Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
The Penal Debe Regional Corporation has partnered with the Hunters Search and Rescue Team.
During the corporation’s 8th Statutory Meeting held for the first time at Debe market, Bronte councillor Gerard Perreira moved a motion that was unanimously approved for the Regional Corporation to partner with the group.
In reading the motion, Bronte spoke about the group’s achievements in leading several successful missions to rescue and find missing persons and assisting the corporation in rescuing and assisting burgesses affected by flooding.
Each councillor also spoke about the group’s yeoman services and thanked them for their assistance.
There was an amendment to the motion to include a request to the Central Government to provide funding to assist the group.
Equipment and gear were presented to the group, including rope, cutlasses and rubber boots, which were donated by two doctors to assist them in their missions.
In his brief remarks, Rambharat said KFC sponsored their meals, but this was the first corporation to partner with them.
Thanking them for the donation, he said equipment, especially rope, was always needed.
He also offered to assist with the corporation’s disaster management unit with training if they required it.
Noting that his group consisted of 32 members, two of whom are in Tobago, he invited persons to join their organisation.
Rambharat also praised Chairman Gowtam Maharaj for hosting the meeting in the market, noting that this was the “out of the box” leadership required in the country.
Sunkist Residents Association chairman Rosemarie Boodoo and vice chairman Dexter Daniel submitted a petition, asking the council to write to Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales on their behalf, to request that WASA resume maintenance of their sewer system.
They complained that since WASA stopped maintaining the sewer system in 2023, they had been experiencing frequent sewerage overflows that endangered residents’ health.
Maharaj said the council decided to host the meeting in the market “to bring it to the people.”
Students from schools within the region were among members of the public who attended the meeting.