2010
Tunapuna/Piarco
Regional Municipality
Final Draft Municipal Development Plan (2010– 2020)
‘Striving Towards Our Potential as the Premier
Education and Knowledge Centre of the Southern
Caribbean’
1
Prepared by Kairi Consultants Limited
on behalf of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation
Draft Municipal Development Plan: 2010 – 2020
Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation
Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Municipality
Centenary Street, Tunapuna
Telephone: (868) 662-4139 or 662-2261 or 645-8772
Fax: (868) 662-1612
Email: tprc_localgovtt@hotmail.com
Prepared by Kairi Consultants Limited , 14 Cochrane Street, Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago (868-663 2677/1442; mail@kairi.com)
2
Foreword
Chairman, Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality
i
The Tunapuna/Piarco Municipal Development Plan has been prepared in collaboration
with the following partners:
Member of Parliament, St Augustine
Member of Parliament, Tunapuna
Member of Parliament, Arouca/Maloney
Member of Parliament, D’Abadie/O’Meara
Member of Parliament, Arima
Private Sector and NGO and Community Sector Organisations:
 Bon Air Community Upliftment Group
 Medical Associates Hospital
 BonAir Women In Action
 MNR Hardware
 Bordercom International School
 Moosai’s Sports Club
 CABSL
 Moses Transport
 Cassleton Greens Committee
 North Eastern Kindergarten
 Combined Marketing
 P5 Youth Group
 Curepe (Fatima) RC School
 Paradise Gardens Limited
 Curepe P Council
 Paradise Housing Limited
 Danny’s Enterprises Company Limited
 Peytonville Community Council
 Dinsley Community Council
 Police Service Youth Group
 Dinsley Cricket Club
 Presbyterian Church
 Eastern Football Association
 Project and Events Expressions
 Eastern Regional Sport Complex
 Race Course Evergreen
 Ethiopian Orthodox Church
 RBTT Limited
 Columbus Communications Trinidad Ltd
 Framalaya Presbyterian Church
 Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams
(REACT) Council
 Friends of Pinto
 Republic Bank Limited
 Geotech Associates Limited
 Seventh Day Adventist Church
 Glorious Church Worship
 Squadron Sports Club
 Harricrete Limited
 St George’s Academy Limited
 Holy Saviour Church
 St Joseph Community Council
 Horticultural Service Division
 St Mary’s Children Home
 Hugh Wooding Law School
 Sunrise Park
 La Fillette Village Council
 TRICON
 La Horquetta Community Council
 Triumph Sports Club
 La Horquetta Pan Groove
 Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board – Eastern Zonal
Council
 La Horquetta Youth Luvers
 Tunapuna Open Bible
 Lakshmi Girls Hindu College
 Unemployment Relief Programme Region Five
 Larry Gomes Stadium
 The University of the West Indies
 Macoya Gardens MP 3 Set
 Maloney Women’s Group
ii
• Including Various State Government Ministries and Statutory Agencies:
 Environmental Management Authority
 Evolving
TecKnologies
and
Development Company Limited
 Ministry of Tourism
Enterprise
 Ministry of Works and Transport - Traffic Management
Branch, Highways Division, Drainage Division
 Housing Development Corporation
 Public Transport Service Corporation
 Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine
Resources – Head Office, Land Administration
Division, Land and Surveys Division, Forestry
Division, Regional Administration North, Grow
Box Project
 National Entrepreneurship Development Company
 National Reforestation and Watershed Rehabilitation
Programme
 Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management
 Ministry of Education
 Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago
 Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries Minerals Division and Energy Planning and
Research
 Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago
 Town and Country Planning Division
 Ministry of Community Development, Culture and
Gender Affairs
 Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission
 Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards
 Ministry of Health
 Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company
Limited
 Ministry of Public Utilities
 Water and Sewerage Authority
 Ministry of Social Development – Division of
Ageing
iii
Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 1
1.2
PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN................................................................. 2
1.3
METHODOLOGY ..................................................................................................... 3
1.3.1
1.3.1.1
1.4
1.5
Stakeholder Engagement and Participation .................................................... 4
Public Consultations ..................................................................................... 4
RELATED PLANNING INITIATIVES .................................................................... 5
1.4.1
Arima Municipal Development Plan............................................................... 7
1.4.2
Sangre Grande Municipal Development Plan ................................................... 8
Structure of the Plan ................................................................................................. 9
CONTEXT AND STRATEGIC ANALYSIS ....................................................................... 11
2.1
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS ................................ 11
2.2
Legislative and Institutional Framework .............................................................. 12
2.2.1
2.3
The Planning Framework ............................................................................... 13
Physical and Natural Characteristics..................................................................... 15
2.3.1
Topography, Physiography and Drainage .................................................... 15
2.3.2
Geology ............................................................................................................ 15
2.3.3
Soil and Land Capability ................................................................................ 17
2.3.4
Land Tenure..................................................................................................... 17
2.3.5
Water Resources .............................................................................................. 21
2.3.6
Coastal and Nearshore Resources .................................................................. 21
2.3.7
Biodiversity ...................................................................................................... 21
iv
2.4
2.3.8
Protected Areas................................................................................................ 21
2.3.9
Historic and Cultural Assets .......................................................................... 22
2.3.10
Scenic Landscapes and Seascape.................................................................... 22
2.3.11
Hazard Susceptibility ...................................................................................... 22
Population and Labour Force Characteristics ....................................................... 23
2.4.1
Population........................................................................................................ 23
2.4.2
Population Density.......................................................................................... 23
2.4.3
Labour Force Characteristics .......................................................................... 23
2.4.4
Poverty ............................................................................................................. 23
2.5
Housing ................................................................................................................... 25
2.6
Development Form and Structure ......................................................................... 26
