Morning Edition: 23rd May 2024

CCNTV6

Watch Morning Edition: 23rd May 2024 - CCNTV6 on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:00:03 And a very special good morning Trinidad and Tobago

00:00:14 and the rest of the world.

00:00:15 I'm Arlan Hopkins.

00:00:15 And as always, welcome to The Morning Edition.

00:00:17 It's Thursday, May 23.

00:00:19 And thank you very much for joining us this morning.

00:00:21 I hope that you had a good night.

00:00:23 Yeah, we've been having a lot of hot days still.

00:00:26 But I see someone what said to me yesterday,

00:00:30 but wait, where's the Sahara dust?

00:00:32 And I'm just telling them, I said, look,

00:00:34 I don't think that it's gone forever.

00:00:36 So it's hovering somewhere out there waiting on us.

00:00:40 But we do have some good days these days,

00:00:42 some good days to go outside.

00:00:45 Yeah, we can take the chance of going outside now

00:00:49 and maybe spending some days by the beach if we can, right?

00:00:52 Yeah, those of you who are fortunate

00:00:55 and can go to the beach in the week, yeah,

00:00:57 that's a good opportunity to do that, right?

00:01:01 So let's check out to see what's happening in the Daily Express

00:01:04 this morning.

00:01:05 On the front page today, let me just tell you

00:01:08 about the update on that.

00:01:11 Well, the Trinidad Express and TV6,

00:01:14 they are both reporting this morning

00:01:17 that Anisha Hussain was released last night, all right?

00:01:22 The reports are that she was released

00:01:24 sometime after 10 PM near the Karani Cremation

00:01:28 site, following which she was picked up by a passerby who--

00:01:32 or picked up by passersby who took her to the St. Joseph

00:01:36 Police Station, all right?

00:01:37 So that's the latest that we are getting on this situation.

00:01:41 Again, both the Trinidad Express and TV6,

00:01:45 they are both reporting that Anisha Hussain was

00:01:48 released last night, all right?

00:01:51 The reports are that she was released sometime

00:01:53 after 10 PM near the Karani Cremation site,

00:01:57 following which she was picked up

00:01:58 by passersby who took her to the St. Joseph Police Station.

00:02:02 Also, I understand that she has undergone a medical evaluation.

00:02:08 So we'll try to have as much information on this matter

00:02:11 later on today and in our newscast this evening.

00:02:16 So some good news, because as you know,

00:02:18 there was a level of anxiety in Trinidad and Tobago

00:02:22 following her kidnapping last Saturday, all right?

00:02:26 So let's take a look at some sport now.

00:02:29 Dress rehearsal starts.

00:02:30 Windy, South Africa begin World Cup warm-up series,

00:02:34 even without seven of their World Cup squad members

00:02:37 available.

00:02:38 West Indies still see their three-match T20 series

00:02:40 against South Africa as being important time

00:02:43 in the middle ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup.

00:02:47 And they will be looking to make the most of that time, all right?

00:02:51 So that's what is happening in sport today,

00:02:55 just incidentally to tell you.

00:02:57 And this is a story that, you know,

00:03:00 it always causes some controversy.

00:03:02 So we understand and we know that vehicular wrecking

00:03:08 or vehicle wrecking is expected to begin in Porto, Spain

00:03:13 sometime very, very soon.

00:03:14 It would resume on May 29th, yeah?

00:03:18 So it's causing some interest and anxiety in Porto, Spain.

00:03:22 But that's a story we will try to follow up for you today,

00:03:26 all right?

00:03:27 OK, so it's time to remind you of our Trinbago,

00:03:29 your nice feature.

00:03:30 Remember to participate.

00:03:31 WhatsApp your videos or images to 7373778.

00:03:35 What do we have for our viewers this morning?

00:03:36 Yeah, this image of a juvenile scarlet ibis feeding

00:03:41 at mangroves.

00:03:43 And it's from Sham, Sahara.

00:03:45 Sham, you're all over the place, boy, yeah?

00:03:48 Sham is sending pictures from the east, west, north,

00:03:53 and south.

00:03:54 And we do appreciate it, Sham.

00:03:56 And we do appreciate all of the pictures

00:03:58 that have been sent to us by all of you out there.

00:04:01 We do appreciate it.

00:04:02 So keep sending these pictures.

00:04:05 And also, please attach your name,

00:04:08 because we do want to say a very special good morning to you.

00:04:12 All right?

00:04:12 So we have a lot for you on the program this morning.

00:04:17 You have your tea.

00:04:18 You have your coffee.

00:04:19 Get something to eat.

00:04:20 I was thinking yesterday, I usually

00:04:23 tell people get something, some coffee and tea.

00:04:26 But what about the people who don't like coffee and tea,

00:04:29 right?

00:04:30 So I have to tell you, get some juice.

00:04:35 But I think I'll keep on saying the tea and the coffee, right?

00:04:38 And get something to eat.

00:04:39 We're coming back, everybody.

00:04:41 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:04:44 Attention all bakers, doubles vendors, and roti makers.

00:05:07 Try our high quality, bromide free, all-purpose,

00:05:10 and whole wheat flour.

00:05:11 Low price and conveniently packaged in two pounds,

00:05:14 2kg, 10kg, and 25kg bags.

00:05:16 For wholesale and retail prices, contact Chickpea Show Limited

00:05:20 at 665-3336 or 480-8715.

00:05:23 Or visit us at Warrenville, Canopia.

00:05:26 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:05:29,

00:05:56 Dr. Khan, you ever find this new generation of children

00:06:00 just different, Gail?

00:06:01 Like, I don't know, like what my mother and father used

00:06:04 to do with me in terms of discipline and parenting

00:06:06 and things.

00:06:07 You ever find yourself working this generation, Gail,

00:06:09 with this generation?

00:06:11 Stefan, you're right.

00:06:12 But don't worry.

00:06:13 CTA is coming up with the ABCs of parenting

00:06:16 in a Trinbegonian style.

00:06:18 And we have you, the right man, to start us off.

00:06:21 Well, I think it might be a good thing.

00:06:22 Because what I'm thinking, we could probably

00:06:24 mix the old traditional way.

00:06:26 And give them some new modern ideas

00:06:28 so we can help these younger parents, especially waiting.

00:06:31 That's exactly what we're going to do.

00:06:33 Let we do it.

00:06:33 Let we do.

00:06:34 Let we go.

00:06:35 --skill.

00:06:46 Online here with this weirdo named Larry.

00:06:48 I'm getting rid of him now.

00:06:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:06:53 Eh, eh.

00:06:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:06:57 [LAUGHTER]

00:07:01 Let's take a selfie.

00:07:03 [CAMERA SHUTTER]

00:07:04 It looking good, boy.

00:07:06 I'm putting it online.

00:07:07 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:07:10 Hey, I thought you say you went to the beach with your parents.

00:07:14 Who's you?

00:07:15 It's me, Larry, from online.

00:07:19 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:07:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:07:47 So welcome back, everyone.

00:07:48 So you know when you hear that song,

00:07:51 it's usually the road marcher for when

00:07:53 we're speaking about water issues.

00:07:55 Of course, you know over the past few weeks,

00:07:58 really, the Water and Sewage Authority,

00:08:01 they have faced a slew of criticisms.

00:08:05 And I think that the dry season has made matters worse.

00:08:10 All right.

00:08:10 So we do have here this morning, and we

00:08:12 do appreciate them coming down to our studio this morning,

00:08:16 we do have Corporate Secretary at WASA, Dionne Abdul.

00:08:20 And we do have Management Consultant at WASA,

00:08:23 Alicia Romano.

00:08:24 Thank you very much for coming this morning.

00:08:26 Thank you for having us.

00:08:27 Yeah.

00:08:29 Well, as I said, there's a slew of criticisms against WASA.

00:08:34 And I don't think that the weather has helped you all

00:08:37 at all.

00:08:39 What sort of assurances can you give your customers

00:08:43 this morning?

00:08:44 Mr. Abdul?

00:08:45 Thank you very much, Alan.

00:08:48 And to our viewers outside, thank you very much.

00:08:51 Good morning to you all.

00:08:52 Let me start by underscoring where we are.

00:08:54 Yes.

00:08:56 We are at a point in one of the harshest dry seasons

00:09:01 we have experienced in Trinidad and Tobago,

00:09:05 and in the region, and internationally as well.

00:09:08 You might recall the records have

00:09:11 been broken last year with the harshest dry season

00:09:14 record for over 200 years.

00:09:16 And I've read reports on BBC, for example,

00:09:18 that says it's for 2,000 years when

00:09:20 they analyze rings on trees.

00:09:23 But we are here at this point in time.

00:09:26 And I wanted to underscore that we in Trinidad and Tobago

00:09:29 have taken measures, just like our counterparts

00:09:32 throughout the region, from Guyana, Barbados, St. Vincent,

00:09:35 Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and Jamaica.

00:09:39 Let me just turn to St. Lucia for one minute.

00:09:41 Just Tuesday of this week, St. Lucia

00:09:43 enacted a water-related emergency order

00:09:47 for the entire island.

00:09:49 And unlike Trinidad and Tobago, to start with,

00:09:51 they have a hosepipe ban.

00:09:53 But unlike Trinidad and Tobago, they have gone a step further.

00:09:56 They have banned, for example, the mixing of concrete, brick

00:10:00 lead.

00:10:01 They have banned the abstraction of water

00:10:03 upstream of their facilities.

00:10:06 They have banned the taking of water

00:10:09 in excess of 100 gallons from standpipes and so on.

00:10:12 So the point I'm making, we are in this together

00:10:16 in our country, in the region, internationally.

00:10:20 And we have taken steps to assure our citizens,

00:10:23 our customers, that our supply is a resilient one,

00:10:27 is a sustainable one, is as reliable as it

00:10:30 can be at this point in time, and as equitable

00:10:33 as it can be at this point in time.

00:10:34 Yeah.

00:10:35 So is it then that it could have been worse?

00:10:37 Because of what we're seeing throughout the region

00:10:40 and throughout the world, right?

00:10:41 Definitely.

00:10:41 And as to why the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago

00:10:44 have not really felt the effect of that level,

00:10:49 as Mr. Abdul would have just alluded to in St. Lucia,

00:10:52 it's because of the work that we had put in

00:10:54 and we have put in prior to the dry season.

00:10:56 So we have done and embarked on a number of projects

00:10:59 to help mitigate against this.

00:11:01 And we are really very grateful for the support of our board

00:11:04 and the Ministry of Public Utilities

00:11:06 under our minister, such that we prepared ourselves

00:11:10 so it could have been worse.

00:11:11 So a number of projects, approximately 142 projects,

00:11:15 were actually earmarked to assist us with regard

00:11:17 to going into the dry season.

00:11:20 And we drilled 11 wells.

00:11:23 We have 22 others earmarked, because of course,

00:11:26 groundwater has proven to be a bit more resilient

00:11:29 during these times.

00:11:30 We have gone through a lot of projects

00:11:32 whereby we have changed out a lot of our leaking pipelines.

00:11:36 So we have reduced that tremendously.

00:11:39 And we are in the process of actually procuring,

00:11:42 I believe we're ready to award two new plants,

00:11:44 water treatment facilities.

00:11:46 And we have refurbished a lot of our facilities.

00:11:48 So we have really put in a lot of pre-work

00:11:51 to prepare us for such a time as this.

00:11:53 And therefore, we have not really felt the brunt

00:11:57 and we are at the end of the dry season.

00:11:58 I would really like to bring that to the public's notice

00:12:02 that we are at the end of the dry season,

00:12:03 this is the worst of it all,

00:12:05 and we will be out of it very shortly.

00:12:06 - And you can say that we do have an adequate supply

00:12:10 of water until the rainy season kicks in.

00:12:13 - Yes, the Met Office has informed us

00:12:16 that the rains are expected within the month of June.

00:12:19 And thus far, because of our management

00:12:22 of our existing reservoirs, yes,

00:12:24 we will be able to last until the end of that period.

00:12:28 - What can you all tell us this morning?

00:12:30 Because earlier this week, we did an interview

00:12:32 concerning the situation in Williamsville, Princess Town.

00:12:37 We know that you all are doing some work there,

00:12:40 laying a new pipeline there.

00:12:43 And I'm also seeing in the newspaper this morning,

00:12:45 residents frustrated empty tanks in Brazil Village.

00:12:49 A lack of water supply in Brazil Village

00:12:51 on the Talpara Main Road has left many residents

00:12:54 with empty tanks and no water

00:12:56 to perform daily routine activities.

00:12:59 And I can tell you, and I'm sure that you know,

00:13:02 that other communities are also being affected in this way.

00:13:06 - So we are doing a few things.

00:13:09 This is a strategic approach.

00:13:11 And as Ms. Romano has said, it hasn't started now.

00:13:14 To have a project completed in time for the dry season,

00:13:18 we have to scope it, we have to design it,

00:13:20 we have to source funding, we have to get a contractor in.

00:13:22 It takes time, it takes money, right?

00:13:25 So we have done the best that we can do

00:13:27 at this point in time in terms of ensuring

00:13:29 the available resources are shared equitably.

00:13:33 We have been monitoring a number of our communities.

00:13:36 We have taken steps to continue to distribute our supplies

00:13:39 as best as we can.

00:13:41 Ms. Romano will tell you in a short while

00:13:43 about the establishment of our command center,

00:13:46 where we are now getting information,

00:13:49 data into that center to manage those resources

00:13:51 and the needs of customers.

