Disappointed that a rift between the San Fernando City Council and the Municipal Police has gone public, Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein plans to meet with both parties this week.
Hosein was responding to a call by San Fernando mayor Junia Regrello to Hosein and Assistant Commissioner of the Municipal Police Brian Headly to investigate the inefficiency of the officers in San Fernando. During last Wednesday’s statutory meeting, Regrello said the officers’ inaction was responsible for the indiscriminate blocking of sidewalks by street vendors and some store owners. He added that there was little help from the city police in rolling out the recent traffic plan, which has helped to curb congestion in the busy school and shopping districts.
“There must be consultation, you must sit and talk. The mayor, the police and the administrative arm of the corporation must have an open policy meeting and they should come to a conclusion because every problem has a solution and this should not be brought into the public domain,
“ I intend to meet with him this week coming up here, probably Tuesday and I will keep a meeting with the police, the administrative arm and the council, which is headed by the mayor,” Hosein said.
With the new refurbishment of the old San Fernando Fire Station almost complete for the relocation of the city police, Hosein said he will also be seeking to address that issue. The municipal police are currently housed at the San Fernando City Corporation’s administrative building along Penitence Street.
With work on the San Fernando Waterfront Redevelopment Project set to begin next month, Hosein said the area would be a hub for various activities and a police station there would be needed.