2.6.1
Land Use .......................................................................................................... 26
2.6.1.1
Recreation..................................................................................................... 26
2.6.1.2
Forestry ........................................................................................................ 26
2.6.1.3
Agriculture ................................................................................................... 28
2.6.1.4
Fisheries........................................................................................................ 29
2.6.1.5
Quarrying ..................................................................................................... 29
2.6.1.6
Built Development....................................................................................... 29
2.6.1.7
Residential Development ............................................................................ 29
2.6.1.8
Office Development .................................................................................... 30
2.6.1.9
Trade/Commercial Development .............................................................. 30
2.6.1.10
Industrial Development .......................................................................... 31
2.6.1.11
Tourism Development ............................................................................ 32
2.6.1.12
Institutional Development ...................................................................... 32
2.6.1.13
Recreation and Sporting Facilities .......................................................... 34
2.6.1.14
Entertainment Facilities ........................................................................... 34
2.6.1.15
Multi-Purpose Development .................................................................. 34
2.6.2
Development Impacts ..................................................................................... 35
2.6.3
Major Developments Committed or Planned ............................................... 36
2.6.4
Settlement Characteristics and Settlement Pattern ....................................... 37
v
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.6.4.1
River
Settlements between the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and the Caroni
39
2.6.4.2
Settlements between the Caroni River and the Southern Boundary ....... 41
2.6.4.3
Settlements North of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway .......................... 42
2.6.4.4
Northern Range Communities ................................................................... 45
2.6.5
Hierarchy of Settlements ................................................................................ 46
2.6.6
Regional and Urban Form .............................................................................. 48
ECONOMY.............................................................................................................. 50
2.7.1
Public Services ................................................................................................. 50
2.7.2
Agriculture and Fisheries ............................................................................... 51
2.7.3
Distribution and Commerce ........................................................................... 51
2.7.4
Industrial Development .................................................................................. 51
2.7.5
Medical Cluster and Services ......................................................................... 52
2.7.6
Tertiary Education and Training .................................................................... 52
2.7.7
Regulatory and Utility Agencies .................................................................... 52
2.7.8
Consultancy Services ...................................................................................... 53
2.7.9
Tourism ............................................................................................................ 53
TRANSPORTATION .............................................................................................. 53
2.8.1
Main and Secondary Roads ............................................................................ 53
2.8.2
Local Roads ...................................................................................................... 55
2.8.3
Pedestrian Facilities ......................................................................................... 55
2.8.4
Public Transportation...................................................................................... 55
2.8.5
Traffic Management Systems ......................................................................... 56
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC UTILITIES ............................... 56
2.9.1
Water ................................................................................................................ 56
2.9.2
Wastewater ...................................................................................................... 56
2.9.3
Drainage ........................................................................................................... 57
2.9.4
Electricity ......................................................................................................... 57
2.9.5
Telecommunications ....................................................................................... 58
2.9.6
Solid Waste ...................................................................................................... 58
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2.10
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES ................................................ 59
2.10.1
Police Service ................................................................................................... 59
2.10.2
Fire Service ....................................................................................................... 59
2.10.3
Markets............................................................................................................. 59
2.10.4
Geriatric Care................................................................................................... 59
2.10.5
Entertainment/Civic Occasions ..................................................................... 59
2.10.6
Cemeteries and Cremation Sites .................................................................... 60
2.10.7
Health Care Facilities ...................................................................................... 60
2.10.8
Education ......................................................................................................... 60
2.10.9
Sports, Recreation and Public Parks .............................................................. 61
2.10.10
Community Centres .................................................................................... 61
2.11
MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT ............................................................................. 61
2.12
DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS ........................................................................ 63
2.13
SWOT ANALYSIS................................................................................................... 65
2.14
KEY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES .............................................................................. 67
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................... 71
3.1
THE ROLE OF THE TUNAPUNA/PIARCO MUNICIPALITY IN NATIONAL
SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT................................................................................................... 71
3.2
Strategic and Key Directions .................................................................................. 73