00:13:53 We have ramped up our call center.

00:13:55 As we speak, there are about 22 or 24 odd persons

00:13:58 in the center where there were seven or eight before.

00:14:02 As of yesterday and this morning,

00:14:04 we've gone up to single digit sevens in terms of call

00:14:09 waiting times, right?

00:14:11 So we have done those things to monitor and manage the supply.

00:14:15 We have taken additional supply from Seven Seas,

00:14:17 our desalinated supplier in the Southeast,

00:14:20 and from Desalcot as well.

00:14:22 And as Ms. Romano mentioned, we have a basket of programs.

00:14:26 We have the National Water Sector Transmission Program,

00:14:30 the NWSIP Program, our Groundwater Program,

00:14:34 our community program like SEWP.

00:14:36 Even as we speak, in the dry season,

00:14:39 with customers wanting more water,

00:14:42 we are adding customers to our database.

00:14:44 We are giving communities supplies of water.

00:14:47 Last week, for example, customers of citizens in Coruscant

00:14:51 for the first time got water.

00:14:53 Before that, it was Cunaham, Mont Diablo, and so on.

00:14:56 Citizens in Granville and Ecaucos.

00:14:58 So we continue to monitor and manage

00:15:01 in a very analytical way the supply that we have

00:15:04 as equitably as we can.

00:15:05 And I want to speak about that point, equity equitably.

00:15:10 Because sometimes you hear the allegation against WASA

00:15:16 of rural neglect.

00:15:18 And the impression is given, well,

00:15:21 because it is a rural area, there

00:15:24 is no real effort by WASA in trying

00:15:28 to address the concerns of the residents

00:15:30 in various communities.

00:15:31 I understand that that is said.

00:15:33 But that is completely untrue.

00:15:36 Coruscant, for example, we were in Mont Diablo the other day.

00:15:40 And that we actually have an entire program

00:15:42 called the Community Water Improvement Program, SEWP,

00:15:45 that is specifically targeting such areas.

00:15:49 And that program has actually brought new water

00:15:53 to over 100,000 persons.

00:15:55 So definitely under this particular administration,

00:15:58 that does not apply.

00:16:00 And I just really like to emphasize the holistic approach

00:16:03 that WASA and the ministry is actually taking.

00:16:05 So we have persons focusing on bringing new water

00:16:09 to rural communities alongside us ensuring

00:16:13 that other persons, our existing customers,

00:16:15 continue to have a sustainable supply.

00:16:17 Many of those areas that you mentioned are unfortunately

00:16:20 off of our Kearney Water Treatment

00:16:22 Plant, who has seen the hardest hit in terms of the reservoir

00:16:25 levels.

00:16:25 I believe as of May 12, they were at 35%,

00:16:29 which is well below the long-term average.

00:16:32 And yes, though it is low, we are managing.

00:16:35 And we have therefore understood that the increase

00:16:37 in number of persons requesting truck-borne water

00:16:40 would have increased.

00:16:41 So we have actually doubled the number of trucks

00:16:43 that we have available in our reserve to assist with such.

00:16:47 And Ms. Abdulwood alluded to the fact

00:16:49 that we have increased the number of persons

00:16:51 who are contacting us through our contact center.

00:16:53 So we are very mindful of how this crisis is impacting

00:16:56 our customers.

00:16:56 And we are doing all that we can at this point in time

00:16:59 to alleviate the real problem.

00:17:02 Yeah.

00:17:02 Go ahead, Mr. Ahmed.

00:17:03 Abdul.

00:17:04 Let me just add to what Ms. Romano is saying.

00:17:06 Urban and rural.

00:17:08 The reality is that our best water supply,

00:17:11 the majority of our water supply sources are in the north.

00:17:16 So the so-called brown areas, as we call them,

00:17:18 which we are trying to get to blue,

00:17:20 are mostly in the south and central.

00:17:23 We don't have the reliable water sources or sufficient water

00:17:27 sources yet.

00:17:28 That's why we are tapping into the groundwater reserve

00:17:30 in places like Grandville and Ecacus.

00:17:33 Under our NWSIP program, for example,

00:17:35 we have planned a new plant in Moruga.

00:17:39 We want to refurbish plants in Shattam, in Karapal.

00:17:44 We are looking to do work further south in Shattam

00:17:47 and so on.

00:17:48 So we are about harnessing the available water resource that

00:17:52 is to provide water to those brown water communities.

00:17:56 It's not about saying this is urban, this is rural,

00:18:00 and we are--

00:18:01 no, we are not.

00:18:02 We are not.

00:18:03 The fact of the matter is our best water supply

00:18:05 are in the north and in the northeast in particular.

00:18:08 And we are trying to get that water as far down south

00:18:11 as we can.

00:18:12 Our current supply stretches all the way down to Palo Seco

00:18:15 at times into Pinal.

00:18:16 Navette stretches into San Fernando.

00:18:20 And bear in mind, our communities are expanding.

00:18:22 So we need to understand that as well.

00:18:26 There's an old saying in the water industry,

00:18:28 water is life, yes.

00:18:30 But infrastructure makes it happen.

00:18:31 Yes.

00:18:32 And we understand that very well.

00:18:34 So infrastructure drives our progress,

00:18:37 our strategic approach to ensuring

00:18:39 that we deliver water equitably to our country.

00:18:43 Yeah, which takes me to this point.

00:18:45 Because as a layman who doesn't know anything about water

00:18:48 except using water and conserving water, right?

00:18:51 But there are places in Trinidad and Tobago

00:18:56 where throughout the year I'm sure

00:18:59 that you can see an increase in--

00:19:01 well, when it comes to the weather,

00:19:07 it seems that it is always raining.

00:19:10 Certain places in central.

00:19:12 And sometimes I think, I wonder, do we

00:19:14 have the reservoirs in the correct places in Trinidad

00:19:18 and Tobago?

00:19:18 Because certain places are accustomed to rainfall.

00:19:22 And some places you don't have rainfall.

00:19:24 So do we have, you think, the right infrastructure,

00:19:27 the reservoirs in the correct places to, as you say,

00:19:29 to catch all of this water?

00:19:32 Well, let me--

00:19:34 I thought of my Crescia firm.

00:19:37 I wouldn't say that a construction of a reservoir.

00:19:40 The timeline is like five to seven years.

00:19:42 One.

00:19:43 The cost is extensive and expensive.

00:19:46 And then you need large land space.

00:19:49 So we can talk about where reservoirs are located,

00:19:53 where the rain is falling.

00:19:54 The reality is the reservoirs are located

00:19:57 where we have the land, for example, land space.

00:20:00 And for example, some years ago it

00:20:02 was mooted that a reservoir could

00:20:05 be constructed along or north of Pooch River or thereabouts.

00:20:09 And we were all going to go towards it.

00:20:11 And that was covered.

00:20:12 There was a fourth line underlying that area.

00:20:16 And you could not construct a reservoir there.

00:20:18 So there are many factors apart from the rainfall that

00:20:21 determines where we put our reservoirs.

00:20:24 So I'd just add to what Mr. Abdu is saying.

00:20:26 So yes, that is absolutely correct.

00:20:28 So therefore, what do we do?

00:20:30 We have to, therefore, manage the resources

00:20:32 we have available better.

00:20:33 And this is where WASE is heading

00:20:34 in terms of digitally transforming our operations.

00:20:38 And therefore, we have invested heavily

00:20:40 in an operational control center, which

00:20:42 we would launch very shortly, whereby

00:20:45 we monitor these operations on a 24-hour basis.

00:20:48 So therefore, we'll be able to actually trace

00:20:51 from production all the way to customer

00:20:53 actually receiving the water.

00:20:55 And this allows us to manage what we have

00:20:58 in a much more efficient manner.

00:21:00 And I believe that the--

00:21:01 well, actually, I know that the customers will definitely

00:21:03 see a positive impact on this new initiative

00:21:06 that we are rolling out.

00:21:07 Yeah.

00:21:08 If you can, this morning, I want you all to try to explain this.

00:21:11 And it's not an easy issue that I'm going to raise.

00:21:14 Because we hear it being spoken on a daily basis

00:21:20 sometimes, that sometimes persons would call us,

00:21:22 would call the newsroom, and would say,

00:21:24 I have not had water for one or two months.

00:21:28 And I'm just thinking, how could that

00:21:30 be that a community that has hundreds, maybe thousands

00:21:35 of people, they don't have water?

00:21:37 I mean, if I don't have water for one day,

00:21:40 I'm like a fish out of water, right?

00:21:42 And you're talking about a month or two?

00:21:44 How is this possible?

00:21:46 What are the challenges that would

00:21:48 prevent WASA from providing water

00:21:51 to these types of communities?

00:21:53 OK, so excellent question.

00:21:55 So yes, those instances do occur.

00:21:59 And it's mainly in areas whereby,

00:22:01 as Dion would have alluded to, the brown zones.

00:22:05 And those brown zones get water perhaps one in every nine

00:22:08 days.

00:22:08 That's a usual cycle.

00:22:10 If on that ninth day, we do have a mechanical failure

00:22:14 or something that prevents that from happening,

00:22:16 understand that the next cycle is actually 18 days.

00:22:18 So what we are trying to do differently to avoid that

00:22:22 is to know before the customer has to call us that that

00:22:25 has occurred in real time.

00:22:28 And that is where the operational control center

00:22:30 comes in.

00:22:30 And we're also actually expanding

00:22:33 our digital instrumentation along our network.

00:22:36 So we speak about data loggers.

00:22:37 And those are simply pressure sensors

00:22:39 that we're going to put at critical points

00:22:41 where the last customer who would normally

00:22:44 receive water in that supply, we place the logger there

00:22:46 on that line.

00:22:47 So therefore, if that supply is not registered,

00:22:50 the pressure is not registered as the correct pressure,

00:22:54 then we know something has happened.

00:22:56 And if it is, we know the entire area has been soothed.

00:22:59 So we are being much more proactive in our approach

00:23:01 to avoid such instances.

00:23:02 And I believe definitely that the population

00:23:06 will feel the benefit of this very, very shortly,

00:23:08 within two or three months.

00:23:10 Let me just add to what Mr. Rahman was saying.

00:23:12 We want to be data driven.

00:23:13 Correct.

00:23:14 To make informed decisions, to provide you

00:23:16 with your supply, to analyze and share the water equity.

00:23:21 So we have embarked on a customer service improvement

00:23:24 survey to provide us with baseline data of our customers,

00:23:28 where they are located, what storage they have,

00:23:31 where they are located geographically, and so on.

00:23:33 So aligned with Mr. Rahman's command center,

00:23:38 when information comes in about an area, a community,

00:23:42 a person not having water, something

00:23:44 is going to light up on that system

00:23:45 to see this entire community hasn't had water for a month,

00:23:49 a week, five days.

00:23:50 Or maybe the next day.

00:23:51 Or the day.

00:23:51 Yeah.

00:23:52 And immediately, the command center

00:23:53 will flag that to operations.

00:23:55 We'll flag it to our call center.

00:23:57 And we will be able to treat with your concern proactively.

00:24:03 We will be putting intelligence in the system

00:24:04 to tell us what is happening in the system,

00:24:07 as opposed to acting, now as we do sometimes,

00:24:10 reactively and waiting for the customer to call.

00:24:13 So we've heard the concerns.

00:24:16 And we have turned to technology to give us the solution.

00:24:19 Not just us.

00:24:20 Technology to give us the solution.

00:24:22 Best practice in the industry.

00:24:24 And we will be unfolding that shortly with our command

00:24:27 center.

00:24:28 Yeah.

00:24:28 So how long, again, before you have that rule out,

00:24:34 that entire rule out of that program?

00:24:37 The entire program, I say between two to three years.

00:24:40 But within two to three months, the infrastructure

00:24:42 that we do have, certain persons will

00:24:44 receive the benefit of that.

00:24:46 Yeah.

00:24:47 Let's talk a little bit about the scheduling of water.

00:24:50 Because there are complaints that certain communities always

00:24:56 had a 24 supply of water.

00:24:59 And now you have where WASA has, I suspect,

00:25:04 been forced to give certain communities, let's say,

00:25:08 water three times per week.

00:25:10 In other cases, it could be worse, right?

00:25:12 It could be worse.

00:25:14 Let's agree on that.

00:25:15 But let's discuss the scheduling.

00:25:19 Because again, there are criticisms of the scheduling.

00:25:23 And again, there are claims of this neglect

00:25:27 by WASA of certain communities.

00:25:30 Let me just bat out of my crease again.

00:25:31 Go ahead.

00:25:32 I used to like cricket a lot.

00:25:33 To start with, we should note that before the challenges

00:25:41 we've had now with the dry season,

00:25:43 we have been able to move out 24/7 customers from--

00:25:47 I think it was 31% or 32%--

00:25:49 to 61%.

00:25:50 Correct.

00:25:50 Yeah?

00:25:51 You spoke of 24/3.

00:25:54 We have been working aggressively

00:25:56 on that, moving the brown water up into other colors.

00:25:59 And that is now about 62% of their abodes.

00:26:02 We've been working on that.

00:26:04 So places we have never heard about,

00:26:07 who never had a supply, are getting a supply of water.

00:26:11 Now, I want to align that as well,

00:26:12 tie it into the fact that I mentioned before,

00:26:15 that remember, our best water sources

00:26:18 are located in specific areas.

