News
Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath has criticised the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), among other state agencies, for their responsiveness in the face of disasters.
But ODPM CEO Ret’d Maj Gen Rodney Smart believes Padarath was misguided on the role of the organisation when he criticised it.
Speaking at the TT Meteorological Service’s (TTMS) National Climate Outlook Forum at the TT Civil Aviation Authority’s Piarco headquarters on May 21, Padarath said, “Over the years I have not been satisfied, nor have I been happy, with the response of some of these critical stakeholders and one of those has been the ODPM.”
With Smart sitting metres away at the head table, Padarath accused agency officials of “sitting in ivory towers” while the public struggles to come to terms with the consequences of whatever the disaster may be.
“There must be a greater degree of responsiveness. I know the reality on the ground. I know what the response has been from organisations, and I will not apologise for saying ODPM has to become more responsive and understand what the challenges are when we have significant rainfall.”
He said, as the MP of a constituency with large swathes of rural areas, he has witnessed, first-hand, how lethargic state agencies can be in their response to floods and other natural disasters.
“I recall stakeholders coming to Princes Town and providing platitudes at a time when you needed a greater degree of responsiveness. And that is what citizens of TT expect, responsiveness.
“While I understand there will be limitations form time to time there is a certain degree of responsiveness that is needed in terms of immediacy and how you treat with these matters.”
Padarath said citizens believe there is a disconnect between them and state agencies and added this must be addressed.
He said there must be a paradigm shift so those who are most affected feel as though their needs are being met.
“For far too long we have had government and ambits of the state that are sitting in air-conditioned comfort, not understanding what the reality on the ground is. The electorate requires us to have a greater degree of connectivity with communities and constituencies and ultimately with the entire country.”
He accused the ODPM and the other state agencies of lacking the will power to get things done.
“I can say safely that I am not comfortable with the responsiveness and the work. One may say it is funding, the other I will say it is the will. I have been very hands on as MP and now as Minister to understand the challenges, and funding is just part of the problem. The other part has to do with the will and urgency to treat with some of these matters.”
Padarath warned state agencies he will be monitoring their operations at every level and said he is willing to get his hands dirty.
“Two weeks from now we will kick off the hurricane season and I want to warn you that one of the hurricanes you could expect, his name is Barry. We are yet to see the impact in terms of how significant he will be but however I give you the assurance I intend on being a very hands-on minister.
“Whether I get flack or not, it is much needed in a sector that affects people every single day of their lives with water, communication, electricity, weather. These are critical areas that impact people’s pockets and homes.”
Smart defends ODPM, not worried about his job
Meanwhile, speaking with the media during a break at the forum, Smart suggested Padarath’s comments was based on a misunderstanding of the local disaster response system.
“When he was speaking to responsiveness, it appeared he was speaking to what one would expect, in our national disaster system, from the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government (MRDLG).”
Smart explained the first response in any situation is at the community level with the MRDLG, as well as the TT Fire Service.
“These are the authorities that respond immediately. In the case of Tobago is the Tobago Emergency Management Agency. So that when they find that their resources are insufficient or when they don’t have a capability, then they reach out to the ODPM. That is when the ODPM gets involved.”
He added the ODPM serves more of a co-ordinating role, while constantly monitoring the situation and offering help if agencies appear to be overwhelmed.
“The ODPM cannot get involved unless there is a request for support. But mind you, the ODPM is all the time, always monitoring and reaching out. So the responsiveness that he spoke to is built into the system.”
Asked if he was worried about his tenure being cut short based on Padarath’s comments, Smart defended his work at the ODPM and said his employment status was not his main concern.
“My contract ends later this year. If it is that the government’s view is that they would like to renew it, or not, that’s fine.
“I took a contract for three years and at the end it is either going to be renewed or not renewed. But my job is not to worry about a contract. My job is to ensure that while I am there, I give the best professional service as possible.”
He said he was not worried about being politically targeted as he was not a political appointee.
“To become the CEO of the ODPM you have to go through the (recruitment) process like every single person in the ODPM who is employed. So you have to go through a competitive process and based on the process, if you come out on top, you are the person hired.
“My purpose is to serve TT and to support any administration that comes into power. That’s my job. And that’s the job of all the people in the ODPM. The ODPM will always be supportive of whichever administration is in power.”
Smart said he approached Padarath during a break at the forum and in a cordial chat with him, offered to explain the ODPM’s role.
“ I told him, ‘Minister I would like to meet with you and brief you so you are aware of the (disaster response) system.’”
Asked if Padarath appeared willing to meet with him, Smart said, “He didn’t say no, so I assume he was receptive to what I had to say.”
Hurricane Barry bears down on state agencies
This is not Padarath’s first public comment on the operations at state agencies since his appointment as minister on May 3.
Last week, he ordered majority state-owned Telecommunications Services of TT (TSTT) and its subsidiary, Amplia, to put a freeze on all human resource actions after the board’s failure to resign in the wake of the UNC’s election victory over the PNM.
It has become customary that appointees to state boards resign when governments change.
Given the board’s failure to resign, Padarath directed TSTT CEO Kent Western not to act on any decisions made at the board-level until a new board is installed.
The five board members, Annalean Inniss, Angelo Austin, Cavelle Joseph-St Omer, Wendell Berkley and chairman Anthony Peyson eventually resigned on May 14.
His comments on the operations of Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) also garnered national attention after he announced his intention to scrap WASA’s transformation plan implemented by former minister Marvin Gonzales.
Speaking after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar ripped up a copy of the plan at a post-cabinet news conference on May 15, Padarath said the plan resulted in a top-heavy management structure.
He claimed under the PNM, there was a focus on big jobs “for the boys and girls in the party” and noted there are 34 executive positions with combined salaries of over $74 million.u
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