3.2.1
3.3
3.4
Development Goal and Strategic Vision........................................................ 73
ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS ................................................. 74
3.3.1
Trend Development ........................................................................................ 77
3.3.2
Dispersed Concentration ................................................................................ 77
3.3.3
Growth Pole (Wallerfield New Town)........................................................... 78
3.3.4
Evaluation of the Options ............................................................................... 78
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR TUNAPUNA/PIARCO .............................. 79
3.4.1
Development Theme ....................................................................................... 80
3.4.2
Overarching Policies ....................................................................................... 82
3.4.3
Spatial Development Framework .................................................................. 83
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THEMATIC POLICIES AND PROPOSALS ..................................................................... 87
4.1 Regional and Urban Form .............................................................................................. 88
Preamble ................................................................................................................................. 88
Policy Objective..................................................................................................................... 89
Policies and Proposals .......................................................................................................... 89
URB-1: Natural Landscape Framework ............................................................................... 90
URB-2: Urban Landscape Framework .................................................................................. 92
4.2 Environmental Management.......................................................................................... 94
Preamble ................................................................................................................................. 94
Policy Objective..................................................................................................................... 95
Policies and Proposals .......................................................................................................... 95
ENV-1: Managing Population Increases.............................................................................. 96
ENV-2: Changing Attitudes and Behaviours toward the Municipal Environment ........ 97
ENV-3: Conserving Tunapuna/Piarco Non-Renewable Resources ................................. 99
ENV-4: Protection of Landscapes, Open Spaces, Historical and Cultural Assets .......... 106
ENV-5: Minimising Waste and Pollution ........................................................................... 110
ENV-6: Improving Disaster Management .......................................................................... 111
ENV-7: Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change ....................................................... 112
4.3 Economic Development ................................................................................................ 114
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 114
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 115
Policies and Proposals ........................................................................................................ 115
ECD-1: The Economic Drivers of Tunapuna/Piarco ......................................................... 115
ECD-2: Tertiary Education and Training: The University Town in Making ................... 118
ECD-3: Tertiary Health Care and Medical Tourism .......................................................... 120
ECD-4: Eco-Tourism ............................................................................................................ 121
ECD-5: Resort Tourism ........................................................................................................ 123
ECD-6: Business Tourism and Conferencing ..................................................................... 123
ECD-7: Heritage Tourism .................................................................................................... 124
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ECD-8: Merchandising, Commerce, Distribution and Personal Services ........................ 125
ECD-9: Financial Services .................................................................................................... 126
ECD-10: Industrial Development ........................................................................................ 127
ECD-11: Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture .............................................................. 129
ECD-12: Agri-business and Fish Processing ...................................................................... 131
4.4 Community Services and Facilities ............................................................................. 134
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 134
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 134
Policies and Proposals ........................................................................................................ 135
SOC-1: Health Care .............................................................................................................. 135
SOC-2: Education and Training .......................................................................................... 136
SOC-3: Sports and Recreation ............................................................................................. 139
SOC-4: Other Social Services ............................................................................................... 140
SOC-5: Security..................................................................................................................... 141
SOC-6: Entertainment/Civic Occasions ............................................................................. 142
SOC-7: Cemeteries and Cremation Sites ............................................................................ 143
4.5 Housing........................................................................................................................... 145
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 145
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 145
Policies and Proposals ........................................................................................................ 146
HOU-1: Policy of Densification ........................................................................................... 146
4.6 Infrastructure and Public Utitilies............................................................................... 150
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 150
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 150
Policies and Proposals ........................................................................................................ 151
INF-1: Water Supply ............................................................................................................ 151
INF-2: Wastewater................................................................................................................ 152
INF-3: Drainage .................................................................................................................... 153