00:26:20 So if you're in a community close to those areas,

00:26:22 you may just get a 24/7 supply, because you're

00:26:25 in proximity to that supply.

00:26:27 And if you're in a brown zone area,

00:26:30 we don't have a national grid as yet.

00:26:31 So if water comes here, we can pass it through.

00:26:34 That's one of our future projects.

00:26:36 But until that time, where we have the ability

00:26:38 to move water around the island, so to speak,

00:26:41 then we will have to do what we are doing now,

00:26:43 manage it by scheduling the water

00:26:46 and moving it around as best as we can.

00:26:47 Now, the second point to make is this.

00:26:51 Scheduling is not our desire.

00:26:54 We want you to have a 24/7.

00:26:56 But because of where we are now, we have to schedule the water.

00:27:00 We must also know that we schedule the water because

00:27:02 of the circumstances and the location of the community.

00:27:08 And it's a very flexible adaptation method,

00:27:12 meaning that we have a schedule for our community today.

00:27:16 And let me just correct Ms. Roman on one point.

00:27:19 As of this morning, our Karani Arena Reservoir

00:27:22 is about 30% uninsured.

00:27:25 So she didn't know that coming into this meeting.

00:27:27 And when we know it is morning now,

00:27:29 we have to make changes immediately.

00:27:30 So the schedule will change for some communities.

00:27:33 So it has to be flexible enough to take note and cognizance

00:27:36 of environmental changes that's happening daily and hourly.

00:27:41 So that's why the schedule will change.

00:27:43 And it's a question I did pose to Wassa some months ago

00:27:48 about scheduling.

00:27:49 And I was told at that time that one of the contributing factors

00:27:52 too is with this explosion, if I can put it that way,

00:27:57 in construction in Trinidad and Tobago

00:28:00 and new communities being built and apartment complexes

00:28:04 and so on.

00:28:05 So there's a greater demand on water.

00:28:08 Demand has shifted.

00:28:10 And that is why, noting that, we launched our customer service

00:28:13 improvement survey such that persons would have moved

00:28:16 from one area to the next.

00:28:18 So perhaps in times past, 20 years ago,

00:28:20 we had more persons living in a particular area.

00:28:22 Now they have moved.

00:28:23 We need to know where you have moved to.

00:28:25 So therefore, we really encourage

00:28:26 the public to partner with us with respect to that survey

00:28:29 and participate.

00:28:30 It's simply for us to better be able to understand

00:28:35 how we need to now distribute this water,

00:28:38 because we can't stop people from moving.

00:28:40 And we want to be able to provide a good service to you

00:28:42 wherever you are located.

00:28:44 Yeah.

00:28:45 How are our reservoirs looking?

00:28:49 Because I know that maybe about a week ago,

00:28:52 the minister would have spoken to the media

00:28:57 together with other members of Wassa.

00:29:01 And they spoke about the levels at the reservoirs.

00:29:04 Has there been an improvement over the past few days?

00:29:06 We got some rain.

00:29:08 Have we caught it?

00:29:10 Well, we've got some rain.

00:29:11 And it had some impact.

00:29:13 So for example, over the weekend,

00:29:15 we were able to improve the supply out of our Karani plant

00:29:18 because of that rain.

00:29:20 And as of yesterday, there was a site visit to the dam again.

00:29:23 And there were some clouds above protecting the lake, as you see.

00:29:26 So the evaporation was less.

00:29:28 I have to say, though, and he's not

00:29:30 add to the point that Mr. Rahman was making,

00:29:32 because of the pre-work that we did,

00:29:34 we were able to safeguard, in particular,

00:29:37 two of our reservoirs, our Hillsborough

00:29:39 with the desalting project and our Hollis

00:29:43 with the maintenance work we did on the tributaries,

00:29:46 on the dam itself, and in terms of managing and monitoring

00:29:48 the production out of the plant.

00:29:50 And those two are holding up well.

00:29:52 We haven't caught the production at Hillsborough yet.

00:29:54 The Hollis reservoir is almost as close to the long-term average

00:30:00 as it can be at this point.

00:30:02 It's our model for approaching the next dry season

00:30:05 with the next two reservoirs as well.

00:30:06 So it's holding up as best as it can at this point in time.

00:30:10 We are looking forward to the rain.

00:30:12 But even if it doesn't come, we are

00:30:13 planning to deal with that situation as well.

00:30:17 Can we expect, again, as a layman,

00:30:20 can we expect that when there is rain,

00:30:24 WASA is always successful in catching that water

00:30:31 and having it, I don't know, pumped into its reservoirs?

00:30:34 So if water is falling in St. James,

00:30:37 or let's say it's falling in an area where

00:30:39 you don't have a reservoir, is it right to think that, well,

00:30:45 WASA can still take this water and use it in some way?

00:30:48 So yes, rainfall does help us.

00:30:51 But to really replenish our reservoirs,

00:30:53 we need heavy rain for about two to three days.

00:30:56 So yes, the rain, it drizzles these days.

00:31:00 I think it was a few nights ago it started to rain.

00:31:02 I'm like, oh, yes, it's raining.

00:31:04 Within a minute, the rain had actually stopped.

00:31:06 So it's not just a little light shower to help.

00:31:10 But we are grateful for every single drop.

00:31:13 And yes, the tributaries, the various rivers

00:31:15 do flow into the larger ones, which flow

00:31:17 into a lot of our reservoirs.

00:31:19 But we really encourage persons, especially at a time like this,

00:31:23 to please help us to conserve and think about your neighbor.

00:31:26 Because as Dion would have alluded to just now,

00:31:29 those living closest to our water treatment plants

00:31:31 have the benefit of perhaps receiving

00:31:33 a more consistent supply.

00:31:35 But what about your neighbor who lives

00:31:37 to the end of that network for that particular facility?

00:31:40 If you were to conserve, then it will

00:31:42 help us have water to send it down to the extreme end.

00:31:45 Have we been responsible enough as consumers?

00:31:49 I believe that we have done a lot better this time around.

00:31:52 But of course, there's always room for improvement.

00:31:54 We really thank our customers for partnering with us

00:31:57 where conservation is concerned.

00:31:58 And we encourage you to continue to do so.

00:32:01 If you were doing five of our steps, which we always

00:32:03 advertise, perhaps you can do seven.

00:32:07 So really partner with us, because we're in this together.

00:32:10 We really are.

00:32:11 I want you to talk to the people, Mr. Abdul,

00:32:16 the people who continuously claim that we're paying WASA,

00:32:21 but we're not getting any water.

00:32:23 That has always been a perennial allegation, a claim

00:32:28 that we're giving WASA our money,

00:32:29 but we're not getting water.

00:32:31 Speak to them for me.

00:32:33 That's a very nice question.

00:32:34 First of all, the rates that are paid to WASA

00:32:38 cannot provide the capital expenditure

00:32:42 we need for those projects.

00:32:44 So we are very appreciative of our line ministry

00:32:47 and our board for the oversight they give,

00:32:50 our board committees, for ensuring

00:32:52 that we are able to embark on a number of projects.

00:32:56 So under the basket of projects I mentioned before,

00:32:58 the NWSTP, the NWSIP, the community projects,

00:33:01 groundwater and so on, we have been

00:33:04 able to do some things like this.

00:33:07 11 new wells in places like Aripo, Aruka, Arima,

00:33:12 Grand Valley, Carcass, and so on.

00:33:15 As we speak, more being drilled in Mayaru and those areas

00:33:18 which complain that they do not get water.

00:33:21 Where the aquifer, the groundwater can sustain it,

00:33:25 we will drill the well.

00:33:26 Where it can sustain it, you know,

00:33:28 equitably, reliably, and within the scientific parameters

00:33:31 that we know about.

00:33:32 We have been laying beans in our distribution system.

00:33:36 66 new projects.

00:33:39 Up to last night, I was looking at a clip from Sultan

00:33:41 Trees and our wrong ways.

00:33:43 I mean, it's a lot of projects that are happening.

00:33:45 So we hear the cries of the citizens.

00:33:48 We are doing what we can in this dry season

00:33:50 with the water available to us.

00:33:52 We have a basket of projects that we

00:33:54 have started implementing for about two years now

00:33:57 under all those nice acronyms that we have just given.

00:34:01 And we think the impact will be held by the customer,

00:34:05 will be felt by the customer shortly.

00:34:07 And we expect it to be felt because we

00:34:08 have put in the pre-work.

00:34:11 We've had a harsher, drier, dry season than normal.

00:34:14 We expect a wetter, a wet season than normal.

00:34:17 But that is the new normal.

00:34:20 As we say, it's the new normal.

00:34:21 So we have to accept that.

00:34:23 A plan fit, as I mentioned earlier,

00:34:25 we need to do it sustainably.

00:34:27 We need to put resilience in the system.

00:34:29 And we need to ensure that we provide a reliable supply.

00:34:33 And that's our aim.

00:34:34 That's what we are working towards strategically.

00:34:37 And you know, we did speak a little bit about cost.

00:34:41 I don't know if you all can speak to it,

00:34:42 but I'm still going to raise it.

00:34:44 Because I think one of the challenges of WASA

00:34:48 over the years, it's they have aging infrastructure.

00:34:55 They have to meet certain costs.

00:34:58 But yet, a lot, a lot of people are owing you all.

00:35:02 How has that exercise been going in trying

00:35:05 to get funds from people who do have outstanding funds for you?

00:35:09 So we have a very rigorous collection program.

00:35:12 Of course, we are very mindful of the times that we are in.

00:35:15 And therefore, we balance it.

00:35:19 But yes, you are absolutely correct.

00:35:21 We have several customers who think that it is their right

00:35:24 to have water.

00:35:25 And they don't understand that it actually

00:35:27 costs something to actually treat the water.

00:35:30 So we really encourage persons to help us to help you.

00:35:33 And we have done, I think, a remarkable job

00:35:36 sustaining the supply with this level of non-payment.

00:35:41 But it is and it is not getting any cheaper.

00:35:44 But we continue to do our very best.

00:35:46 And we really, as Dion said, we really

00:35:48 thank our board and our ministry for really strategically

00:35:51 guiding us along these lines.

00:35:53 Yeah.

00:35:54 I want you to speak a little bit, too.

00:35:57 We did touch on it a little earlier.

00:35:59 But I want you to speak to complaints being made

00:36:03 by communities and the infrastructure that

00:36:07 has been put in place by WASA to take these complaints

00:36:11 and effectively and adequately deal with these complaints.

00:36:15 So the usual, the platforms whereby the authority receives

00:36:19 the complaints, we have several.

00:36:21 So one, we have the contact center

00:36:22 where persons can actually call in.

00:36:24 We have two WhatsApp numbers.

00:36:26 We have our email.

00:36:27 We have our website.

00:36:29 We have our mobile app.

00:36:30 We have looked at all of these very strategically

00:36:33 and noted some of the gaps and some of the deficiencies.

00:36:36 So how do we move on from here?

00:36:38 One, we are in the process of actually implementing

00:36:43 or developing a new mobile application, which not only

00:36:47 offers the three services that the present one does,

00:36:50 which is request water trucking, report a leak,

00:36:52 or be able to pay your bill.

00:36:54 Nine services will now be available.

00:36:56 And it'll be far more robust to handle the kind of traffic.

00:36:59 Secondly, we are in the process of actually revamping

00:37:03 the platform whereby the contact center receives calls.

00:37:05 So right now, it's like a PBX.

00:37:07 You call in, and you wait online for a customer service rep.

00:37:12 We are actually procuring a technology,

00:37:15 an interactive voice response system, an IVR,

00:37:18 similar to some of our other sister utilities

00:37:21 whereby you call, and you can get an automatic response

00:37:23 answering some of your calls beforehand.

00:37:26 And that will come with a chat box service and all the AI

00:37:29 technology such that customers don't have to actually speak

00:37:33 to a customer service rep to get the information

00:37:35 that they presently need.

00:37:37 We're also tying that in with a new outage management system

00:37:40 whereby immediately as there is any level of outage,

00:37:43 be it a leak or otherwise on the line,

00:37:46 information will be readily available to these customer

00:37:48 service representatives and automatically upload

00:37:51 into the IVR so that the IVR gives you

00:37:53 real-time information on your particular service.

00:37:57 And it ties in-- the IVR actually

00:37:59 ties into the WhatsApp numbers that we have.

00:38:02 So the technology is really being rolled out

00:38:04 to better serve our various customers.

00:38:06 And we thank the customers for partnering with us

00:38:09 and really having patience.

00:38:10 But we are getting there.

00:38:11 And by the end of this year, definitely, these things

00:38:13 will be rolled out to better serve them.

00:38:15 Because of the prevailing conditions,

00:38:18 has there been an increase in complaints?

00:38:20 Oh, definitely.

00:38:21 Most definitely.

00:38:22 And hence, one, we have increased the number of persons.

00:38:26 At the contact center, we have moved our 24-hour contact

00:38:29 center.

00:38:29 Normally, the contact center would have closed at 10 PM

00:38:31 and reopened at 6 AM.

00:38:33 Now it is 24 hours.

00:38:35 So we are able to receive customer complaints

00:38:37 and customer calls.

00:38:38 And we are very, very empathetic to our customers.

00:38:40 We understand what they are going through.

00:38:42 We have increased our fleet of water trucks.

00:38:45 And therefore, we will get through this together.

00:38:48 Yeah.

00:38:48 You have data on that, on the complaints?

00:38:50 On the complaint?

00:38:51 How many complaints you receive per day, per week, per month?

