PM: Funding for new corporation buildings

The Prime Minister made the disclosure at the swearing-in ceremony for aldermen of the Diego Martin corporation at Pier One in Chaguaramas.

Rowley told his audience that Finance Minister Colm Imbert has identified funding for the construction of headquarters for both corporations and tenders will be issued shortly.

He recalled being invited to a sod-turning ceremony in 2006 or 2007 by former local government minister Ken Valley (now deceased) for the construction of a new headquarters for the Diego Martin corporation but that building was never built.

Saying the corporation had done well to run its business from two old houses and the people of Diego Martin had been very patient, Rowley was hopeful the corporation would get a new headquarters before the end of its new term of office.

Reinforcing an earlier comment made during the ceremony by Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein that local government reform will become a reality under his administration, the Prime Minister said he envisioned Diego Martin and Siparia being elevated to borough status.

After informing the councillors and aldermen that tax collection within the Diego Martin area will be one of the corporation’s responsibilities as part of local government reform, Rowley said that in the current economic circumstances facing the country, it was not about how much money one has but how one uses the money that is available. He told them he did not want to hear the word “clique” and that they are a “team” charged with the responsibility to deliver goods and services to all the people they represent.

The Prime Minister was also pleased that this corporation was the only one of the 14 local government corporations which is run by women. New chairman Susan Hong said she was ready, willing and able to serve both the Diego Martin region and the country by extension.

Observing there are “tough times ahead,” Hong urged her fellow councillors and aldermen to stay focused on the job at hand.