Senator Deyalsingh rejects borough bill

INDEPENDENT Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh said he would not support a bill to turn Siparia and Diego Martin into boroughs, speaking on Tuesday in the Senate on the Miscellaneous Provisions (Establishment of the Borough of Diego Martin and Borough of Siparia) Bill, 2021.

He asked whether the cost of converting the two regional corporations into boroughs would actually be worthwhile in terms of any benefit brought to burgesses of both areas.

Deyalsingh examined the state of affairs in Point Fortin, saying that as TT's smallest borough it should be the easiest to manage.

"There is a problem with crime and with the roadway and I don't think borough status has done anything to help it."

He said while he hoped TT could get a good name globally, a website known as Hikers Bay had issued travel advisories which compared crime for different parts of the country including Point Fortin. The website had praised public health care (including friendly nurses) in Point Fortin, but not the crime situation.

"They looked at the level of crime in Point Fortin and it was very high compared to TT."

Deyalsingh said that website showed a TT crime index of 70 and Point Fortin 73, and a safety index of TT at 29 and Point Fortin just 26.

He said the probability of home burglary in Point Fortin was very high at a rating of 78, compared to TT's overall healthier score of 66.

"So Point Fortin, actually even though it is a borough, they have a greater degree of home burglary and getting things stolen."

Car thefts were more common in Point Fortin (rated at 67) compared to 63 for TT nationally.

He opined, "Borough status is not to help us in terms of crime in Diego Martin or Siparia. I don't see it helping us much in terms of the infrastructural development."

Deyalsingh was glad people had enjoyed the recent Point Fortin Borough Day, but lamented the cost, especially in light of criticisms of public spending last Carnival.

"I see the potential for a borough to get money and to take that money and waste it."

He feared that if Diego Martin and Siparia get borough status, they too might establish festivals lasting a month and consuming tax payers dollars to fund partying.

"I don't mind private funding, (but not) taxpayers money going into partying and wining.

"I'd rather that money, you get CCTV cameras to put in all these areas I've mentioned which are crime-ridden, these little areas, these nooks and crannies."

He also preferred public funds to be used to provide food hampers to the needy and burglar proofing to residents, rather than festivities.

Deyalsingh opposed giving the two corporations borough status because to make the change was costly.

"You have to change all your stationery. You have to change all the signage in the corporation vans. You have to change signage in the grounds, in the burial grounds."

He said certain laws would have to change in a borough, including a ban on the sale of fish in the open in a borough, harming small vendors.

Deyalsingh looked at Arima's existing borough status which he said had not prevented a past mayor of once having his chain snatched during Borough Day festivities.

He said Arima, despite its ancient status as a royal borough, was still awaiting a new town hall, even as Diego Martin will soon get a new administrative complex despite not yet being a borough. D

eyalsingh reckoned he could not support the bill unless he heard something that addressed his concerns.