分类： society

A resident of Mt Hope has raised serious concerns about the conduct of newly appointed garbage collectors serving the community, highlighting a stark contrast with previous service providers. In a letter to the editor, Linus F Didier detailed multiple unsettling encounters with sanitation workers employed by a contractor for the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation.

The most recent incident occurred on the Sunday preceding Divali celebrations, when a garbage collector approached the resident while holding a half-consumed bottle of beer and explicitly requested “$20 to buy a doubles.” When ignored, the worker proceeded to make the same monetary solicitation to a female neighbor, creating what the author described as an “incredibly disconcerting” situation, particularly for the woman involved.

This was not an isolated occurrence. Several months earlier, around 5:15 in the morning, the same individual had approached the resident seeking money “to buy some tea.” These incidents represent a dramatic departure from the previously excellent service standards maintained by retired crew members who had served the Mt Hope area for years.

The letter writer contrasted these experiences with Scrunter’s 2025 parang tribute to garbage collectors, which celebrates their valuable contributions to society. While expressing overall appreciation for sanitation workers’ essential services, the author called on the regional corporation to address the contractor’s personnel issues promptly.

The correspondence concludes with holiday greetings to all garbage collectors throughout Trinidad and Tobago, acknowledging their important work while emphasizing the need for professional conduct during service operations.

A troubling pattern of solicitation by garbage collection personnel has emerged in Mount Hope, Trinidad, prompting serious community concerns about professional conduct in municipal services. The issue gained attention following a resident’s detailed account published in Newsday’s Letters to Editor section.

The situation presents a stark contrast to the traditional appreciation for sanitation workers, recently celebrated in Scrunter’s 2025 parang musical tribute honoring garbage collectors’ contributions to community welfare.

According to Linus F Didier, a local resident, incidents of improper solicitation have occurred multiple times. On the Sunday preceding Divali celebrations, while garbage collection was rescheduled due to the holiday, a collector allegedly approached residents requesting money “to buy a doubles” while visibly holding a half-consumed beer bottle. When ignored, the individual proceeded to make similar requests to female neighbors.

This was not an isolated occurrence. Several months earlier, around 5:15 AM, the same individual reportedly solicited funds “to buy some tea” from residents. These incidents stand in sharp contrast to the previously excellent service record maintained by retired crew members who served the Mt Hope area for years without such complaints.

The community has expressed particular concern about the safety implications, especially for female residents approached by sanitation workers during collection hours. The incidents have raised questions about worker supervision and professional standards within the contracted services.

Residents are calling for intervention from the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, urging officials to address these issues with their contractors while still acknowledging the valuable service provided by ethical garbage collectors throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

In a significant development for Tobago’s public sector workforce, 920 permanent employees of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) are set to receive their long-awaited back payments between December 18-23. The confirmation comes from THA Secretary of Finance and the Economy Petal-Ann Roberts, who verified the payment timeline through official communications on December 11.

The financial settlement follows a landmark memorandum of agreement signed on December 2 between the Public Services Association (PSA) and the Chief Personnel Officer. The comprehensive agreement includes a 10% wage increase, consolidation of Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) for the periods 2014-2016 and 2017-2019, and substantial back pay totaling $3.8 billion Trinidad and Tobago dollars.

Hayden Duke, PSA’s Tobago region industrial relations officer, expressed profound relief at the resolution, noting that permanent civil servants would definitely receive their entitled payments. “I am ecstatic,” Duke told Newsday, reflecting on the four-year struggle during which employees worked with 2013 salary scales in 2026.

The breakthrough concludes a decade-long negotiation period that saw workers initially offered a “utterly disrespectful” 4% increase by the previous administration. PSA President Felisha Thomas celebrated the achievement in a December 10 circular, stating: “Your sacrifice has not been in vain. Today, we are proud to announce that your resilience has delivered meaningful results.”

The new salary structure will take effect in January 2026, with allowances retroactive to January 1, 2014. The settlement delivers on campaign promises made by current Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who had committed to the 10% wage increase during the UNC’s election campaign following the PSA’s rejection of the previous government’s offer.