INF-4: Power......................................................................................................................... 154
INF-5: Telecommunications ................................................................................................ 155
ix
4.7 Transportation ............................................................................................................... 157
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 157
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 158
Policies .................................................................................................................................. 158
Policies .................................................................................................................................. 158
TRN-1: Baseline Improvements .......................................................................................... 158
TRN-2: Improving Public Transport ................................................................................... 159
TRN-3: Improving Road Connectivity between Centres .................................................. 160
TRN-4: Providing Facilities for Para-Transit...................................................................... 162
TRN-5: Collection and Management of Information ......................................................... 162
TRN-6: Parking and Pedestrianisation ............................................................................... 163
TRN-7: Improve Traffic Regulation, and Enforce Traffic Rules ....................................... 163
TRN-8: Improve Assessment and Mitigation of Impacts Caused by Businesses ............ 163
TRN-9: Transportation Improvements for Specific Development Proposals .................. 164
TRN-10: Road Safety ............................................................................................................ 165
TRN-11: Accessibility and Inclusiveness with Transportation Improvements ............... 166
4.8 Institutional Development ........................................................................................... 168
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 168
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 169
Policies and Proposals ........................................................................................................ 169
INS-1: Legislative Review .................................................................................................... 169
INS-2: Community Participation ........................................................................................ 169
INS-3: Enforcement .............................................................................................................. 170
INS-4: Interagency Coordination and Collaboration......................................................... 170
INS-5: Establishment of a Municipal Court ....................................................................... 171
INS-6: Public Involvement in the Municipal Development Process ................................ 172
4.9 Municipal Management................................................................................................ 174
Preamble ............................................................................................................................... 174
Policy Objective................................................................................................................... 174
Policies and Proposals ........................................................................................................ 175
x
MUN-1: Decentralisation of the TPRC ............................................................................... 175
MUN-2: Strengthening Coordination and Collaboration ................................................. 176
MUN-3: Improving Service Delivery.................................................................................. 176
AREA POLICIES AND PROPOSALS .............................................................................. 178
5.1
Introduction........................................................................................................... 178
5.2
East-West Corridor ............................................................................................... 180
5.3
5.4
5.2.1
Area Specific Policies .................................................................................... 180
5.2.2
Main Economic Activities ............................................................................. 181
5.2.3
Dominant Land Uses..................................................................................... 181
5.2.4
Proposals for Built Development ................................................................. 181
5.2.5
Community Services and Facilities .............................................................. 184
NORTHERN RANGE AND VALLEY COMMUNITIES ................................... 185
5.3.1
Area Specific Policies .................................................................................... 186
5.3.2
Main Economic Activities ............................................................................. 186
5.3.3
Dominant Land Use ...................................................................................... 187
5.3.4
Proposals for Tourism ................................................................................... 187
5.3.5
Proposals for Forestry/Silviculture ............................................................. 187
5.3.6
Proposals for Agri-business, Fishing, and Fish Processing ........................ 187
5.3.7
Proposals for Quarrying ............................................................................... 188
5.3.8
Proposals for Built Development ................................................................. 188
5.3.9
Community Services and Facilities .............................................................. 189
5.3.10
Physical Infrastructure .................................................................................. 189
WALLERFIELD ..................................................................................................... 190
5.4.1
Area Specific Policies .................................................................................... 190
5.4.2
Main Economic Activities ............................................................................. 191
5.4.3
Dominant land uses ...................................................................................... 191
5.4.5
Tamana InTech Park including Tertiary Education Facilities .................... 191
5.4.6
Proposals for Other Industrial Development .............................................. 192
5.4.7
Proposals for Livestock Rearing and Agri-business ................................... 193
xi
5.5
5.4.8
Proposals for Housing .................................................................................. 193
5.4.9
Proposals for Public Services and Administration ..................................... 194
5.4.10
Community Services and Facilities .............................................................. 194
5.4.11
Construction .................................................................................................. 195
5.4.12
Physical Infrastructure .................................................................................. 195
SOUTH OF THE CHURCHILL ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY ............................... 195
5.5.1
Area Specific Policies .................................................................................... 195
5.5.2
Main Economic Activities: ............................................................................ 196
5.5.3
Dominant Land Uses:.................................................................................... 196
