By SEAN DOUGLAS Sunday, August 9 2009

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Satish Ramroop...

CHAGUANAS Mayor Natasha Navas is being assisted by former minister and PNM Government senator Satish Ramroop, a development that has raised many eyebrows around the country.

Ramroop had been spotted earlier in the week supporting Navas during the visit of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday to the Chaguanas Borough Corporation (CBC). It was a notable sight, due to the gender-role reversal of a male assistant to a female office-holder, and due to the fact that Ramroop had been a PNM member who is now working as a consultant for the RamJackG faction of the UNC.

Ramroop was unwilling to shed light on his current political affiliations, but simply said he works for Chaguanas MP Jack Warner and Tabaquite MP Ramesh Maharaj, and serves as technical assistant (known informally as a personal assistant) to Mayor Navas.

Ramroop had twice stood as a PNM candidate, respectively in the general election of 2000 and 2001, for the Caroni Central seat which was won by the UNC’s Dr Hamza Rafeeq.

Appointed a Government Senator, Ramroop served as a Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs under then - minister Joan Yuille-Williams, and then became a Minister of State in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, under Colm Imbert and then Mustapha Abdul-Hamid. He has not served in the Government elected in 2007. Ramroop is a mechanical engineer by profession, having worked at the Public Service Transport Corporation (PTSC) for 12 years. He is also a pundit in the Hindu organisation, Trinidad Seva Shram Sangh, and runs an ashram with a primary school. He is a member of the National Council on Indian Culture, and says he was born and bred in Central Trinidad.

“I coordinated the last local government elections in this area where the PNM won three seats,” he said proudly. He also served as secretary of the controversial Hindu Credit Union (HCU).

Ramroop said his appointment as assistant to Mayor Navas was above-board because it was done in line with Cabinet Minute 892 of April 7, 2005, which allows the head of any regional corporation to have an assistant. He said the duties of such an assistant were listed in the Cabinet Note as being to help prepare notes, collate/assess reports, supply information to the Mayor, help coordinate activities including sitting in at council meetings. His post is paid by the Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Finance.

Ramroop saw no conflict in his past links to the PNM and his role now serving Mayor Navas. Ramproop said, “This is strictly work.” Also, he saw the Mayor as holding a non-political post. “The Chaguanas Borough Corporation is not a political party, but a point of governance.” He said a party holding must hire good people if it wishes to succeed. Is he still a PNM member? Ramroop replied: “I’m neutral at this point in time.” Ramroop said he was not active in any party, except insofar as being hired as a consultant by Mr Warner and Mr Maharaj.

Newsday asked how his experience in politics and in Government would allow him to assist Mayor Navas. Ramroop said his duties as a minister dealing with the public sector are being brought to bear on the Chaguanas Borough Council.