Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo
regional Corporation

About the Corporation

 

 

The Administrative Arm of the Couva/ Tabaquite/ Talparo Regional Corporation

 

The Chief Executive Officer is the Administrative Head of the Corporation and is assisted in the day-to-day supervisory management by the Administrative Officer II, with the responsibility for the Human Resource Management Department, the Labour or Kalamazoo Section and the Secretatiat. Currently, the Corporation has a complement of 752 Daily Rated Employees and 55 Monthly Paid Officers.

The Council and the Chief Executive Officer receive advice and support on Technical matters from the Technical Section, which is headed by the County Superintendent.

The Accountant I conducts the daily accounting duties and functions of the Corporation. Additionally, there is a Financial Officer whose responsibility is to produce the annual Financial Statements of the Corporation. This officer also has the responsibility for Special Projects, such as the Rates and Assessment Division, which is in the process of completing reformation to enable the Corporation to collect revenue.

Advice on Environmental Health Issues is provided by the Public Health Inspector III. This Department is also supported by Daily Rated Employees.

The role and function of the Couva/ Tabaquite/ Talparo Regional Corporation has grown beyond its mandate as set out in Act 21 of 1990, since the citenzry has become used to expect far more from the Corporation than it was first intended. Some employees as well as the government council are of the belief that they are now morally obligated to extend their services in spheres outside of their legal purview in an attempt to improve the quality of life of the citizens of the region.

The Couva Tabaquite Talparo Regional Corporation, like all other Municipalities operate under a legislative umbrella. The main pieces of legislation are as follows:
1. The Municipal Corporation Act No.21 of 1990.
2. The Market and Abattoir Bye Laws (1996)
3. Some other important pieces of legislation that impacts on the corporation include:

• The Representation of the Peoples Ac
• The Public Health Ordinance
• The Summary Courts Act
• The Dogs Act
• The Valuation of Land Act
• The Town and Country Planning Act
• The Recreation Ground and Pastures Act
• The Highways Act
• The Litter Act
  

The overall role and function as perceived by the Council and senior staff is to represent the citizenry and to plan and provide infrastructural support for the development of the Region. The Council also seeks to provide social, cultural, recreational and sporting facilities. This is achieved through the following :

(a) Infrastructure – The cleaning, maintaining, upgrade and construction of roads, drains, bridges, recreational grounds, parks, historical sites and monuments, cremation sites, schools, government buildings and produce and meat markets.

(b) Maintenance of Public Health – Through the maintenance of water courses, cleaning of flood drainage, the collection and disposal of household and other garbage, the inspection of and recommendations for domestic and commercial sewer system construction, the inspection of chemical run-off to public watercourses, rodent control and distribution of potable water to households. The public is also educated on health related issues. The Public Health Unit operates in collaboration with the County Medical Officer of Health Department of the Ministry of Health

(c) Social, cultural, recreational and sporting support – Effort is made to encourage and support the participation of the public in community based activities through the development upgrade and maintenance of facilities This involves the development and maintenance of recreation grounds, pavilions, cultural activity sites and cultural activities such as Indian Arrival Day and Emancipation Day celebrations, Regional Corporation Week together with religious festivals.

(d) Reduction in unemployment – The Corporation has sought to provide temporary employment on contractual terms and conditions to persons in skilled and unskilled areas. This contributes significantly to improving the quality of life of its citizens and of the region. Further, the Corporation supports persons engaged in Agriculture through the development and maintenance of access roads and through the sale of produce and meat at the market.

(e) Moral responsibility – When needs are identified, the Corporation assists persons with regards to their general welfare and the improvement to their quality of life. It sees as its responsibility the motivation and encouragement of its citizens to seek higher levels of education and to aspire to a better quality of life. This is expanded to assist persons with a broad range of domestic and social problems.

(f) Disaster Preparedness – The Corporation plays a vital role in the planning and execution of disaster plans in collaboration with other Agencies of the region. Although the Corporation is a first respondent, it is not fully equipped to deal with disasters. However, though the dedication and commitment of the Chief Executive Officer and Staff and the formulation of a Disaster Plan, donations in the forms of pieces of Disaster Equipments have been received from the Pan American Disaster Foundation (USA).