00:38:53 Not readily available.

00:38:54 But I know that it has increased.

00:38:56 And I'm happy to say that the increase in contact center

00:38:59 personnel--

00:39:00 we actually had a waiting time yesterday at one point of zero

00:39:03 persons in the queue.

00:39:04 And the max was about 18, as compared to 40-something.

00:39:07 And so the measures that we are putting in place

00:39:10 have, in fact, worked.

00:39:11 And they will continue.

00:39:12 Because of course, these are new people.

00:39:14 We expect that their service to our customers

00:39:16 will improve in terms of their ability to respond.

00:39:19 But we have seen an improvement already.

00:39:21 Mr. Abdul?

00:39:22 I was just about to interject.

00:39:23 I just said to Ms. Romano, the number

00:39:26 given to me by the supervisor of the call center,

00:39:29 they dealt with 2,000 calls yesterday.

00:39:32 Wow.

00:39:33 I didn't realize it was that high.

00:39:34 And it's normally about 1,000 and something.

00:39:36 But I didn't know the new figure.

00:39:37 But the important point is they dealt with it.

00:39:39 Correct.

00:39:40 Because of the increase in the number

00:39:41 of persons in the call center, the technology

00:39:43 we are putting in, so now our operations reports

00:39:47 are directed into the call center itself.

00:39:50 So there's a faster response time.

00:39:52 We are able to deal with that kind of number.

00:39:54 And as Mr. Romano said, the number

00:39:56 is down now to single digits.

00:39:58 I just want to go back to one point.

00:40:00 Go ahead.

00:40:00 It was about the rates and charges.

00:40:02 And then tie them in together with this last one.

00:40:06 It becomes important if you require a truck one supply

00:40:10 for you to be up to date with your rates.

00:40:12 So we have hundreds of calls on our system,

00:40:15 WhatsApp, requesting water from big businesses,

00:40:19 small businesses, residents.

00:40:21 But we check the data to see if they're up to date

00:40:23 with their supply first.

00:40:25 And you will be amazed at the number of people

00:40:28 who have not paid up their rates.

00:40:29 And suddenly, it becomes important

00:40:31 because they now require a truck one supply.

00:40:34 So I want to implore all of yours

00:40:37 to be up to date with your rates,

00:40:39 with your payment of your rates.

00:40:40 And secondly, the other point is if you

00:40:44 take on board our survey, your data, your information

00:40:49 will be up to date as well.

00:40:50 And that will assist us with dealing with your complaints

00:40:53 when it comes to the call center or at any point in our system.

00:40:56 So it's very important.

00:40:58 In fact, it's imperative.

00:40:59 If we're to give you a better service,

00:41:01 help us to help you by participating in that survey

00:41:05 to give us the baseline data to better improve the service

00:41:08 to you.

00:41:08 Yeah.

00:41:09 So as the rainy season approaches,

00:41:12 what can we expect from WASA as it relates to service?

00:41:16 Apart from more rain, a more sustainable service

00:41:20 in terms of the number of schedules will decrease.

00:41:22 And we will go back to your normal schedules

00:41:26 in terms of if you're accustomed getting three days a week,

00:41:28 four days a week, it'll return to that.

00:41:31 And because of the projects that we are now rolling out,

00:41:33 we expect that that will also improve.

00:41:35 Yeah, so we have a lot of things to look forward to.

00:41:38 I am looking forward to drain.

00:41:39 Definitely.

00:41:40 Miss Abdul.

00:41:41 I think rain brings its own challenges to, right?

00:41:44 Yes.

00:41:45 To the rivers and so on.

00:41:46 The good news is it's like with this dry season,

00:41:49 we've been planning for the wet season as well.

00:41:52 So we have some project that will unfold and continue

00:41:54 to unfold to deal with that situation.

00:41:57 You know, building up the groundwater,

00:41:59 tapping up the groundwater and so on,

00:42:01 refurbishing our plants to deal with the water and so on.

00:42:04 So we expect some good news in the rainy season

00:42:07 and we look forward to it.

00:42:09 Yeah.

00:42:09 And especially for the communities that continue

00:42:12 to complain about not having a good water supply,

00:42:16 they can be assured that WASA will do its utmost best

00:42:21 to provide a service to these affected communities.

00:42:23 That's correct.

00:42:24 I just really want them to know that we have heard them

00:42:26 and we are working towards bringing

00:42:29 them a sustainable supply.

00:42:30 Yeah.

00:42:31 I'd like to say--

00:42:32 Of course.

00:42:34 It's a hand in glove.

00:42:35 It takes two hands to clap.

00:42:37 So we require the customers to pay their rates.

00:42:39 We require them to provide the up-to-date information.

00:42:42 Let us know when something is happening like they do now,

00:42:44 through you and other media outlets and so on.

00:42:46 But at the same time, the future for our citizens and ourselves

00:42:50 is in our hands.

00:42:51 We have borrowed it, so to speak.

00:42:53 And we can make it a better one if we work together

00:42:56 to ensure a better water and wastewater service from WASA.

00:43:00 Yeah.

00:43:00 Alicia Romano, Dionne Abdul, thank you very much

00:43:02 for coming this morning.

00:43:03 And thank you for staying with us for so long.

00:43:05 We do appreciate it, right?

00:43:06 Thank you for having us.

00:43:07 OK.

00:43:07 Thank you for having us.

00:43:08 Yes.

00:43:09 So it's time for a quick break.

00:43:10 We do have this for you.

00:43:12 Full moon.

00:43:13 Where's the moon?

00:43:15 That's the moon behind the cloud?

00:43:17 Peeping out from behind the clouds.

00:43:20 It's submitted by Ava Gokul.

00:43:23 Ava, thank you very much.

00:43:24 Yeah.

00:43:25 We're coming back, everybody.

00:43:26 [MUSIC PLAYING]

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00:43:53 [MUSIC PLAYING]

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00:45:46 - I have rights.

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00:45:53 - He has rights.

00:45:55 - She has rights.

00:45:57 - All children have rights.

00:45:58 (upbeat music)

00:46:01 - My parents and my guardian should know all my rights.

00:46:05 - Our government should ensure that we enjoy our rights.

00:46:08 (upbeat music)

00:46:11 (upbeat music)

00:46:13 - Children have rights.

00:46:18 (upbeat music)

00:46:21 (upbeat music)

00:46:26 (upbeat music)

00:46:29 - All right, so welcome back everyone.

00:46:46 So we do have a few minutes just before

00:46:48 our seven o'clock news headlines this morning.

00:46:51 So you can call us now on 623-1711.

00:46:53 The extension, it's 1995.

00:46:55 So as I always tell you,

00:46:56 a lot of things happening in Trinidad and Tobago,

00:46:59 a lot of things always happening.

00:47:01 You've just heard the interview

00:47:03 and saw the interview with Wassa.

00:47:05 I know that many of you have been affected out there

00:47:09 by the dry spell that we have been experiencing

00:47:13 and that some of you continue to complain

00:47:15 that you all do not have pipe, pipe-borne water supply.

00:47:19 So I think it was, you know,

00:47:23 it was good that Wassa came this morning

00:47:25 to really face the music

00:47:28 and to answer questions on your behalf.

00:47:32 All right, so again, you're calling us on 623-1711.

00:47:35 The extension, it's 1995.

00:47:38 So you can please call us now

00:47:40 just for our viewers who are now joining us.

00:47:43 I told our viewers this morning of a major development

00:47:47 concerning the kidnapping of Anisha Hussain.

00:47:51 Well, the news coming to us as being reported

00:47:54 by the Trinidad Express and also TV6

00:47:57 is that Anisha Hussain was released last night.

00:48:00 Reports were that she was released sometime after 10 p.m.

00:48:03 near the Karuni Cremation Site,

00:48:05 following which she was picked up by passersby

00:48:08 who took her to the St. Joseph Police Station.

00:48:12 All right, so it's a story that has been in the news

00:48:15 over the past few days since last week,

00:48:17 Saturday, when she was grabbed.

00:48:19 So I'm sure it provides some measure of relief

00:48:22 to her relatives and also to the wider population.

00:48:27 All right, so you're calling us on 623-1711.

00:48:30 The extension, it's 1995.

00:48:32 So you can please call us now.

00:48:35 Let's touch on some of the stories

00:48:37 that are making the news today.

00:48:40 Police get an air full, fair of robberies, home invasions.

00:48:45 So the Chagones residents are afraid

00:48:47 of being robbed, their homes invaded,

00:48:51 and their cars being taken at gunpoint.

00:48:53 Now they voiced their affairs

00:48:55 during a police town hall meeting

00:48:56 held at Presentation College Chagones on Tuesday night.

00:48:59 And while the crowd was small,

00:49:01 almost everyone who came that night had something to say.

00:49:04 Let's take our first call.

00:49:05 Oh, all right.

00:49:07 Let's take some more calls.

00:49:09 You're calling us on 623-1711.

00:49:11 The extension, it's 1995.

00:49:13 So you can please call us now.

00:49:15 All right, we do have another call.

00:49:16 Good morning, caller.

00:49:18 - A pleasant morning to you, Mr. Hopkinson.

00:49:21 - Good morning, sir.

00:49:22 How are you?

00:49:23 - Happy to be alive, Mr. Hopkinson.

00:49:25 What a beautiful day in Trinidad.

00:49:27 - Ah, boy.

00:49:28 (laughs)

00:49:29 Go ahead, Tabukit.

00:49:31 - Right.

00:49:32 Now, the interview you had with Wasa,

00:49:36 you made mention of something,

00:49:39 and I want you to go to the head of the class and stay there.

00:49:43 And let me speak to that.

00:49:45 Rural neglect is real.

00:49:48 Not just with waters,

00:49:51 but all other infrastructure in terms of roads

00:49:55 and everything.

00:49:56 And I don't know why,

00:49:58 when it comes to rural community,

00:50:02 why these citizens being treated

00:50:05 as bastard children in Trinidad.

00:50:08 And I'm saying, if we want to build a nation,

00:50:13 regardless to geographical space,

00:50:17 it should not be so.

00:50:19 Yes, I heard Wasa,

00:50:21 but it's all over the four cardinal points in Trinidad.

00:50:26 When it comes to rural community,

00:50:29 these people is being treated wrongly.

00:50:33 And I'll tell you why.

00:50:34 You remember these are taxpaying citizens.

00:50:37 And I think it's high time,

00:50:39 regardless to the government,

00:50:41 stop treating rural community like that.

00:50:44 I thank you.

00:50:45 - Thank you very much, Tabakit.

00:50:46 Well, Tabakit, I think that the proof is in the pudding.

00:50:50 Of course, Wasa would have already laid out

00:50:54 a buffet of initiatives this morning before all of us.

00:50:59 And, you know, hopefully things work out.

00:51:02 We do have another call.

00:51:03 Good morning, caller.

00:51:04 - Good morning, Mala, how are you?

00:51:07 - Morning, good morning.

00:51:09 I'm calling concerning Wasa.

00:51:11 Sorry I got on the show so late.

00:51:13 I wanted to ask a question.

00:51:15 I have reported a leak in my yard for the past five months.

00:51:20 They were fixing the road last night.

00:51:24 They have a leak in the road

00:51:26 right in front of my house in Glencoe.

00:51:28 I went out to them and I asked them

00:51:30 if they could come and see what is the problem

00:51:32 because it's their main booth in my yard, right?

00:51:36 So I end up fixing a piece of it

00:51:39 and then it burst, the metal part burst,

00:51:41 another piece going down lower.

00:51:44 We call them from the road and ask them

00:51:46 if they could come and help us fix that area,

00:51:49 which is really their part because I think metal.

00:51:51 They will tell us no, they can't

00:51:53 because if they come on the property,

00:51:55 people will feel as private jobs they're taking.

00:51:57 When it's their line in my yard,

00:51:59 their water line in my yard join up to my pipe.

00:52:03 So I have to wait till water go to cut their metal line

00:52:07 to put in a piece of my PVC to hook up to their main.

00:52:10 - Give me the exact address.

00:52:13 She's still there?

00:52:14 I know she said Glencoe.

00:52:16 All right.

00:52:17 Well, ma'am, hopefully the authorities,

00:52:20 I'm sure that the authorities at WASA,

00:52:22 they are still viewing the program this morning, right?

00:52:25 Yeah.

00:52:26 So hopefully they have heard your concerns.

00:52:28 We do have another call.

00:52:29 Good morning, caller.

00:52:31 - Greetings to you and greetings to the nation.

00:52:33 (speaking in foreign language)

00:52:34 - To you too, sir.

00:52:36 - Yes, sir.

00:52:37 My concern is the crime situation.

00:52:39 And I am hearing our top cops,

00:52:42 they searching for all sorts of remedies.

00:52:47 There's only one remedy for this,

00:52:49 and this is going back to homeschooling,

00:52:53 parents training their children

00:52:57 in the way that they ought to go.

00:52:59 But you see the community I live in,

00:53:01 I see young women, 17, 18, having children,

00:53:06 and their parents are like 40 years old.

00:53:10 And the community that they grew up in

00:53:13 is a drinking, liming, gambling community.

00:53:16 So when we have children bringing children,

00:53:19 and the condition is that same thing

00:53:22 that their parents grew up in,

00:53:24 what do you think they're gonna have?

00:53:27 - Yeah, I hear you, sir.

00:53:31 All right, we just have a few more minutes.

00:53:32 Again, you're calling us on 623-1711.

