In a heartwarming display of community spirit, San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris organized a special Christmas Day luncheon at the city corporation auditorium on Harris Promenade. The event, designed to spread holiday cheer, specifically targeted families facing economic hardships during what the mayor characterized as a particularly challenging year.
The initiative emerged as a direct response to rising unemployment levels, which Parris partially attributed to government decisions to terminate public work programs including Cepep, UPR, and reforestation projects. Despite financial constraints affecting municipal funds—especially in opposition-controlled corporations like PNM—the event proceeded through collaborative efforts.
Through strategic partnerships with private sector organizations, the San Fernando City Corporation secured over 400 holiday hampers for distribution, though Parris acknowledged these were modest compared to previous years. The mayor emphasized the philosophical foundation of the event, stating, “Christmas embodies the spirit of giving rather than receiving. These principles guided my upbringing and continue to direct our actions today.”
Addressing practical employment solutions, Parris revealed that the corporation has been engaging short-term workers from Pleasantville and San Fernando West districts to maintain community spaces until more permanent arrangements can be established. He concluded with a message of resilience, acknowledging current economic difficulties while pledging continued support for vulnerable residents, and extended seasonal greetings to all citizens of San Fernando and Trinidad and Tobago.