Newly appointed Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen has started a national flood mitigation campaign, which she said will see the immediate deployment of equipment and manpower to clear drains and watercourses to prevent flooding.
Ameen has vowed to be proactive, rather than reactive, to floods.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative yesterday, Ameen revealed that an entire warehouse of equipment has been sitting idle, even as flood victims struggle to rebuild their lives and farmers suffer devastating losses every year. Her first order of business is to immediately begin clearing rivers and tributaries from the South Oropouche Drainage Basin, Caparo Valley rivers, Caroni River Basin, North Oropouche waterways, Diego Martin rivers, and rivers flowing out of the Rio Claro region.
“It is no guessing game whether we will have rain or not. It is no guessing game about which watercourses need to be cleaned. It is no guessing game about who gets flooded every year and who doesn’t,” Ameen said.
“But for some reason, many regional corporations have been starved of resources. Their vehicles and equipment operate with no fuel, no money for parts, and no maintenance. Trucks, backhoes, lowboys—essential to clearing drains—have been grounded or are limping,” she explained.
Ameen said this has led to serious consequences.
“Flooding isn’t just about water in your yard. It’s about families who borrowed to buy appliances, furniture, and who now lose everything. It’s about farmers losing crops. It drives up the price of food. It burdens everyone,” she said.
She described the new plan as a co-ordinated national response that would immediately deploy all equipment and manpower available under the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government—including Cepep units—to clear drains and rivers in flood-prone communities.
“Some corporations have fully functional fleets. Others have none. So, we’re pooling our resources. Excavators, dump trucks, and backhoes will be moved across every district in Trinidad and Tobago. And we are not leaving until the job is done,” Ameen declared.
She said work has already started on equipping and activating emergency shelters with food, first aid supplies, and other essentials.
“We’re not just talking—we are acting,” said Ameen.
The list of problematic watercourses was compiled by public health departments and will be expanded with input from councillors and Members of Parliament.
Ameen also signalled a shift from past practices where work would start and then stall.
“In the past, a ravine would be cleaned, but rubbish would sit there for weeks waiting to be removed. That’s why we’ve included trucks in our fleet. We will do everything needed in one go before moving to the next area.”
She assured: “This programme has no political hat. No political colour. We are working to serve every single person.”
Minister of Agriculture Ravi Ratiram, who joined Ameen at the launch, underscored the devastating toll floods have taken on farmers and the broader economy.
“Flooding affects farmers, but it also affects citizens,” he said.
Calling on citizens to support the initiative, Ratiram urged communities to dispose of waste responsibly.
He also said corporations will be putting systems in place to assist citizens with proper disposal.
Guardian Media reached out to former works minister Rohan Sinanan about the claims, but he said he had no comment. Both former minister in the Ministry of Works, Richie Sookhai, and former local government minister, Faris Al-Rawi, did not respond to calls and messages.