5.5.4
Proposals for Agri-Business ......................................................................... 196
5.5.5
Proposals for Built Development ................................................................. 197
5.5.6
Community Facilities .................................................................................... 198
IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................... 201
6.1
IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS ................................................................ 201
6.2
MANAGEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT .............................................................. 201
6.3
FUNDING ............................................................................................................. 202
6.4
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ......... 203
6.5
PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS ....................................................................... 203
6.3
MONITORING AND REVIEW............................................................................ 204
xii
Acronyms and Abbreviations
AATT
-
Airport Authority of Trinidad and Tobago
ABC
-
Arima Borough Corporation
APDSL
-
All-inclusive Project Development Services Limited
CEC
-
Certificate of Environmental Clearance
CEPEP
-
Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme
CISL
-
Community Improvement Services Limited
CNTS
-
Comprehensive National Transportation Study
COSTAATT
-
College of Science, Technology, and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago
CRH
-
Churchill Roosevelt Highway
CSO
-
Central Statistical Office
CVRP
-
Caura Valley Recreation Park
e TecK
-
Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited
ECCECs
-
Early Childhood Care and Education Centres
ECS
-
Early Childhood Services
EIA
-
Environmental Impact Assessment
EMA
-
Environmental Management Authority
EMBD
-
Estate Management and Business Development Company
EMR
-
Eastern Main Road
EPD
-
Education Planning Department
ESA
-
Environmentally Sensitive Areas
EWMSC
-
Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex
GORTT
-
Government of (the Republic) Trinidad and Tobago
xiii
HCL
-
Home Construction Limited
HDC
-
Housing Development Company
ICT
-
Information and Communications Technology
IDPSG
-
Integrated Development Plan for Sustainable Development of the Sangre
Grande Municipality
LEAP
-
Land-related Education and Awareness Programme
LFP
-
Landscape Framework Plan
LSA
-
Land Settlement Agency
MALMR
-
Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources
MDP
-
Municipal Development Plan
MEEI
-
Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries
MLG
-
Ministry of
Local Government
MOE
-
Ministry of
Education
MOT
-
Ministry of Tourism
MOTI
-
Ministry of Trade and Industry
MPHE
-
Ministry of
Planning, Housing and the Environment
MSTTE
-
Ministry of
Science, Technology and Tertiary Education
MSYA
-
Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs
MuST
-
Multi Sector Skills Training
NCDP
-
National Conceptual Development Plan
NEP
-
National Environment Policy
NGO
-
Non-Government Organisation
NPDP
-
National Physical Development Plan Trinidad and Tobago
NSS
-
National Spatial Strategy
NUGFW
-
National Union of Government and Federated Workers
OJT
-
On-the-Job Training
PSIP
-
Public Sector Investment Programme
R&D
-
Research and Development
xiv
RDCTT
-
Rural Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited
SAM
-
School of Accounting and Management
SBCS
-
School of Business and Computer Studies
SGRC
-
Sangre Grande Regional Corporation
SIDS
-
Small Island Developing State
SMR
-
Southern Main Road
SWMCOL
-
Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited
SWOT
-
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
T&TEC
-
Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission
TCP
-
Town and Country Planning
TCPD
-
Town and Country Planning Division
TMB
-
Traffic Management Branch
TPCDP
-
Tamana InTech Park Community Development Plan and Transportation
Report
TPRC
-
Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation
TRRP
-
Trinidad Rapid Rail Project
TTPost
-
Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation
TTPS
-
Trinidad and Tobago Police Services
UFW
-
Unaccounted-for-Water
UBH
-
Uriah Butler Highway
UDECOTT
-
Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago
URP
-
Unemployment Relief Programme
UTT
-
University of Trinidad and Tobago
UWI
-
The University of the West Indies
WASA
-
Water and Sewerage Authority
WSMP
-
Water Sector Modernisation Programme
WWMP
-
Water and Wastewater Master Plan
YTC
-
Youth Training Centre for Boys
YTEPP
-
Youth Training and Employment Partnership Programme
xv
xvi
1
Introduction
1.1
BACKGROUND
The Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco has experienced
significant growth in population and in business and
commercial operations over the last two decades, most
of this concentrated along the East-West Corridor. This
rapid increase in population has put strain on the
physical and social infrastructure, evidenced in
problems as varied as lack of potable water supply in
some areas; lack of wastewater treatment infrastructure;
flooding, partially caused by indiscriminate cutting on
the hillsides for development purposes; and traffic
congestion.
A university town has evolved almost autonomously in
Tunapuna/Piarco, as well as a capacity for medical
tourism, and business tourism. The Municipality is well
placed to create competitive industry and services for
participation in the global economy, supported by a
workforce of skilled and professional workers and ready
access to the Piarco International Airport. As well, there
are large expanses of good quality agricultural land to
support the national agricultural diversification efforts,
and natural resources that can support a viable tourism
industry.
However, much of this potential can remain unexploited
in the absence of careful socio-economic and physical
planning.
1
Hence a decision was taken by the Ministry of Local Government (MLG) for the
Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) to formulate a Municipal Development
Plan (MDP) for the Municipality as part of a programme to cover the landscape of
Trinidad with development plans to address the issues of the Municipalities which the
various Municipal Corporations need to handle in the discharge of their functions.
1.2
PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN
The Draft Plan provides a sustainable regional development framework for the
Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality from 2011 to 2020 to accommodate and guide the spatial
distribution of social, economic, cultural, infrastructural and environmental activities of
its burgesses and partner agencies operating within its boundaries. The Plan has been
formulated following a series of consultations and dialogues with various stakeholders
within the Municipality and agencies operating in the Municipality on issues which
needs to be addressed in the Plan.
The SDP will set the framework for the formulation of detailed policies and local area
plans for areas that require more detailed treatment.
To facilitate early and well-informed solutions to the problems that beset the Region, the
SDP goes a step further to include a number of concrete projects through which the
TPRC will be able to implement the policies on which the Plan is based. The projects
may be included in the annual budgetary allocations of the TPRC and the implementing
agencies established under the MLG including the Community Improvement Services
Limited (CISL) and the Rural Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited
(RDC), and in the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).