00:53:35 The extension, it's 1995, so you can please call us now.

00:53:38 Good morning, caller.

00:53:40 - Hi, good morning.

00:53:43 - Morning.

00:53:43 - Good morning, Marlon, how are you?

00:53:46 - I'm good.

00:53:47 - Hi, I'm calling from the central area,

00:53:51 and one of the new carny developments.

00:53:54 Yeah.

00:53:55 Since I have purchased property here five years ago,

00:54:00 and since I'm here, every lot in the property,

00:54:05 there's over about 2,000 lots,

00:54:07 have water, pressurized water in the blue light.

00:54:10 Once fire pass through, it burns all the light.

00:54:16 And I got to tell you, there is pressure right through.

00:54:21 The roads are flooded with water,

00:54:23 and every time we call WASA,

00:54:25 the resident try to fix how much it can fix,

00:54:27 but it's overwhelming.

00:54:30 We ask, we call WASA numerous times.

00:54:33 It's millions of gallons of water.

00:54:35 I tell you, since five years ago, I hear,

00:54:37 problem has been existing before that.

00:54:40 - So the problem continues?

00:54:42 It still exists?

00:54:43 - It still exists up to this day.

00:54:45 Numerous times we call WASA,

00:54:48 WASA say they have no authority to come here.

00:54:50 - Give us the name of the development again.

00:54:52 - It's called the Rupsing Road Carny Development.

00:54:56 - Looking Road?

00:54:59 - Rupsing Road.

00:55:00 - Rupsing, Rupsing Road Carny Development.

00:55:03 All right, I'll pass it on for you, all right?

00:55:06 And hopefully you get some assistance from WASA.

00:55:10 All right, is that gonna do it for calls?

00:55:12 Thank you to all of our callers this morning, all right?

00:55:14 So we are going to a very short break.

00:55:15 We do have some news for you,

00:55:17 but we do have this for you.

00:55:19 Howler Monkey on the North Coast,

00:55:21 good to see Joseph family,

00:55:24 and good morning to the Joseph family.

00:55:26 Yeah, you're seeing him there on the left.

00:55:28 Is there another one out to the right?

00:55:29 Yeah, there are two of them.

00:55:31 Yeah, we're coming back everybody.

00:55:34 (upbeat music)

00:55:38 - Welcome to Holiday Inn Express, I'm Stacey.

00:55:49 - Do enjoy Stacey.

00:55:51 - Thanks.

00:55:53 - You want some coffee?

00:55:54 - Can I have the date?

00:55:58 (laughing)

00:56:00 - Perfect then.

00:56:03 - That's exactly what we need.

00:56:09 - Hi, your order is this way.

00:56:12 - Whatever you're here for, we're here for you.

00:56:16 Stay smart at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites.

00:56:27 - Point 14 Hardware is a leader of residential,

00:56:29 commercial and industrial electrical construction materials

00:56:33 with a wide range of armored and unarmored cables,

00:56:36 ECC cables and much more.

00:56:38 We supply all electrical material

00:56:40 for domestic and commercial wiring

00:56:42 and a wide range of other construction supplies

00:56:44 at very competitive prices.

00:56:46 All cables are approved by the Trinidad and Tobago

00:56:48 Bureau of Standards.

00:56:49 Visit Point 14 Hardware at the warehouse

00:56:51 and wholesale division, Frederick Settlement,

00:56:53 in the Garney or call us now at 678-0857.

00:56:57 - The eating you're about to see will not be pretty.

00:57:00 This year, Garfield.

00:57:01 - I got mixed up with some bad cats and I need your help.

00:57:04 - Chris Pratt.

00:57:04 - We have to go save my dad.

00:57:06 - Samuel L. Jackson.

00:57:07 - This is gonna be fun.

00:57:09 - Cody.

00:57:10 And this guy.

00:57:11 - Anyone ever told you that you take a lot

00:57:12 of dramatic pauses?

00:57:13 - Yes.

00:57:16 - The Garfield movie.

00:57:17 - Slavery, a terrible time in our history.

00:57:22 The kidnapping, buying and selling of people for profit,

00:57:26 the exploitation of another human being.

00:57:29 It still exists today.

00:57:31 It has a new name, human trafficking.

00:57:34 Anyone can be a victim.

00:57:36 There is forced labor, sexual exploitation

00:57:41 and domestic servitude.

00:57:43 Human trafficking is a worldwide problem

00:57:47 and an emerging concern for us here in Trinidad and Tobago.

00:57:52 If you know of or suspect human trafficking activity,

00:57:55 call the counter-trafficking hotline at 800-4CTU

00:57:59 or 800-4288.

00:58:01 Human trafficking is a crime.

00:58:05 Identify it, report it, stop it.

00:58:08 A message from the counter-trafficking unit

00:58:10 of the Ministry of National Security.

00:58:12 (upbeat music)

00:58:17 - Good morning.

00:58:20 I am Ansel Gibbs with a news update.

00:58:23 Drivers, you've been warned.

00:58:25 Wrecking of vehicles resumes in Port of Spain on May 29th.

00:58:30 That's according to the Port of Spain City Corporation,

00:58:33 which says towed vehicles will be taken

00:58:36 to the impound lot at Dock Road off Wrightson Road.

00:58:40 And you have to pay $500 to retrieve your vehicle.

00:58:44 There's an additional fee of $200 for each day

00:58:48 or part thereof that the vehicle remains impounded.

00:58:51 There's a call for the local cocoa industry

00:58:57 to become more socially and environmentally sustainable.

00:59:01 - At the same time, we need to also ensure

00:59:05 that every segment of the value chain

00:59:08 has to be economically sustainable.

00:59:12 We cannot expect the farming community to live in poverty

00:59:17 and build an industry.

00:59:19 We need to ensure that we have modern technologies,

00:59:24 better business model, better management methodologies,

00:59:29 better private sector services and technical assistance

00:59:33 so that the farmers can grow the industry

00:59:35 into a very profitable one, economically profitable one.

00:59:39 - And in the weather forecast,

00:59:42 predominantly hot, sunny and breezy conditions

00:59:45 may be interrupted at times by partly cloudy spells

00:59:48 with a few showers.

00:59:50 Seas are occasionally choppy in sheltered areas,

00:59:53 yet generally moderate in open waters.

00:59:56 The TV6 Daily Health Tip is brought to you by Omega XL.

01:00:08 - Try to eat a well-balanced diet.

01:00:13 Introduce more fruit and vegetables, especially vegetables.

01:00:17 Try to avoid pre-packaged and processed foods.

01:00:20 A glass of water every couple of hours works wonders.

01:00:24 And always remember your Omega vitamins.

01:00:27 And that's your TV6 Health Tip.

01:00:29 We're coming back, everyone.

01:00:31 - The TV6 Daily Health Tip was brought to you by Omega XL.

01:00:35 (dramatic music)

01:00:38 (man shouting)

01:00:48 - Is that real?

01:00:50 (man shouting)

01:00:52 - Well hit, away it goes.

01:01:04 - Bitch, I reject you.

01:01:06 - Oh, man.

01:01:07 - Look at this.

01:01:08 - Next week, show me.

01:01:12 (upbeat music)

01:01:15 On June 1st.

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01:01:51 - And for the first time in Redemption, Colly Buds.

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01:02:03 - And $1,250 VVIP tickets now for special inquiries.

01:02:07 Call our hotlines at 780-SHOW.

01:02:10 - As a former Miss World,

01:02:12 I have spent many hours walking in high heels

01:02:15 and constantly on the move.

01:02:17 So I understand the importance of joint health.

01:02:19 That's why I trust Omega XL.

01:02:22 As you know, beauty works from the inside out.

01:02:25 - Did you know that vaping with nicotine

01:02:27 can permanently affect brain development

01:02:29 in people under the age of 25?

01:02:31 (upbeat music)

01:02:34 - Did you know that e-cigarettes

01:02:38 are associated with increased risk

01:02:39 of stroke, heart attack, and heart disease?

01:02:42 - Did you know that for some people,

01:02:49 vaping with or without nicotine

01:02:51 disrupts your normal lung function

01:02:53 in otherwise healthy people?

01:02:54 - Consider the consequences and don't.

01:03:00 - Don't. - Don't.

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01:03:02 (upbeat music)

01:03:04 (upbeat music)

01:03:10 - All right, so welcome back everyone.

01:03:21 So on the line now from the United States,

01:03:23 we do have CEO of Patterson Aerospace Systems,

01:03:26 space engineer, Kalen Patterson.

01:03:28 On May 16th, he became the fourth Trinbagonian

01:03:31 to fly at zero gravity.

01:03:34 He's here to tell us about his experience.

01:03:36 Kalen, good morning.

01:03:37 - Hi, good morning. - Hi, how are you doing?

01:03:40 - We're good, we're good.

01:03:41 Well, Kalen, now from what I'm reading here,

01:03:44 you have achieved all of this at the age of 29, you know.

01:03:48 So Kalen, before we speak about zero gravity

01:03:52 and you being the fourth Trinbagonian to do this,

01:03:55 let's speak a little bit about the journey.

01:03:58 For you.

01:03:59 - Yeah, so I guess my whole journey up until now

01:04:04 was, you know, going to school in Trinidad

01:04:06 up until secondary school, finishing up at Fatima,

01:04:11 deciding that I wanted to be an aerospace engineer

01:04:13 and then going off to the US to study for a very long time.

01:04:17 That journey took me from undergrad in math

01:04:22 through studying on a fellowship in Germany

01:04:25 and then coming back to the US,

01:04:26 finishing up my master's here.

01:04:28 Then I got a job at the Space Force,

01:04:31 worked there for a few years,

01:04:32 got a second master's degree and, you know,

01:04:35 decided to really go full-time into my company efforts,

01:04:39 you know, developing this technology

01:04:41 that we flew on that flight.

01:04:42 - Yeah, but Kalen, so is it that it was in Trinidad

01:04:47 and Tobago or maybe at school here

01:04:50 that you fell in love with aerospace?

01:04:55 - Yes, absolutely.

01:04:56 So when I was preparing for CXC, actually,

01:05:00 I was spending a lot of time

01:05:01 in the public library in Port of Spain

01:05:03 and I started to kind of venture out

01:05:06 beyond the books that I was studying from

01:05:08 to look at what other physics textbooks were there.

01:05:11 And I found a pair of physics encyclopedias

01:05:15 that I just fell in love with for some weird reason

01:05:18 and decided that, you know,

01:05:19 this might be where my life belongs, honestly.

01:05:22 - Yeah, but Kalen, I'm just thinking all of this

01:05:27 you're achieving at the age of 29.

01:05:29 Where was your time for entertainment and to have a lime

01:05:33 and to spend time with friends?

01:05:35 You know, because I think that sometimes we forget

01:05:38 that there's this side too, where you have to,

01:05:41 it's a mixture of everything, right?

01:05:43 - Yeah, absolutely.

01:05:46 So I did hit 30 this year,

01:05:48 but definitely finding that time was a challenge.

01:05:53 I'm very passionate about what I do,

01:05:55 but I also, you know, I have parents

01:05:57 that reminded me every day that I should, you know,

01:05:59 take a step back from studying every now and then

01:06:02 and enjoy my life.

01:06:02 So I didn't have the greatest of social lives,

01:06:06 but I definitely, you know, I had spent time out,

01:06:08 you know, partying and enjoying my experiences

01:06:11 as I was going, a lot of traveling in between

01:06:14 and just taking advantage of opportunities that came up.

01:06:18 - Yeah, and you know, Kalon, while I'm speaking to you,

01:06:23 I'm thinking about the sky is the limit, but for you,

01:06:26 I don't know if that is true for you.

01:06:29 The sky is absolutely not the limit.

01:06:32 What has this experience been for you

01:06:36 being at zero gravity?

01:06:38 - So it definitely, you know,

01:06:42 reminded me of why I'm doing this, right?

01:06:45 This is a part of what I wanted to experience

01:06:48 as an aerospace engineer, this and beyond, of course.

01:06:52 So as you mentioned, the sky not being the limit,

01:06:54 I'm hoping that space could be my limit,

01:06:56 maybe even the moon someday,

01:06:58 and being able to kind of see what else is out there

01:07:02 in the universe would be really where I would like

01:07:04 to take the rest of my experience, my life,

01:07:08 you know, and my work with my company.

01:07:10 - Yeah. - Yeah.

01:07:12 - But what was the experience itself like?

01:07:15 Because I'm sure that was your first experience

01:07:17 at zero gravity.

01:07:18 So what was that experience like?

01:07:20 - So I would say that is exactly what you think

01:07:25 flying would feel like.

01:07:27 And that's the best way that I could put it.

01:07:29 You could compare it to being kind of suspended in water,

01:07:32 or even when you're at the beach

01:07:35 and you get hit by a wave or two

01:07:37 and you feel yourself kind of bob up and down in the water.

01:07:41 It feels like that.

01:07:42 It feels like weightlessness,

01:07:43 but it feels like freedom from the earthly constraints

01:07:48 that we're used to.

01:07:50 And yet, I think the best way to describe it

01:07:53 is whatever you think flying would feel like

01:07:56 is exactly what that experience was like.

01:07:58 - Yeah, because I know that some people in the past

01:08:01 have become very, very emotional.

01:08:03 Some people think about life,

01:08:05 some people think about God.

01:08:08 It's really a life-changing event.

01:08:10 Did it have that sort of impact on you?

