Wednesday, August 8 2012

EMPLOYEES at the office of the Member of Parliament for Siparia, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, yesterday joined forces with a councillor and several agencies in an attempt to provide better living conditions for residents of Sunrees Road in Penal.

The meeting was held yesterday at the constituency office, SS Erin Road, Penal, two days after residents staged a placard demonstration to highlight the lack of basic amenities in their area. Persad-Bissessar is due to return home today after attending Independence Day celebrations in Jamaica.

Councillor Shanty Boodram said she has been assisting constituents in whatever way she can.

“I have written letters to Land Settlement Agency on behalf of residents. Some of the residents do not have a certificate of comfort. For those who don’t have it, there is a procedure to go through and this is why we have this meeting here today. Those who have, would be getting their electricity,” Boodram said.

On Sunday many of the residents complained about the lack of electricity and deplorable road conditions. The councillor yesterday noted that the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (TTEC) would have to put poles to facilitate the electricity. Some residents already had connection in the past in their homes, Boodram added.

“Only a few residents do not have water and WASA is going to connect them. About three weeks ago I began fixing the road. These roads have never been fixed before,” Boodram said.

Manager at the constituency office and former government senator Danny Maharaj described Sunrees Road as a squatting community, adding the concerns of the residents are complex.

“In terms of getting electricity, they are not bonafide tenants of the lands. Nevertheless certain residents made applications to the various agencies and are awaiting connection from TTEC. There are no electrical infrastructure in the area such as poles and so on,” he said.