The SDP provides details on the distribution of the population over the Region until
2020, and broad land use allocations including the general location of land to
accommodate population increases expected over the next decade, as well as social,
economic, cultural, infrastructural and environmental activities to be undertaken in the
Municipality. Mechanisms through which the Plan is to be implemented are also
included.
2
1.3
METHODOLOGY
The approach to the preparation of the Draft MDP involved the five distinct phases as
summarised in Figure 1.1. These key phases are as follows:
1. Orientation:
This consists of discussions between the TPRC and the Regional Planning
Consultant; a rapid reconnaissance survey of the Municipality (including the
review of relevant secondary information and field visits); and finalisation of the
spatial development planning process, including the stakeholder engagement
and public consultation process.
2. Survey and Analysis:
Involves an extensive review of collected information and data; the conduct of
several specialist studies, including a „windscreen‟ land and building use survey
in strategic urban centres; and consultations with public sector agencies and
other stakeholders of the Municipality. A first Stakeholder Consultation was held
during this phase.
3. Data Analysis and Synthesis:
Analysis and synthesis of data, at the end of which key development planning
issues and problems were identified.
4. Scenario Planning:
This phase involved the generation of alternative development scenarios with
potential to address the issues, and the selection of the preferred option.
5. Plan Development:
Preparation of the Draft SDP based upon the scenario preferred by stakeholders
participating in the second Stakeholder Consultation. A public consultation is to
be held to present and review the plan and to gain feedback on its contents. The
results of this review process will be used to finalise the final Draft Plan.
3
Phase One
Orientation
Phase Two
Survey & Analysis
Phase Three
Data Analysis &
Synthesis
Phase Four
Scenario Planning
Phase Five
Plan Development
Meetings between TPRC
and Consultant
Stakeholder Consultations
- Individual Meetings with
Councillors, Technical &
Administrative Staff,
Central Government,
Statutory Agencies,
Private & NGO/CBO
Sectors
Background Studies
(Identification of Issues &
Challenges) - Land &
Building Use, Socioeconomic, Tranportation,
Infrastructure & Public
Utilities , Environment,
Legislative & Institutional
Conduct of Stakeholder
Consultations
Conduct of Further
Stakeholder Consultations
Formulation of Alternative
Scenarios
Development of Evaluation
Criteria
Development of
Strategies, Land Use
Plan, Proposals &
Projects, Implementation
Plan
Background Studies
(Existing Conditions) Land & Building Use,
Socio-economic,
Tranportation,
Infrastructure & Public
Utilities , Environment,
Legislative & Institutional
SWOT Analysis
Selection of Preferred
Scenario
Preparation of First Draft
SDP
Preparation of Situational
Report 1
Preparation of Situational
Report 2
Presentation of Draft SDP
to the Public
Conduct of rapid
reconnaissance Survey Review of Secondary
Information & Field Visits
Finalising the Spatial
Development Planning
Process
Preparation of Stakeholder
Engagement & Public
Consultaion Report
Identification of Vision,
Goals & Objectives
Completion of Final Draft
SDP
Figure 1.1: Stages of the Spatial Development Planning Process
1.3.1 Stakeholder Engagement and Participation
Stakeholder participation was an integral part of the process, and involved discussions
with individual Local Government Councillors, the administrative and technical heads
of sections at the TPRC, government departments and statutory agencies, public sector
and non-government organisation (NGO) and community sector agencies and
individuals on the challenges and future development of Tunapuna/Piarco. Also
included were public consultations at which burgesses and agencies working in
Tunapuna/Piarco were able to articulate and agree on the manner in which the
Municipality will develop over the long term.
1.3.1.1
Public Consultations
Three public consultations were held. The first public consultation was undertaken to
formulate a Vision for future development of the Municipality, to identify the key
challenges which must be addressed and possible strategies which should be
implemented to realise this shared Vision for the Municipality. This consultation was
attended by 135 persons and included representatives of business enterprises, faithbased organisations, community organisations, women‟s groups, youth and sport
associations, educational institutions, Councillors and staff of the Regional Corporation
and Offices of the Members of Parliament for St. Augustine, Tunapuna,
Arouca/Maloney, D‟Abadie/O‟Meara and Arima. Both Members of Parliament for
4
Arouca/Maloney, Ms. Alicia Hospedales, and St. Augustine, Mr. Vasant Bharath
participated in this first consultation.
The second consultation focused on the presentation, evaluation and selection of the
preferred option for future development of the Municipality. Some 50 persons
participated in this forum. The third upcoming consultation will be held to present and
obtain feedback on the Draft SDP which will be used for its finalisation.
Policies and proposals are formulated at the level of four „zones‟ into which the
Municipality was divided for the purpose of preparing the Plan.
