作者： admin

What began as a simple overgrowth clearing initiative on a quiet Saturday in January has transformed into a beloved new tourist attraction in the coastal community of Mon Repos, Trinidad, drawing hundreds of local and international visitors after the installation of a custom ‘I Love Mon Repos’ landmark sign. Spearheaded by local councillor Nigel Couttier, the project kicked off with a small core team of 10 dedicated volunteers, who gathered every weekend from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. to restore an unmaintained empty plot of land located just steps from the Mon Repos Police Station along the busy Naparima/Mayaro Road. As word of the grassroots initiative spread, more community members stepped up to join the effort: residents living in the apartment buildings directly opposite the site signed on to help, and a professional landscaper from nearby Pleasantville offered his skills entirely for free, drawn by the project’s mission of collective community improvement. After weeks of clearing debris, pulling weeds, and leveling the ground, Couttier felt the newly refreshed space was missing a defining centerpiece. Inspired by his personal affection for the Mon Repos area, he landed on the idea of a signature ‘I Love’ community sign. The custom sign, marked by a unique solid red heart to set it apart from identical signs in other regions of Trinidad and Tobago, was crafted pro bono by a local artisan, costing the project virtually nothing. The outpouring of community support extended far beyond labor: local residents and project supporters donated a wide range of materials, including backfill for landscaping, ornamental plants, paint, and even two decorative water features. Just one month ago, a team of volunteers pulled an all-nighter to lay lush lawn grass across the entire plot, turning the once overgrown lot into a welcoming green public space. Today, the project has already delivered far more than a new public spot — it has restored a shared sense of community pride among Mon Repos residents, Couttier says. For the local councilor, the initiative is also proof of what can be achieved when a group of people comes together with a shared goal to lift up their neighborhood. This sign marks the first ‘I Love’ community landmark in Trinidad’s southern region, a distinction that has helped turn it into an unexpected hit with travelers. Since the project was completed, the site has seen daily visits from sightseers across the country and international tourists. Just last weekend, a full busload of foreign travelers stopped to visit the spot, and visitors regularly flock to the area to snap photos in front of the iconic sign. ‘It’s really amazing,’ Couttier said. ‘That’s exactly what we set out to achieve — to create something that brings people together and makes our community shine.’ While limited funding remains a small hurdle for the next phase of development, the team plans to continue upgrading the space, adding restored public benches and a new concrete gathering area in the coming weeks. When asked about the risk of vandalism to the community space, Couttier said he remains unconcerned. ‘When you do something from the goodness of your heart, you leave everything up to God,’ he explained. Local residents have already embraced the new landmark, with one long-time resident praising the project for encouraging greater social connection among local young people. ‘It is a fresh project… it looking good and feeling good and we enjoying it,’ the resident said. Couttier aims to wrap up all remaining upgrades by the end of the current month, when the community will host an official opening ceremony to celebrate the new public space.

It has been exactly two months since 7-year-old Angelica Saydee Jogie’s young life was ended by a devastating jet ski collision at Tobago’s popular Pigeon Point Beach, and her heartbroken family is still clinging to one demand: answers, and long-overdue justice.

Every evening, the Jogie family gathers outside their Barrackpore home at a small, loving memorial set up in Angelica’s honor. Two candles are lit without fail each night, as relatives join in prayer for justice and hold space for the irreplaceable gap left by the little girl’s passing. For her father, Arnold Jogie, the agony of losing his child remains just as raw as it was on the day of the April 8 tragedy, he told local outlet the Express in an interview published this week.

The fatal incident unfolded when Jogie, his daughter, and his uncle were in the shallow waters off Pigeon Point when an out-of-control jet ski crashed into all three. Angelica suffered fatal multiple traumatic injuries and died moments after the impact. Arnold Jogie was hospitalized for several days with his own injuries, while Angelica’s uncle received medical care and was discharged shortly after the collision. The little girl’s death sent shockwaves across Trinidad and Tobago, igniting broad public outcry and reawakening longstanding demands for tighter safety regulations and consistent monitoring of recreational jet ski operations across the country’s public beaches.

