THE EDITOR: Every rainy season in TT brings a familiar and painful routine – flooded homes, stranded motorists, devastated small businesses, and anxious communities. The names change – Caparo, Penal, Sangre Grande, Diego Martin – but the story is the same. This is no longer about climate alone. It’s about governance.
To the new administration, this is your opportunity to break the cycle. Resist the trap of shallow optics and post-event clean-ups. That was the hallmark of the last government – press conferences, site visits, bags of relief supplies, and then silence until the next downpour. Don't go down that path. The country deserves a long-term fix.
Citizens are not unreasonable. They know we can't stop rainfall. But they are frustrated because year after year nothing changes. Drains remain clogged, rivers are ignored, developers build indiscriminately, and agencies point fingers. Meanwhile, homes flood, property is destroyed, and lives are disrupted.
The 2018 floods should have been the wake-up call. Instead, the previous administration responded with press releases and pilot projects. No cohesive national plan. No enforcement of building codes. No decisive legislative reform. The end result: more destruction, more frustration, and a growing sense that flooding is now just part of life here.
The new government has the chance to do better. And it must.
Step one:
Deal with the current pattern – head-on!
The country is already in a volatile wet season. In the short term, deal directly with the communities under water. Prioritise drainage clearing, fast-track minor infrastructure works, and deploy ODPM resources ahead of the next storm. Move proactively, not reactively.
Use the administration's first 100 days to clean out rivers and watercourses in known hotspots. Make it public. Let citizens know the areas being desilted. Invite feedback. Publish work logs.
And if private developers have blocked natural water flow or illegally altered terrain, act. Issue stop orders. Reclaim drainage paths. Be bold. Nothing will rebuild trust faster than holding rogue actors accountable.
Step two:
Tackle the medium-term threat!
This isn’t just a rainfall problem – it’s a policy failure. You must bring forward a national flood management plan and embed it into law and budget.
You’ll need:
* A flood resilience authority with legal authority to co-ordinate across ministries and corporations.
* Updated flood maps using modern tools – drones, LiDAR, satellite data.
* Drainage upgrades in high-density zones like Chaguanas, Couva, and Arima.
* Retention ponds and bypass channels to slow run-off.
* A building code overhaul to raise floor levels and enforce flood-resilient designs.
You must also empower municipal authorities with legal power to stop unauthorised developments, enforce storm-water rules, and issue penalties without needing central government approval. For too long, municipal corporations have had responsibility but no teeth. Change that.
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