Minister of Sport and Community Development appoints Municipal Committee for 4 Pilot Communities

A Municipal Committee has been virtually commissioned by the Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe on 25th May to lead the building of sustainability in four pilot communities of Diego Martin, Chaguanas, San Fernando and Siparia. A similar committee structure will be established within Tobago in collaboration with the Tobago House of Assembly.

The Municipal Committee is tasked with providing support to the pilot communities on their journey to sustainability. Using their strategic vantage point, the Committee will also ensure the needs of these communities are articulated in the plan for sustainable community development.

The Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe,  in her feature address said “I always like to mention that this is the first of its kind in the development of community development policy where we’re having so many hands on deck, and doing it in a very unified way. So on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I feel privileged to formally commission four municipal community committees on Sustainable Community Development this morning. Our National Policy on Sustainable Community Development is seamlessly assigned with our country’s national development strategy, a fundamental part of our government’s vision 2030. Both speak to developing sustainable communities, building a robust economy, strengthening our social fabric, and most importantly, putting our people, first.  The implementation of this policy is a very timely one indeed, as we bind together as a nation towards overcoming and recovering from this COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Honourable Minister said, “This policy provides a unique and relevant platform which facilitates a coordinated approach to community development, where our government works hand-in-hand with private sector entities, academia and international organisations towards achieving a clear and unified vision developed by the communities themselves.”

The Municipal Committee effectively utilises limited resources across thirteen (13) government ministries to create effective, strategic impact. All ministries will use their ministerial mandates and the needs of the communities to create a resilient sustainable plan for these communities. This Committee is the second of three committee’s formed by the Ministry of Sport and Community Development to advance the National Policy of Sustainable Community Development. The National Committee was appointed on May 18th and the Committee on Sustainable Community Development (CSCD) which includes community stakeholders and citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, as the key planners will be commissioned in June 2021.