Within 24 hours of the tragedy, police took a 32-year-old Canaan man into custody in connection with the fatal collision. But law enforcement officials confirmed the suspect was later released as investigators continue to process the case, leaving the family in limbo. Jogie told reporters he submitted his formal witness statement to investigating officers three weeks ago, and he expected the case file would have been sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions weeks ago to review possible charges.

“I last spoke with the police about three weeks ago. At that time, they told me they were still looking at the charges. Up to now, nothing,” Jogie said. As Monday’s two-month anniversary of the accident arrived, the endless delay in police action has only amplified the family’s pain and uncertainty. “We just want justice for our daughter. We are not hearing from the police. It makes us wonder if they are not bothering with us anymore,” he added.

The family’s grief has been deepened by another recent, devastating child death on the island of Tobago. Last month, 2-year-old Angelo Tobias-Plaza went missing from his Goodwood home, sparking a massive multi-day search that has not recovered the toddler’s body. Angelo’s stepfather, Shannon Miller, has since been arraigned in Scarborough court on a charge of murder. Though the two cases are unrelated, Jogie said learning of another young life lost in Tobago left his family heartbroken. “Cruel people are taking God’s angels,” he said. “But we are praying that we get justice, too.”

Until investigators close the case and charges are filed, the Jogie family will maintain their nightly vigil. Photos of Angelica, flickering candles, and handwritten tributes stand as a constant reminder of the joyful little girl taken too soon. Though weeks of waiting have stretched on, the family says they still hold onto hope that investigators will wrap up their work soon, and that the person responsible for their daughter’s death will be held fully accountable. Every night, the candles keep burning: a quiet, powerful symbol of a family’s undying love, unshakable faith, and unwavering determination to get justice for the little girl who should still be with them today.

A social media video showing two vehicles being towed from Port of Spain General Hospital has sparked public discussion, prompting official clarification from the North-West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) on its longstanding parking enforcement practices.

In the circulating clip, a female voiceoff accuses the health authority of unfairly targeting hospital staff amid a widespread parking shortage, claiming employees are left with no legal parking spaces yet have their vehicles impounded for parking violations. The viral footage quickly drew sympathy from online commenters, many of whom echoed frustrations over limited parking access for hospital workers.

Responding to the public outcry in an official statement released Wednesday, the NWRHA confirmed the towing operation took place on the hospital’s compound, but pushed back on the narrative that the action was unprovoked. According to the authority, both towed vehicles were parked in clearly marked restricted zones, in direct violation of the organization’s formal Parking Policy implemented back in May 2022.

The first vehicle, which appears in the viral video, was parked illegally on the northern edge of the hospital campus, next to the Maternity Staff Car Park. At the time it was towed, the improperly parked car was blocking multiple other vehicles from exiting the lot, creating unnecessary traffic congestion and access issues. The second vehicle posed an even greater risk to hospital operations: it was parked directly in the Ambulance Bay at the hospital’s main entrance, a critical emergency access route that is required to stay clear 24/7 to support rapid patient care and emergency response.

The towing operation was carried out with formal assistance from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), as part of the NWRHA’s routine enforcement of parking rules. The authority declined to confirm whether either of the towed vehicles was registered to hospital staff, noting that parking regulations apply equally to all individuals on the campus, regardless of affiliation.

NWRHA officials emphasized that consistent traffic and parking management is non-negotiable for keeping hospital operations running smoothly. Unauthorized parking in restricted zones does not just cause minor inconvenience, they argued: it can block patient access, slow down emergency medical responses, and disrupt the entire delivery of critical healthcare services.

To help the public and staff avoid accidental violations, the NWRHA noted it has already installed clear signage throughout the hospital compound marking all restricted areas and no-parking zones. The TTPS has also supported the authority by assisting with the placement of additional signage where gaps were identified, and has partnered on routine enforcement efforts.

While the authority acknowledged that the Port of Spain General Hospital continues to face high demand for parking, it stressed that compliance with parking rules is a core requirement to protect the facility’s overall safety, accessibility and functional efficiency. The NWRHA confirmed that routine enforcement of the Parking Policy will continue moving forward, and urged all staff, patients and visitors to only use marked, designated parking areas to ensure the hospital can deliver uninterrupted, safe care to the community.