Trinidad and Tobago faces a severe crime crisis directly linked to economic deterioration and mass layoffs, creating what observers describe as a domino effect of violence and desperation. As the holiday season approaches, the stark contrast between official pronouncements and street-level reality grows increasingly apparent.

The connection between economic hardship and criminal activity has become undeniable. Recent incidents illustrate how unemployment and financial desperation are driving ordinary citizens toward extreme measures. In Aranguez, a robber wearing a construction worker’s reflective vest—symbolizing the vanished honest labor market—assaulted a 68-year-old pastor for $100,000. This incident exemplifies how traditional tools of trade have been replaced by firearms as means of survival.

The crime wave affects all socioeconomic levels. While high-profile cases like the kidnapping of Derek Tardieu and his wife Claribel for a $2.5 million ransom capture headlines, ordinary citizens face equally terrifying circumstances. On Caroni Savannah Road, a 64-year-old taxi driver was choked and carjacked by three assailants, demonstrating what commentators describe as ‘the poor preying on the poor’ in a desperate struggle for survival.

Criticism mounts against official responses to the crisis. Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro’s recent assertion that there was ‘no resurgence’ of kidnappings appears contradicted by multiple incidents. Many accuse authorities of manipulating crime statistics rather than addressing root causes. The practice of ‘cooking the books’ on crime data does little to comfort terrified residents who experience the violence firsthand.

The situation represents what analysts term a ‘pressure cooker’ effect: mass layoffs provide the ignition, unemployment generates the heat, and criminal explosions result. As economic opportunities vanish, individuals facing family responsibilities and bills increasingly turn to desperate measures, creating a cycle of violence that official statistics fail to capture adequately.

The Christmas season, traditionally marked by celebration and parang music, now unfolds against a backdrop of fear and economic anxiety. The government’s proclaimed resilience rings hollow for those navigating streets where economic collapse has rewritten the social contract and transformed former workers into potential threats.

CIBC Caribbean has recognized two exceptional Trinidadians for their extraordinary community contributions through its revived Unsung Heroes programme. The awards ceremony on December 3 celebrated 80-year-old educator Marlene Gilbert as first-place winner and 16-year-old student leader Renalon Villafana as runner-up.

Marlene Gilbert, affectionately known as ‘Aunty Marlene,’ continues her educational mission decades after retiring from Mucurapo Senior Comprehensive in 2000. Every Sunday, her Belmont residence transforms into a learning sanctuary where children as young as 11 travel from distant communities like Arima for extracurricular lessons. Her teaching approach emphasizes recognizing individual learning styles and unlocking potential that students themselves often overlook.

Beyond her educational work, Gilbert serves as an active member of both St. Crispin’s Anglican Church in Woodbrook and the Netball Association of Trinidad and Tobago, dedicating herself to creating supportive environments for youth sports development.

The second-place honoree, Renalon Villafana, has demonstrated remarkable initiative through multiple community projects. As student council president at Tabaquite Secondary, he organized a student-led outreach to the Ezekiel Home for Abandoned Children, personally fundraising when corporate donors were unavailable. His efforts provided gifts, snack hampers, and games for the children.

Villafana further demonstrated leadership by coordinating two successful beach clean-ups at Mayaro Beach, personally securing sponsorships from local companies. His environmental activism mobilized increasing numbers of volunteers and earned recognition on his school’s official Facebook page. Recently, his accomplishments extended to winning his category in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

Mahadeo Sebarath, CIBC Caribbean’s country head for Trinidad and Tobago, emphasized the timing of these awards during the season of giving. He noted that the recipients’ previously unrecognized efforts ‘create hope in every person you touch’ and deserved celebration.

The Unsung Heroes programme, building on a legacy that ran from 2003-2013, identified 39 nominees across CIBC’s ten-member regional footprint this year. Both Trinidad winners are now considered for the Regional Unsung Heroes Award, which was ultimately claimed by Lucinda ‘Mini’ Smith of Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Both Gilbert and Villafana expressed deep appreciation for the recognition, with Gilbert noting that ‘getting something like this makes you feel good’ and Villafana describing it as ‘a touching acknowledgement.’ They pledged to continue their community work with renewed inspiration.