Former chairman of the National Maintenance Training and Security Company Ltd (MTS) Robert Charbonne has this time been given the mandate to steer the direction of the newly-appointed board of the Vehicle Maintenance Company of Trinidad & Tobago (VMCOTT). The announcement was made yesterday by Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner during the presentation of instruments of appointment to the ten members of VMCOTT's Board at Multi Purpose Hall of the Ministry of Works and Transport, Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain.
Warner, who praised Charbonne's management of MTS which he credited as one of those companies which did not require funding from the state, said he was confident under Charbonne's chairmanship, VMCOTT could become a solvent company. He said: "Charbonne spent six years as the chairman of MTS where he took an insolvent company and made it a dream come true and just as he has turned things around there the same can be done here at VMCOTT under his stewardship because his work has proven that it can be done."
Charbonne admitted that while he was aware that he had a steep hill to climb, particularly since he was reporting to a minister (Warner) that had a reputation of being quite astute, he was used to those challenges and was confident he, together with his "competent" board, could make VMCOTT a viable organisation as he intended to "hit the ground running." Permanent secretary in the ministry Cheryl Blackman said among several critical matters which required the board's urgent appointment (a feat which took ten months to materialise) was the award of contracts for the provision of several pumps for the Drainage Division, a task which she hoped would be completed before the onslaught of the rainy season.
Board members
Robert Charbonne - chairman
Vedaish Maharaj - deputy chairman
Sandra Clarke
Anthony Joseph
Faizul Juman
Fareez Khan
Parasram Brian Maharaj
Ruth Frazer-Munroe
Anstey Lumen Payne
Chiva Rampersad