PoS mayor offers sympathy

This happened after yesterday’s statutory meeting of Portof- Spain City Council at City Hall, during which time the residents’ plight was raised by councillor June Durham.

Resident Kingsley Hinkson said for all his 70-plus years he lived at his Woodbrook house in which his parents had also previously lived. On Tuesday he was fined by three litter wardens for the manner in which he put his garbage out for collection.

Saying his family has put out their garbage the same way for the past 100 years they have lived there, he vowed not to pay the fine.

“I put it out at 8.30 am on the pavement in front of my property,” Hinkson said.

“All residents have it on the pavement at a specified time.

We have a regular collection of garbage so if you put it out by 10 am it is gone.” Hinkson said the wardens said it should have been in a bin or on a wall to be away from disruption by vagrants.

Martinez said he could not advise residents whether or not to pay the fines which are due by Monday, and if unpaid or contested could attract a further fine of thousands of dollars. He promised to look into the fines issued but offered no promises.

Health Inspector Mitra Sooklal said he could not rescind the penalties.

He said from now on he would allow a grace period for residents to put out their garbage for collection without penalty.

Sooklal said he will look at the tickets issued but said the litter wardens may have a different version of events to justify the tickets. Meanwhile he suggested residents place their garbage bags on their wall to await collection.

One resident related garbage trucks were refusing to collect her bush cuttings. Sooklal said she must contact the Transport and Collection Unit to arrange to collect these. “There’s no specific day for collection of tree cuttings.” Another said the litter wardens should instead patrol the club-lined Ariapita Avenue as she picks up 25 empty bottles every Saturday. Lamenting loud noise from bars (all night through to 6.30 am), from limers, slamming car doors and pounding music from passing cars, another woman asked, “How much more can we take?”.

Ramona Guichard complained of the hours she spent after Carnival trying to clean the stench of alcohol and urine from her yard Deputy Mayor Hillan Morean urged the purchase of decibel meters and for the EMA to train the City Police in noise control.

Martinez told Newsday that unlike magistrates at a liquor licensing session being able to refuse a licence if enough neighbours object, the corporation does not likewise register bars, but only gives approval for construction activity or change of use of premises.