01:08:14 - Absolutely.

01:08:14 I think for me, it was more about alignment

01:08:17 with where I saw my life going.

01:08:19 So that's kind of what I felt.

01:08:21 I think everybody on that flight with me

01:08:24 couldn't stop laughing the whole time

01:08:26 because it was just the joy of experiencing something

01:08:30 that nobody ever thought that they would experience firstly.

01:08:33 And secondly, this idea of like your life goals aligning,

01:08:38 'cause most of us are from the aerospace industry

01:08:41 and everybody in this industry wants to go to space someday.

01:08:44 So even having the ability to do this,

01:08:46 at least this one step was just serendipity

01:08:50 and all these other things.

01:08:52 And it just felt right.

01:08:54 Whenever the videos come out, you'll see,

01:08:58 but it was just everybody was smiling the whole time.

01:09:01 There wasn't a sad face in the crowd, honestly.

01:09:04 It was just a really joyful experience.

01:09:06 - And I think that people can really understand

01:09:09 what you're saying because it would seem

01:09:11 that you would have spent your entire life, right?

01:09:15 In trying to achieve this.

01:09:17 And it's not to say that you don't have other things

01:09:20 to achieve because you'd be speaking about

01:09:22 visiting the moon one day, maybe Mars, you never know, right?

01:09:29 Visiting the space station, you don't know.

01:09:31 But it's a lot of work that would have gone into this

01:09:34 to achieve this.

01:09:36 - Absolutely, absolutely.

01:09:38 Yes, there's always future goals,

01:09:41 there's always other things,

01:09:42 but it's also important to enjoy the moment

01:09:45 that you're in, right?

01:09:46 And that was something we were reminded of

01:09:48 when we were preparing for this experience.

01:09:51 That yes, you wanna get the perfect pictures and videos,

01:09:54 you wanna focus on your experiment,

01:09:56 but you also wanna take advantage of the fact

01:09:58 that this might be a once in a lifetime thing

01:10:00 that you're doing.

01:10:01 So halfway through the flight,

01:10:04 I kinda just put away my phone

01:10:07 and just kinda focused on experience and where I was.

01:10:10 And I reminded a few other people that were doing it

01:10:13 that they also should do the same

01:10:15 just so that they could really take this all in.

01:10:17 'Cause you never know, I may never do this again,

01:10:20 I may never make it to space,

01:10:21 but at least I had this one experience

01:10:23 to really hone in and enjoy.

01:10:27 - Yeah.

01:10:28 Kaelan, you feel that, let me put it this way,

01:10:34 because you're the fourth Trinbegonian

01:10:36 to do this, you feel that sort of responsibility

01:10:41 or you feel that level of weight on your shoulders

01:10:46 that yes, I am a Trinbegonian and I'm achieving this,

01:10:50 but it's not only for me,

01:10:52 it's for all of us in Trinidad and Tobago

01:10:55 and maybe all over the Caribbean.

01:10:58 You feel that level of responsibility?

01:11:00 - 100%.

01:11:03 Every day that I do my job,

01:11:04 every day that I go out into my field and represent myself,

01:11:09 I'm also representing where I came from.

01:11:11 And I remind people of that every step of the way,

01:11:13 because there are a lot of Trinidadian people

01:11:17 and Caribbean people in the aerospace industry,

01:11:19 but we don't often get the opportunity

01:11:21 to talk about where we come from in this,

01:11:24 because you have to be within this industry,

01:11:26 you have to be representing whatever country

01:11:28 you're in the industry.

01:11:30 And so for me, it will be the US,

01:11:32 for some people it would be a European nation.

01:11:35 And you're representing that nation when you do your work,

01:11:37 but we don't often get the chance to stand up and say,

01:11:39 "Well, I was born and raised in Trinidad

01:11:42 "and I got here from there.

01:11:44 "And this is my life experience, this was my journey."

01:11:47 So this was one of those moments

01:11:48 where I got to fly the flag, so to speak,

01:11:51 and really express that joy and show that,

01:11:54 okay, it's not just for people from these other nations,

01:11:58 but it can be anybody.

01:11:59 It could be somebody from Trinidad,

01:12:01 that comes up after me,

01:12:02 it could be somebody from Guyana

01:12:05 or any of these other nations that make it this far,

01:12:08 it's not impossible.

01:12:09 And that was the biggest weight on my shoulder

01:12:11 is to know that I can show people from home

01:12:15 and from the Caribbean that they can do this too.

01:12:18 - Yeah, anything is possible, Kalon.

01:12:20 Kalon, what's the next step for you?

01:12:22 - Next step for me is to actually get

01:12:26 our experiment into space.

01:12:27 I've mentioned before that I have applied

01:12:31 to be an astronaut, so I don't know

01:12:34 when that will ever come to fruition,

01:12:36 but I am praying on it and hoping

01:12:38 that it will come true one day.

01:12:39 - Kalon, anything you'd like to say

01:12:42 to your friends and family who may be looking at you?

01:12:46 This morning, seeing you? - Definitely.

01:12:48 Of course, I love to all my family back home

01:12:50 in Trinidad for sure.

01:12:52 And then also, great thanks to my team

01:12:56 who was there to make this all happen,

01:12:58 to make sure this experiment flew

01:13:00 and responded the way it needed to.

01:13:02 And a special shout out to our media

01:13:04 and marketing person at Brownie Communications,

01:13:08 Natasha Brown, she has been phenomenal

01:13:11 in getting us here, so I really appreciate that too.

01:13:13 Thank you. - Yeah.

01:13:15 Kalon, congratulations to you,

01:13:16 and I can tell you this morning

01:13:17 that you have made all of us very, very proud, yeah?

01:13:20 You know the song, "Proud Trini," yeah?

01:13:24 That's what we're feeling this morning.

01:13:25 So bye for now, and we wish you all the best

01:13:28 in your future endeavors, yeah?

01:13:30 - Thank you. - Okay.

01:13:31 - And have a good day, take care.

01:13:32 - You too.

01:13:33 All right, so, we have this for you,

01:13:37 silver lining of clouds from Ashmead.

01:13:40 Ashmead, a very special good morning.

01:13:42 We're coming back, everybody.

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01:15:28 (upbeat music)

01:15:30 - Long time we grew up learning to respect our elders.

01:15:48 But what about children?

01:15:50 Do we need to give and show respect to children as well?

01:15:54 We certainly do and I'll tell you why.

01:15:56 Showing respect to your child can help them feel valued

01:16:03 and build their self-esteem.

01:16:05 Respect is a two-way road.

01:16:07 They show respect to you

01:16:09 and in turn you give them a chance to speak,

01:16:11 listen to their opinions

01:16:13 and treat them with kindness and courtesy.

01:16:15 Showing respect to children also helps them

01:16:19 to succeed later in life.

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01:16:33 The letter of the day is R for respect.

01:16:38 (upbeat music)

01:16:41 ♪ My step-sister today ♪

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01:16:57 ♪ She broke up my heart ♪

01:16:58 - All right, so welcome everyone.

01:17:00 Welcome back everyone.

01:17:00 So as we told you this morning, the wrecker is back.

01:17:03 The Port of Spain City Corporation announced yesterday

01:17:05 that towing activities will resume

01:17:07 in the capital city from May 29th.

01:17:10 Well, already there is a level of concern

01:17:13 and it comes from the president of the downtown owners

01:17:15 and merchants association, Mr. Gregory Abboud.

01:17:18 Mr. Abboud, good morning.

01:17:19 Thank you very much for joining us this morning, Mr. Abboud.

01:17:22 - Yes, thank you very much, Marlon.

01:17:25 Good morning to all your viewers.

01:17:26 May I please, before you ask anything, say that

01:17:30 I think that your introduction is somewhat misconceived.

01:17:35 - All right.

01:17:36 - Because when you say that already there is a concern

01:17:39 from the downtown owners and merchants association,

01:17:43 what you are doing is not recognizing

01:17:46 that there is a groundswell of concern for many quarters.

01:17:50 And in fact, because of the controversy,

01:17:54 which has been so historic and legendary

01:17:57 with respect to wrecking, you yourself and your station

01:18:02 and the seven other media houses

01:18:05 that called me yesterday afternoon,

01:18:07 all recognize that there are concerns that are widespread.

01:18:12 If it was just Doma that was concerned,

01:18:15 may I say with respect to the field of journalism

01:18:18 that you may not have been so anxious

01:18:20 to get my views on this,

01:18:22 but you know that there are concerns far and wide

01:18:26 about this whole wrecking scheme.

01:18:28 And that is one of the reasons

01:18:31 why it has not been enacted

01:18:36 since it was shut down for COVID.

01:18:39 And that is one of the reasons why the leadership

01:18:44 of places like Arima and San Fernando

01:18:48 are not having any part of it.

01:18:51 Those recognize the dangers and the risks involved

01:19:03 in bringing hurt to the city centers.

01:19:06 And therefore I would like to begin by saying

01:19:09 that this concern is not just a Doma concern.

01:19:13 There is a widespread amount.

01:19:14 And actually, may I please say,

01:19:16 there is concern at the highest levels

01:19:18 of the government as well,

01:19:20 including among ministers who told mayors in front of us.

01:19:25 I was present when they told a previous mayor,

01:19:29 you have no reason to want to implement that

01:19:31 without trying many other mechanisms

01:19:34 for traffic and parking control.

01:19:37 So anyway, let us hear what your concerns are.

01:19:40 - So then it leads me to this question, Mr. Abood,

01:19:43 because judging from what you have told us just now,

01:19:46 it is giving me the impression

01:19:48 that this is being implemented without consultation.

01:19:53 Am I right in my interpretation of it?

01:19:59 Because if you're saying-

01:20:00 - No, it's not.

01:20:01 - If you're saying that not only your association,

01:20:04 but there are other people

01:20:06 who have expressed concern about it.

01:20:08 So is it that it is being implemented

01:20:10 without what you feel should have been

01:20:13 a level of consultation?

01:20:15 - Well, if I could say that

01:20:18 in the period that preceded COVID,

01:20:28 concern was expressed at the highest levels

01:20:32 of the police service

01:20:34 that these sorts of money-making schemes

01:20:37 give the police a very bad image

01:20:40 and worsen the relationship

01:20:41 between police officers and the public.

01:20:44 And the reason for that was simple.

01:20:46 The authorities who want so desperately

01:20:50 to squeeze the money out of the wrecking initiatives

01:20:55 do so without the correct planning procedures

01:21:00 to advise the public where they can and cannot park,

01:21:03 and also to advise them of the fact

01:21:07 that if they park in a particular area,

01:21:09 they will be towed away.

01:21:10 There isn't a single sign, my dear Marlon,

01:21:13 and to all your viewers,

01:21:14 and to all those who have any concern

01:21:17 for the future of this country,

01:21:18 there isn't a single sign anywhere

01:21:21 that indicates that if you park in a particular place,

01:21:24 you will be towed away.

01:21:25 Apart from the fact that you publish a notice

01:21:28 on your Facebook page advising

01:21:30 that we'll start next Wednesday,

01:21:32 the day before the two public holidays

01:21:34 when Woodbrooke will be flooded with cars

01:21:37 from people going to buy a little dinner

01:21:39 or to take their family out for an ice cream cone,

01:21:42 that you put one notice on Facebook

01:21:44 and you tell the public,

01:21:45 tens of thousands of people who will be towed away,

01:21:48 that they should have known

01:21:49 they couldn't park in a particular place.

01:21:51 And it isn't anything to do

01:21:53 with parking in front of hydrants

01:21:55 or too close to the corner.

01:21:57 It is to do with the archaic parking rules

01:21:59 that exist with respect to which side of the road

01:22:02 you could park on and the time of day

01:22:04 that you could park on and so on.

01:22:06 It is an abomination, I'm sorry to say, Marlon,

01:22:08 and I can't hold back from expressing my deep concerns

01:22:13 about City Hall in Port of Spain,

01:22:16 because they are wandering in the wilderness

01:22:19 with respect to their function and their role.

01:22:22 They have an objective,

01:22:25 which should be very clear to them,

01:22:26 which is to save the commercial health

01:22:28 of the city of Port of Spain.

01:22:30 It doesn't enter.

01:22:31 I would enter into a debate with any of them,

01:22:34 including all of their appointees there and all of their...

01:22:37 It's very emotional for me,

01:22:42 because what you are witnessing before your very eyes

01:22:45 is a destructive policy,

01:22:48 which is being implemented against the wishes

01:22:53 and against the judgment of people who know better.

01:22:56 And when you say that there was no consultation,

01:22:59 it's worse than that, Marlon.

01:23:01 There was consultation.

01:23:02 There was a meeting on the 16th of October, 2023,

01:23:06 in which 19 members of the business community

01:23:12 representing six streets in the city of Port of Spain

01:23:16 represented their concerns to the mayor of Port of Spain

01:23:20 and explained the seriousness of the situation

01:23:23 and the predicament that we were facing.

01:23:26 We were treated to a long dissertation

01:23:29 about seasonal police plans,

01:23:34 and the number one priority for the council is security.

01:23:39 And there is a policy coming for vending

01:23:41 that will make the city more usable.

01:23:44 And there is a plan to work with the central government

01:23:47 regarding vagrants and homeless.

01:23:52 And there is a plan to improve the conditions of the city.

01:23:55 A long list of things that were planned for the city,

01:23:58 not one of them, street lighting and fencing off lots.

01:24:03 And this are not one of them

01:24:04 that we heard a single word about.