1.4
RELATED PLANNING INITIATIVES
Development activity, existing and proposed at the national level as a whole and in
adjacent Municipalities, would impact the development and use of land in
Tunapuna/Piarco and vice versa. Regions, such as Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo and
Sangre Grande may look to Tunapuna/Piarco for employment and higher-order goods
and services in the same way that much of Tunapuna/Piarco looks to Port of Spain, the
more southerly of the settlements look to Chaguanas, and the eastern portion of the
Municipality might be more oriented toward Arima than to Tunapuna.
This is moreso since imminent boundary changes might place parts of some of these
Regions under the jurisdiction of the TPRC in what might be a new
San/Juan/Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality, and place parts of Tunapuna/Piarco to the
control of an Arima City Corporation and Chaguanas Borough Corporation.
The national context is contained in various planning instruments including the
statutory National Physical Development Plan Trinidad and Tobago (NPDP). Regional
planning initiatives currently underway for the City of Port of Spain; the Boroughs of
Arima and Chaguanas; and the Municipalities of Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille,
and Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo are also relevant (Figure 1.2).
5
Figure 1.2: Tunapuna/Piarco in the Trinidad Context
6
The following shows the main strategic directions for neighbouring municipalities 1.
1.4.1 Arima Municipal Development Plan
Many of the policies and proposals in the Draft Arima SDP require the necessary
resources of the surrounding Municipality for their implementation.
The Plan is based upon the Eco-Cultural City Concept a „resource oriented and
ecological‟ approach to development‟2. Three of the communities that are currently in
Tunapuna/Piarco are proposed to be annexed to the Borough under the strategy,
namely, Maturita, Olton Road, and Santa Rosa Heights.
Elements of the strategy include strengthening of the traditional role of Arima as an
important regional service centre in north east Trinidad. Investment in nature and
cultural tourism and other sustainable economic activities is to be promoted in order to
promote and conserve the natural and cultural assets of the town and its environs and to
broaden the economic base. Policies most relevant to Tunapuna/Piarco, and dependent
upon the resources contained within its boundaries would ensure the following:

Optimisation of the conservation and use of areas and features of high landscape
and amenity value including Cleaver Woods Recreation Park, Arima
Blanchisseuse Road, and the foothills of the Northern Range;

Promotion of research and development activities in order to create and refine
new technologies and products through, inter alia, development of a relationship
between the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and Evolving
TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited (e TecK) regarding
the introduction of structured research activities at O‟Meara Eco-Industrial Park;
and

Development of functional links and complementary research and development
activities between the Eco-Industrial Park and the Tamana InTech Park at
Wallerfield.
[THE DRAFT SHOWS INFORMATION FOR ONLY ARIMA AND SANGRE GRANDE. THE RELELVANT
INFOMATION FOR PORT-OF-SPAIN, SAN JAN/LAVENTILLE AND CHAGUANAS, COUVA/TABAQUITE/TALPARO
WILL BE ADDED WHEN THEY EBCOME AVAILABLE.
2 Draft Arima SDP prepared by Kairi Consultants Limited
1
7
1.4.2 Sangre Grande Municipal Development Plan
The Sangre Grande Municipal Development Plan (MDP) is based in part on the option for
development of Sangre Grande articulated in the Integrated Development Plan for
Sustainable Development of the Sangre Grande Municipality (IDPSG) which was
developed by the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation (SGRC) with the aim of having
the Municipality fulfil its role as a Regional Growth Centre.
Stated developmental priorities include:

Redevelopment of the town of Sangre Grande to support and complement the
development of the Tamana InTech Park, which includes the main campus of the
UTT, through providing housing, entertainment and services for faculty and
students, and to become the hub of a new development axis for the east and
northeast of Trinidad;

Development of the region as the Premier Eco-tourism Centre of the Caribbean;
and

Development of the agricultural and fishing sectors of the region.
Public sector projects listed in the Plan that would impact the region of
Tunapuna/Piarco are the extension of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway (CRH) from
Wallerfield to Manzanilla via Sangre Grande3; the construction of an Eco-Highway to
link Matelot with Blanchisseuse; the establishment of a port on the north east coast and a
Toco to Tobago ferry service; the establishment of a major sport stadium; and
construction of housing developments by the Housing Development Company (HDC).
Private sector projects mentioned involve the development of Vision City which
includes a 100-bed hotel, residential and office development, a cineplex, and a shopping
mall.
As the „Green Corner‟ of Trinidad, the Sangre Grande Municipality consists of some 18
protected forested areas, and is endowed with many of the country‟s threatened species
and much of its biodiversity. Its beaches provide seasonal habitat to the leatherback
turtle, a key annual attraction to local and foreign visitors. Appropriate development,
wise management and use of these key natural resources are expected to not only
provide income for community residents within the Region, but also the means and
catalyst for bringing about a more informed, appreciative and sensitised nation. A very
important natural resource in the Municipality of Sangre Grande is the Aripo Savannas4,
This extension is indicated, in the Tamana InTech Park Community Development Plan and Transportation Report
(TPCDP) as being essential to the full implementation of the proposals for the development of the Park.
