Chaguanas Mayor Faaiq Mohammed is calling on residents living in flood-prone areas to adopt a proactive stance in safeguarding their properties during the rainy season.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mohammed stated that sandbanks have been established at eight strategic locations across the borough, allowing burgesses to fill their own sandbags in preparation for adverse weather.
“We are asking people that live in flood-prone areas if you need sandbags get them before the bad weather. Don’t get it during the bad weather. It is available right now and you can get that,” he said.
The mayor emphasised that the Chaguanas Borough Corporation is actively engaged in the desilting and clearing of drains and major watercourses. He disclosed that $129,000 from the corporation’s existing budget has been allocated to source equipment for the cleaning of these water channels.
Mohammed also said additional funds would be earmarked in the upcoming financial year specifically for drainage improvement works.
Mayor Mohammed made these remarks during the launch of a borough-wide tree-planting initiative at the Pierre Road Recreation Ground, where he was joined by Chaguanas West MP Dr Neil Gosine. The event marked the commencement of a project to plant 1,000 poui trees across the constituency.
Gosine revealed that the initiative is part of a broader plan to enhance the aesthetic appeal of Chaguanas West, noting that both yellow and pink varieties of the flowering tree would be planted.
“The tree planting exercise was to assist in the beautification of the Chaguanas West constituency,” he said. The planting is expected to be completed over a month.
Gosine also said that forthcoming infrastructural work would be undertaken along the banks of the Caroni River to help mitigate the risk of flooding.