01:24:07 But the last item on the agenda,

01:24:09 which the mayor felt the need to bring up

01:24:11 and which we had suspected from the beginning

01:24:13 was a real reason for the meeting call

01:24:16 was that he wants to start back-racking.

01:24:19 And there was a unanimous view among the 19 persons present

01:24:24 that it was a bad idea.

01:24:26 A unanimous view that it was a bad idea.

01:24:28 And it was completely ignored.

01:24:29 And as a matter of fact,

01:24:31 in the days that followed that meeting,

01:24:34 efforts started being made to get this thing started again.

01:24:37 And we were battling behind the scenes

01:24:39 with the Ministry of Works.

01:24:41 And the Ministry of Works was expressing their interest

01:24:43 and their concern about what the points we raised.

01:24:46 The Ministry of Works was expressing their interest

01:24:49 in what we were saying.

01:24:50 The Ministry of Works was talking about the need

01:24:53 to introduce more regulations with respect to enforcement,

01:24:57 the use of traffic wardens,

01:24:59 the use of one-way directional parking on two-way streets.

01:25:02 That's what the Ministry of Works was talking about.

01:25:04 But City Hall is only talking about wrecking.

01:25:07 - So then Mr. Abud, I get the impression

01:25:09 that you believe it's being done in an ad hoc way.

01:25:13 There is no infrastructure or structure in place

01:25:16 for the rollout of this.

01:25:18 So therefore, and time is really against us, Mr. Abud,

01:25:22 I thought that we would have had a little more time.

01:25:24 But let me just say-

01:25:25 - I know, I don't mind.

01:25:26 And I am sure that you're gonna call me back

01:25:28 because this thing is going to snowball

01:25:31 into something far more significant

01:25:33 than those jokers think.

01:25:35 That their desire to start racking up the money

01:25:38 that they used to get is the main objective

01:25:41 that has blinded them.

01:25:42 This is gonna snowball into a big storm

01:25:44 and you're gonna call me back.

01:25:46 There will be more time for this.

01:25:47 - So is it that you believe that the mayor,

01:25:51 the city corporation,

01:25:53 they both need to hold their hand on this issue for now?

01:25:58 Put it off?

01:25:59 - 100%.

01:26:00 - And allow greater consultation?

01:26:01 - Absolutely.

01:26:02 We've been asking for a parking plan.

01:26:04 And may I please interject quickly to let you know

01:26:06 that none other than the Honorable Prime Minister

01:26:08 speaking at the inauguration of the last council

01:26:12 made a most prescient comment to them.

01:26:15 And he said that the one thing that he wants them to do

01:26:17 before their term expires,

01:26:18 the one thing,

01:26:20 he didn't say two things or three things,

01:26:21 the one thing,

01:26:23 and he said it forcefully,

01:26:24 the one thing that he wants them to do,

01:26:25 he said,

01:26:26 the Prime Minister of the country who appointed them

01:26:29 said that he would like a plan for parking meters

01:26:33 in the city to be accomplished before their term expires.

01:26:37 And we brought that up at the meeting last October.

01:26:39 And you know what we were told?

01:26:40 We were told that that requires legislation

01:26:45 and that is not their remit.

01:26:46 That is a remit of the central government.

01:26:48 But the Prime Minister told you

01:26:50 that he saw it as your most important function

01:26:53 because the Prime Minister who has far more business sense

01:26:58 than those who have been appointed in that chamber,

01:27:01 the Prime Minister said to them,

01:27:03 and he knows it,

01:27:04 that the parking situation in Port Auxerre

01:27:07 is the most critical issue

01:27:08 affecting the business community.

01:27:10 And may I please say something, Marlon,

01:27:12 because I know you're gonna rush me off now,

01:27:14 but I'm confident you're gonna call me back.

01:27:15 - I have 30 seconds, I have 30 seconds, go ahead.

01:27:18 - Let me tell you this,

01:27:19 this is not a new issue.

01:27:21 - Yes.

01:27:22 - And the impact on business is not unknown to people.

01:27:26 We are not saying that we want people

01:27:28 to park anywhere that they want

01:27:29 and to break the rules and so on.

01:27:30 We're not saying that.

01:27:31 We are saying,

01:27:32 come up with a policy

01:27:34 that enforces parking regulations,

01:27:37 but that those parking regulations must bear in mind

01:27:40 that businesses will suffer

01:27:42 if you impose harsh and nasty,

01:27:46 nasty deception on the public

01:27:49 by waiting until they park in a place where they can't park

01:27:52 because you don't have a sign

01:27:53 or you don't have a warning that it will be towed

01:27:55 and rushing in to tow them away.

01:27:57 That that is destructive to the interest.

01:27:59 And let me also say, Marlon,

01:28:01 it's not a secret.

01:28:03 The media, including your newspaper,

01:28:06 has published stories in which they explained,

01:28:09 expressed concern about the number of for sale

01:28:11 and for rent signs in the city of Port of Spain.

01:28:14 In fact, right opposite city hall,

01:28:17 outside of the mayor's window,

01:28:18 he could look across and see on the street below him

01:28:23 that there are four buildings for rent and for sale,

01:28:25 right opposite city hall.

01:28:26 - Yes.

01:28:27 - Let him go have a look.

01:28:28 And then tell me what this has to do

01:28:30 with trying to promote business.

01:28:32 And where is the air and the concern

01:28:35 about stakeholders in the city of Port of Spain?

01:28:37 We are not stakeholders, Marlon.

01:28:39 We are cows that they want to milk.

01:28:41 That's what we are.

01:28:42 We are not stakeholders.

01:28:44 You are going to call me back, Marlon, I'm sure.

01:28:46 - Of course we will.

01:28:47 We will, we will.

01:28:48 And we do appreciate you spending some time

01:28:50 with us this morning.

01:28:51 We know it was at short notice,

01:28:53 but thank you very much, Mr. Abud.

01:28:54 Bye for now.

01:28:55 - Very welcome.

01:28:56 Thank you.

01:28:57 - We are going to a very short break, everybody.

01:28:58 We're coming back.

01:28:59 (upbeat music)

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01:30:52 (car engine roaring)

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01:31:25 - I road save because life is precious.

01:31:28 Plus, I can't afford to pay another speeding ticket.

01:31:32 - A message from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

01:31:39 (upbeat music)

01:31:54 - All right, so welcome back everyone.

01:31:55 So we do have some representatives of the Lilliput Theater

01:31:58 there in the house this morning.

01:31:59 We do have Emma Zamore, senior dancer

01:32:03 and drama intermediate and senior dance and drama senior.

01:32:06 Kaylin Ramsran of Lilliput Children's Theater

01:32:09 joining us on set to tell us about the recent production

01:32:12 of 2024 production time, "Longer Than Twine"

01:32:15 and the work the organization continues to do for children.

01:32:19 Ladies, thank you very much for coming this morning.

01:32:21 - Thank you for having us.

01:32:23 (all laughing)

01:32:25 - I'm sure when our viewers heard me say this morning,

01:32:28 senior dancer, they would not have thought

01:32:31 about these young women.

01:32:34 I was a bit shocked too.

01:32:35 I was like, where are the senior dancers?

01:32:38 You all are there?

01:32:39 But thank you very much for coming this morning.

01:32:41 So Emma, let's begin the discussion.

01:32:43 Let's talk about this recent production here.

01:32:46 - Okay, so this year, our production is called

01:32:49 "Time Longer Than Twine."

01:32:51 It's about the intergenerational stories

01:32:55 that our grandparents told our parents

01:32:57 and that our parents retold to us

01:33:00 and kind of passed down through generation from generation.

01:33:04 We use our language and dialect to tell these stories.

01:33:09 We took a lot of inspiration from Paul King Douglas.

01:33:14 So we use a lot of our sayings like,

01:33:19 well, time longer than twine, one day one day conga tea,

01:33:23 don't drink tea to sweat nobody fever, things like that.

01:33:26 - Yeah, but I'm listening to some of the sayings

01:33:31 that you're giving us here.

01:33:33 And you know, when you speak about that

01:33:35 is usually warning someone, right?

01:33:38 - Yeah. - Yeah.

01:33:40 Let's go deeper into it, Kaylin,

01:33:43 and speak about, again, the production,

01:33:48 but how did you intertwine all of these messages into one?

01:33:53 - Okay, so usually I feel like we, for this show,

01:34:00 we decided to bring back some of Trini lingo

01:34:02 and language that we use, because when you look at it,

01:34:05 it's very flavorful, it's something unique to Trinidad.

01:34:08 So we use some of these phrases to connect into the stories.

01:34:12 So each story in this production has a title.

01:34:16 So story one is "Time Longer Than Twine,"

01:34:19 which is a story about a boy and what he does,

01:34:22 he steals from his father,

01:34:23 and eventually it catches up to him,

01:34:25 which connects to "Time Longer Than Twine."

01:34:27 And "One Day, One Day Conga Tea,"

01:34:29 it's about this girl who has an attitude,

01:34:32 and eventually, again, it catches up to her,

01:34:35 because her mother tells her, "One day, one day conga tea,

01:34:37 if your face keeps screwing up, it'll stick one day."

01:34:40 So I feel like all of these stories

01:34:43 really connect to the phrases by, how do I say this?

01:34:48 I feel like, ooh, sorry, I'm a bit stuck there.

01:34:55 But I don't know if you catch my drift a bit,

01:34:58 but using the language, Trini lingo,

01:35:02 we kind of bring back and convey messages.

01:35:05 Ooh, I'm not too sure, sorry, I'm tying myself up.

01:35:08 - Kaylin, you're doing well, you're doing well.

01:35:10 And I understand what you're trying to say.

01:35:14 But let's speak a little bit about,

01:35:18 because there has to be a reason why the producers

01:35:23 of this production felt it was the right time to do it.

01:35:29 Did they share with you all as to why they felt

01:35:35 it was the right time to do a production such as this

01:35:37 at this time, Emma?

01:35:39 - Yeah, I feel like they told us

01:35:42 because they realized our generation,

01:35:45 we're very Americanized, you can call it.

01:35:49 We don't know much of our own culture and history,

01:35:53 like these sayings, most of them,

01:35:55 we've never even heard before.

01:35:56 So they thought it was a good time to use us

01:36:00 to tell people our age, these different sayings

01:36:03 and make them known.

01:36:05 - Yeah, these ladies are so young,

01:36:08 they haven't heard those things.

01:36:10 So when they would say those things to us in the past,

01:36:13 it was usually a warning, you're doing this now,

01:36:16 but this is what is going to happen.

01:36:18 So let's talk a little bit, Kaylin,

01:36:22 about how this experience was for you.

01:36:26 Because I'm just jumping off the question,

01:36:29 the statement that Emma made,

01:36:32 that maybe before that you all may not have been to Accra,

01:36:37 didn't know about these sayings.

01:36:40 So what was this experience like for you?

01:36:43 - I think it was, even though it was a new experience,

01:36:45 it was really enjoyable

01:36:46 'cause I feel like our generation is really Americanized.

01:36:51 So getting to learn more about Trini culture,

01:36:54 as well as doing research about what it was like

01:36:57 back in the day, it was really an eye-opening experience.

01:37:00 And it was really enjoyable

01:37:02 and I always love gaining information.

01:37:05 So it was great for me

01:37:06 'cause I remember during Easter vacation,

01:37:09 we have a little camp where we build the show

01:37:13 for the production in May.

01:37:15 And we were going through some of the phrases

01:37:17 and all of us were sitting there and saying,

01:37:19 "Oh, we don't know what any of this means."

01:37:23 But I feel like all of the phrases are so unique.

01:37:26 It's something you have to use once you learn them.

01:37:29 It's so great.

01:37:30 Yeah, and I feel like the whole production itself,

01:37:34 it was really fun working on it

01:37:37 and getting to understand,

01:37:38 "Oh, this is what it's like and how they spoke."

01:37:41 It's full of character

01:37:43 and I feel like that's something really great.

01:37:45 - Yeah.

01:37:46 Kaylin said, "Back in the day."

01:37:48 It just took me back to my childhood,

01:37:49 which was a while ago.

01:37:51 So Emma, so have you all gone back

01:37:54 into the school environment

01:37:55 and telling your friends, well, one day?

01:37:57 - Yes, we have actually, yeah.

01:37:59 - Yeah, I thought so.

01:38:02 So what was the experience like being a part

01:38:05 of the production itself for you?

01:38:08 What was your experience like?

01:38:09 - I think it was a really good experience

01:38:12 because as we get older,

01:38:14 we're a lot more involved in the show.

01:38:17 We were on stage for most of the show

01:38:19 in drama and in dance.

01:38:21 So it was hard work,

01:38:23 but it was a really fun experience, I would say.

01:38:26 - But ladies, why?

01:38:27 I mean, there are so many influences out there.

01:38:32 I suspect a lot of your generation,

01:38:35 they're like this, everybody's on the phone

01:38:37 and things like that.

01:38:38 You know, you all are.

01:38:40 - Yeah, some of us too.

01:38:41 (laughing)

01:38:43 - But why do you think that,

01:38:46 or if we're speaking to the younger people out there,

01:38:51 how do we get more and more people involved in the arts,

01:38:55 in acting and dancing and so on?

01:39:01 - Okay.

01:39:02 - I think as a area itself,

01:39:06 you would have to kind of relate to our age group more.

01:39:11 'Cause a lot of them,

01:39:14 they don't really get involved willingly sometimes.

