As the Port of Spain Corporation commemorates its 112th year of municipal governance, the capital city’s top elected official has opened up about the persistent systemic challenges holding back progress, with violent crime and chronic budget shortages topping the list of urgent concerns.
Mayor Chinua Alleyne shared these observations during a celebratory cocktail reception held Wednesday at Port of Spain’s City Hall on Knox Street, marking the institution’s more than a century of public service.
Despite ongoing efforts to turn the tide on public safety, Alleyne acknowledged that the city has not yet overcome its most pressing issues. “There is still critical work ahead of us,” he noted, describing crime as a burden he bears personally for the community. He stressed that the city’s own municipal police force has gone above and beyond the call of duty, volunteering extra hours to boost patrols and public safety outreach, and continues to deliver strong results for residents. The city maintains close collaboration with the national Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), and Alleyne reaffirmed that this partnership would remain a top priority moving forward.
On the financial side, Alleyne and the municipal council are waiting on the Ministry of Finance to release urgently needed allocated funds, with expectations pinned on the upcoming national Mid-Year Budget Review to unlock critical support. Additional funding, he said, would allow the council to expand its work across more neighborhoods and advance long-overdue city modernization projects. Alleyne also teased that he would share full details of his ambitious agenda for citywide beautification and infrastructure upgrades at the upcoming Statutory Meeting and Civic Awards reception scheduled for Friday.
This is not the first time Alleyne has sounded the alarm about budget gaps. Back in April, he warned that severe funding shortages threatened to disrupt core municipal services, including regular residential garbage collection, and could even leave municipal workers without scheduled pay checks.
The 112th anniversary celebrations extended beyond the City Hall reception, including an interfaith service held at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Port of Spain’s Independence Square. Addressing the multi-religious gathering, Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen urged Alleyne and the municipal council to stay the course in their service to Port of Spain’s residents.
“As elected representatives, our core mission is to stand for the people we serve,” Ameen told attendees. She acknowledged that local government work is often uncompensated in public recognition, noting “I know at times it can be a thankless job — decades from now, many residents may not recall our names. But that does not diminish our responsibility to serve with excellence and distinction. Our calling is to lift up the lives of the most vulnerable among us.” Ameen also highlighted that local officials are always the first responders to community crises, from violent tragedies to natural disasters, making their consistent, dedicated service all the more critical.
Ameen closed her remarks by sharing the guidance of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who encourages public servants to “put God first and walk behind” in their work, before offering a blessing for the council and the city.
She also reflected on the unique cultural and religious pluralism that defines Trinidad and Tobago, noting that the multi-faith gathering in a Roman Catholic cathedral was a powerful testament to that legacy. “It is a special gift to live in a country where people of every religious tradition can gather in one another’s places of worship — whether churches, mandirs, or mosques,” she said. “In too many parts of the world, this kind of interfaith gathering is impossible, even deadly. This is what makes our beautiful, cosmopolitan nation so special.”