The national clean-up campaign—Team Up to Clean Up—kicked off yesterday with a launch for the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, the first of the 14 regional corporations.
The campaign will run until April 29 and will include the 14 corporations.
Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Kazim Hosein, speaking at the Foreshore, Audrey Jeffers Highway, said the campaign was based on volunteerism.
Dozens of contractors offered their trucks, backhoes, dump trucks, excavators, and other heavy equipment to assist with the campaign.
Hosein said it was his job to ensure that the country was kept clean.
He said, “This is about us. This is not about me or any individual. This was a mandate given to me by the honourable Prime Minister, who I have a lot of respect for. To me, he is a very serious man and he was looking for serious people to work with him. I might not smile much but I want to assure you that I will get the job done for the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Hosein added that he was an active, fast-paced, working person and wanted the ministry and its staff to know they had to get on “my pace.”
Co-ordinator of the campaign, Gerard Ramharack said the emphasis for yesterday’s clean-up activities was cutting and clearing of vacant lots, cleaning and clearing the surface and underground drains, collecting and removing landfill bulk waste which included derelict vehicles and the demolition of dilapidated structures. Hosein said residents were given prior notice to have old vehicles removed.
Among those who attended the launch were Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, and Sport Minister Darryl Smith. —Rhonda Krystal Rambally
SINANAN: T&T NOT BROKE
Meanwhile, Sinanan said the country was not broke.
“This country is not broke. This country is very, very far from doom and gloom. We have our little challenges now, we have a little cash flow problem but we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
He said very soon things would be back to normal, but now was the time to give back.