Woodford, transformed this plot of land into a park area where he brought in trees from Venezuela giving it the name, ‘The Green Heart of Port-of-Spain’.” Valery Taylor, CEO of the National Heritage Trust said plans are underway to provide tours on a more regular basis to visitors and bring greater insight into the history behind Woodford Square.