01:39:18 - They are forced.

01:39:19 - Yeah, so you need to relate to them,

01:39:23 make it fun for them and kind of include them more.

01:39:27 - Yeah.

01:39:28 So ladies, I don't know if you know,

01:39:30 but I'm going to ask.

01:39:32 So is there an opportunity for us members of the public

01:39:35 to see the production again?

01:39:36 - I'm not too sure.

01:39:40 I mean, no, I don't think so.

01:39:44 - Well, all right, okay.

01:39:46 - But however, there is a show next year.

01:39:49 We do a show every year, same time at me,

01:39:52 around the later days in May.

01:39:54 So around the 18th to the 20th, around that area.

01:39:58 So I mean, if you'd like to come see one,

01:40:00 you can always come up next year

01:40:02 and we'd be happy to see you.

01:40:04 - Yeah.

01:40:05 So, and what I will tell you is that

01:40:07 before your production next year,

01:40:09 please come and speak to us about it so we can have,

01:40:13 I'm sure that the show was sold out.

01:40:15 I'm sure, yeah.

01:40:17 But it's always good to provide a level of exposure.

01:40:20 So that opportunity is here.

01:40:22 - Yeah, and I mean, if you do come next year,

01:40:24 it's really special because it'll actually be

01:40:26 our 50th year, the 50th anniversary

01:40:28 of Lilliput. - Wow.

01:40:29 - So it'll be a bit more special,

01:40:30 a bit more sentimental for all of us,

01:40:32 including the audience, I think.

01:40:34 - All right, ladies, it was a pleasure

01:40:36 speaking with you all this morning, yeah?

01:40:38 - Thank you.

01:40:39 - Next time I'll come to see the production.

01:40:41 I hope you all are still there.

01:40:43 - Yeah, we look forward to seeing you, yeah.

01:40:45 - All right, so it's time for another break.

01:40:48 We do have this for you.

01:40:50 The Ikakas Wetlands from Anissa.

01:40:52 Ladies, look at that picture.

01:40:53 It's a beautiful picture.

01:40:55 We're coming back, everybody.

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01:42:49 (upbeat music)

01:42:54 - All right, so welcome back everyone.

01:43:04 So joining us now, we do have Mr. Nishan Mohammed,

01:43:07 PRO and Events Coordinator for the Dow Village

01:43:10 and Esperanza Masjid to tell us

01:43:12 about their Walkathon fundraiser to generate funds

01:43:15 to manage the affairs and programs of the institution.

01:43:19 Mr. Mohammed, thank you very much

01:43:20 for joining us this morning.

01:43:22 - Thank you, Mr. Hopkinson.

01:43:25 Good morning, Trinidad and Tobago.

01:43:28 Good morning viewers.

01:43:29 I wanna begin by greeting each and every one of you

01:43:33 with the universal greeting of the Muslim community.

01:43:35 As-salamu alaykum.

01:43:37 May the peace and blessings of Almighty God

01:43:39 be with each and every one of us here this morning.

01:43:42 - Yeah, Mr. Mohammed, well, let's get right into it.

01:43:44 Let's talk about the Walkathon fundraiser event.

01:43:47 - Yes, so our Masjid is hosting

01:43:51 this grand Walkathon fundraiser.

01:43:55 We have done over 500 tickets, 550 tickets.

01:44:01 They have all been distributed.

01:44:03 And from the reports we are getting,

01:44:07 tickets, all tickets seems to have been sold.

01:44:11 We are planning to execute this project successfully.

01:44:15 The tickets are just $100.

01:44:21 And when you purchase the ticket,

01:44:23 it's a sort of all-inclusive ticket.

01:44:27 So the plan is to assemble at the Masjid Kampong

01:44:31 for 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, Sunday, May 26.

01:44:35 We assemble for 7 a.m. and the walk begins.

01:44:41 We're going to be going through the village

01:44:43 of Dow Village in California.

01:44:46 And we'll be moving along through the new settlement

01:44:50 onto the Southern Main Road

01:44:52 and eventually onto Gilbert Park.

01:44:56 Dow Village is located just on the outskirts of Point Lisa.

01:44:59 And along the walk, we're going to be having water breaks.

01:45:05 We're going to be escorted with police.

01:45:10 We're going to have an ambulance escorting us

01:45:12 in event we have any issues.

01:45:14 Participants represent all sector, the young, the old.

01:45:21 Those who have purchased tickets and so on

01:45:25 has been asking about their ability to walk and so on.

01:45:30 There are some who are unable, of course.

01:45:33 So what is happening,

01:45:35 I'll show you what the ticket looks like.

01:45:37 - Yes.

01:45:38 - Right?

01:45:39 This is what our ticket looks like and it's perforated.

01:45:43 So when we return back to the musket compound,

01:45:47 you're going to, there are stops that shows you for,

01:45:51 you'll be entitled to a wrap roti, a bacon shark,

01:45:54 a corn soup and a double.

01:45:57 - Yeah.

01:45:58 - Now, so you just, you know, tear out,

01:46:00 you go to the respective vendors

01:46:02 and they will receive the chits and save you.

01:46:08 When we reach the Gilbert Park,

01:46:10 we'll have a snow cone person waiting there for us

01:46:13 to serve us and so on.

01:46:15 The objective of this fundraiser

01:46:22 is to manage the affairs of the masjid.

01:46:25 - Yes.

01:46:26 - Our masjid is located in central Trinidad.

01:46:30 Our imam is 94 years old.

01:46:36 He's our spiritual head.

01:46:38 And at 94 years old,

01:46:40 people may ask how come somebody with that age and so on

01:46:43 could manage it?

01:46:45 He's assisted by a management committee.

01:46:48 He has a deputy imam and other deputies alongside

01:46:53 who would, you know,

01:46:55 carry out the functions and responsibility.

01:46:59 We meet regularly with him to discuss affairs,

01:47:02 keep him updated.

01:47:04 He's loaded with wisdom and, you know,

01:47:08 really, really, this is a gentleman who interacts

01:47:12 from the young to the old.

01:47:15 - Mr. Mohammed, I note the theme,

01:47:17 what are you leaving behind?

01:47:19 That's an interesting theme, huh?

01:47:22 - Yes, yes.

01:47:23 The membership of our jamaat consists of

01:47:30 aged people and young people.

01:47:34 And there's a group, we also have within our membership,

01:47:39 people with backgrounds in education,

01:47:44 in administration, in auditing, in finance.

01:47:48 So it's a community that has grown tremendously.

01:47:54 And we are discovering now that there are a lot of us

01:47:59 who, you know, because of our backgrounds

01:48:03 at the workplaces and so on,

01:48:05 they are coming forward to make their contribution.

01:48:08 The walk-at-hand committees is a classical case

01:48:11 with regards to this.

01:48:14 We, you know, we have people, business people,

01:48:19 and they are joining with us.

01:48:24 We are sharing our expertise.

01:48:27 We have formed as a jamaat,

01:48:30 the members of our jamaat have been called

01:48:32 to make their contributions alongside other jamaats

01:48:35 and other organizations.

01:48:37 In addition to that,

01:48:40 I don't want to just make it sound

01:48:42 as though we only see about the Muslim community.

01:48:45 Dow Village is a multi-religious village,

01:48:51 and we have good relations

01:48:53 with the other religions in the area.

01:48:56 And we are going to be having people from the temple,

01:49:00 people from other churches and so on

01:49:02 accompanying us along this walk.

01:49:05 - Mr. Mohamed, I want you to speak a little bit

01:49:07 about how important these funds are to the masjid

01:49:12 so that you can provide services to the community.

01:49:16 Speak about the importance of that for us.

01:49:19 - Sure.

01:49:20 We, at our masjid, we run a number of events.

01:49:27 Like we have what we will call the maktab,

01:49:30 or other faiths will call it a Sunday school.

01:49:34 So we run this program on a Sunday morning.

01:49:38 It's designed to train the younger ones

01:49:41 and teach them, educate them along the lines

01:49:44 of Islamic knowledge, behavior, and so on.

01:49:48 What we have been attracting is other members

01:49:54 from other communities, other jamaats joining with us,

01:49:58 because you find that some areas

01:50:00 you do not have these opportunities.

01:50:03 We do a lot of charity,

01:50:07 and we do food hamper distribution and so on.

01:50:13 In addition to that, we try to have a monthly program.

01:50:17 These things cost us some money,

01:50:19 and this is just, this fundraising walk

01:50:22 that is just one avenue that we are using

01:50:26 to fund expenses like this.

01:50:29 I haven't gotten in to do it in to areas

01:50:32 where the actual monthly expenses

01:50:35 that you would have, electricity, water,

01:50:39 items like that, maintenance of the masjid building

01:50:43 and so on, the property.

01:50:44 So it's going to be designed for that.

01:50:48 During COVID, we would have been unable

01:50:52 to have any grand fundraisers,

01:50:55 but nonetheless, things continued,

01:50:58 and we always need to ensure that we have,

01:51:02 so that we are in readiness.

01:51:03 Should there be a breakdown,

01:51:04 you need to replace a air condition unit,

01:51:07 you need to replace something in the kitchen,

01:51:10 stuff like that.

01:51:11 - Yeah.

01:51:12 So, Mr. Mohammed, is there an opportunity

01:51:15 for people to purchase tickets?

01:51:17 Because you said earlier that the event

01:51:20 has been heavily subscribed,

01:51:21 so is there still an opportunity

01:51:23 for people to get tickets?

01:51:24 - Yes, yes there is.

01:51:26 We have been doing heavy advertising

01:51:33 on the social media, via Facebook,

01:51:38 other WhatsApp group.

01:51:39 We have partnered with other masjids.

01:51:43 And for instance, there are some masjids

01:51:46 coming with contingents of 25 people.

01:51:49 And this is what we're trying to create.

01:51:52 While it's a fundraiser,

01:51:53 we also want to focus,

01:51:55 it's about building relations,

01:51:57 human relations with each other,

01:51:59 with other jamaats, other communities.

01:52:02 Today, we want to encourage this generation

01:52:07 that's coming up.

01:52:08 You know, we need to engage in sports,

01:52:12 we need to engage in not just religious activities,

01:52:15 we need to coexist with each other.

01:52:18 And I think society needs to build on this,

01:52:20 and this is what we are trying to do.

01:52:23 - Yeah, so we have put up the flyer, Mr. Mohammed,

01:52:27 but can people also get tickets at the masjid?

01:52:30 - The feedback we have been getting,

01:52:36 people are reaching out to us,

01:52:38 and we are trying to accommodate them ticket-wise.

01:52:42 And because it's important,

01:52:44 we don't want to get carried away

01:52:45 and only sell beyond that 550 we have sold,

01:52:49 and embarrass ourselves in terms of catering purposes

01:52:53 and so on.

01:52:54 So on the flyer, there are some numbers you can contact,

01:52:58 and if you contact us,

01:52:59 we will put things in place to try to accommodate

01:53:03 and facilitate those who are looking for tickets still.

01:53:06 - Yeah, and is it that the walkathon kicks off

01:53:08 at seven o'clock?

01:53:09 So people are expected to arrive at the masjid compound

01:53:14 long before seven o'clock?

01:53:15 Maybe 20 minutes, 30 minutes before?

01:53:17 - Long before seven.

01:53:19 - Do we have Mr. Mohammed?

01:53:21 - Yes, yes.

01:53:22 So what we want to encourage on that morning,

01:53:27 you will notice, we Trinidadians love doubles.

01:53:30 So that the intention is when you arrive on Sunday morning,

01:53:35 you take your stuff, you enjoy your doubles,

01:53:41 and we then proceed for the walk and sun.

01:53:46 When we return, I mean, whatever you bring out,

01:53:50 you're going to be engaging.

01:53:52 You know, if we do the matzo and arap protein Trinidad,

01:53:55 a bacon shark in Maracas, a corn soup around Miseva,

01:53:59 we know what that costs us.

01:54:01 In addition to that, we have done it,

01:54:06 we have created the event as a sort of all inclusive.

01:54:10 However, one soft drink to go with these things

01:54:15 will not be enough.

01:54:17 So we are also, we have decided to sell some other drinks

01:54:22 on that day, together with a cake and a dessert stall.

01:54:27 - All right.

01:54:28 - So we trust in the almighty that all goes well,

01:54:33 it looks good.

01:54:35 We have done two walk-a-thons prior,

01:54:38 and they were successful.

01:54:40 - All right, Mr. Mohammed,

01:54:40 well, you don't have to say much more, you know,

01:54:42 we come in, we come in, we come in, right?

01:54:44 (laughs)

01:54:45 - We're looking forward to you and the TV crew.

01:54:48 - Mr. Mohammed, it was a pleasure speaking with you

01:54:50 this morning, we wish you all the best for your event.

01:54:53 Bye for now.

01:54:54 - Thank you very much, and have a good day, my friend.

01:54:57 - All right, bye-bye.

01:54:58 So that's going to do it for our program for today.

01:55:00 We leave you with this image captioned Tobago,

01:55:02 just before sunset, and it's from Sandy Point from Peter.

01:55:06 Peter, a very special good morning to you.

01:55:08 See you tomorrow, everybody, bye for now.

01:55:10 (upbeat music)

01:55:13 ♪ I am the seed of the father ♪

01:55:28 ♪ He is the seed of the grandfather ♪

01:55:30 (upbeat music)

01:55:33 (upbeat music)

01:55:36 (upbeat music)

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