3
The Aripo Savannas was declared an Environmentally Sensitive Area in 2007 under the Environmentally Sensitive
Areas (ESA) Rules of 2001, and designated a Strict Nature Reserve based on its high scientific value.
4
8
which adjoins the eastern boundary of Tunapuna/Piarco at Wallerfield. The Savannas is
considered to be one component of a larger cluster of ecotourism and knowledge based
attractions in the northeast. A Resource Management Plan developed to guide its
management and protection includes the establishment of a Visitor Centre from which
an interpretive trail will go into the Savannas. Visitation to the Savannas is projected to
rise significantly from the current level over the period of the SDP.
1.5
STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN
The Draft Development Plan comprises this Written Statement and a series of Annexes
and Maps. This Plan set the context for its development; includes the strategic
framework for the sustainable development of Tunapuna/Piarco; and provides detailed
policies and proposals to be implemented over the next 10 years.
Annex One provides a detailed analysis of the existing situation within the Municipality,
including an account of its natural assets, socioeconomic conditions, local government
administration structure, and the challenges currently affecting and likely to affect its
future development.
Annex Two outlines the three scenarios for future development, the results of evaluation
of the alternative scenarios and a future description of the selected development
alternative.
Annex Three describes the stakeholder consultation process, what stakeholders said and
provides recommendations for future participatory development planning activities in
the Municipality.
9
10
Context and Strategic Analysis
2.1
2
OVERVIEW OF EXISTING CONDITIONS AND TRENDS
The Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco is situated in
north-central Trinidad, between the Municipalities of
San Juan/Laventille and Sangre Grande. It surrounds
the Borough of Arima (Figure 2.1). It occupies an area of
approximately 527.2 square kilometres and is bounded
to the:

North –
The coastline of the Caribbean Sea
between the mouth of the Yarra River in
the west and the north-eastern boundary
of the County of St. George.

East –
The eastern boundary of the County of
St. George.

South –
The north bank of the Caroni River, El
Carmen Road, the north bank of the
Guayamare River, Mon Plaisir Branch
Trace, the Southern Main Road (SMR),
the Cunupia Railway Station Road, and
Munroe Road.

West –
The Uriah Butler Highway (UBR), the
western boundary and a portion of the
northern boundary of the Ward of
Tacarigua, the southern boundary of the
Ward of Blanchisseuse, and the Yarra
River to the point at its mouth on the sea
coast at the point of commencement.
11
It includes the central and eastern portions of the East-West Corridor, from Champ
Fleurs and Mt. Hope in the west to Wallerfield in the east exclusive of the Borough of
Arima. It also includes the communities south of the Caroni River some of which forms
part of the North-South Corridor, from St. Helena and Kelly Villages in the east and the
communities of Frederick Settlement, Bejucal and Cunupia Village in the west. There are
some 70 communities in the Municipality with an estimated population of 275,000 in
2009.
Figure 2.1: Location and Boundaries of Tunapuna/Piarco
2.2
LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Current land use planning guidance is provided by the Town and Country Planning
(TCP) Act, Chapter 35:01. This enactment is utilised by the Minister through the Town
and Country Planning Division (TCPD) to regulate and control land use and land
12
development in Trinidad and Tobago. The Act makes provision for the orderly and
progressive development of land in the country and requires the Minister (with
responsibility for town and country planning) to carry out a survey of the entire country
and to submit for the approval of Parliament a development plan indicating the manner
in which it is proposed to utilise the land. The NPDP is one of only three plans which
have, to date, been taken through the process culminating in approval by Parliament.
The Environmental Management Act (Act No. 3 of 2000) is the principal enactment
regulating and controlling environmental management by the Environmental
Management Authority (EMA). The main link between environmental management
and development planning is via the Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC)
Rules (2001), which guides the assessment of development projects which are
anticipated to have a significant impact upon the environment. A National Environment
Policy (NEP) has been prepared for the country pursuant to Section 18 of the Act and
Section 31 requires the EMA and all other public sector entities to conduct their
operations in accordance with the Policy.
The Municipal Corporations Act (Act No. 21 of 1990) makes provision for regional
planning and physical development, and provides the basis for devolution of authority
to the Corporations. Several of the responsibilities assigned to the municipalities under
this legislation have not been assumed, including the responsibility for physical
planning which is still that of the Minister.
The relationship among these and other public sector agencies responsible for various
aspects of land use and environmental planning and control is shown in Figure 2.2.
The NGO and community sector is also significant elements in promoting sound
environmental management at local, regional, and national levels.
2.2.1 The Planning Framework
The SDP is being prepared within the context of a number of plans and policy
instruments, the most significant of which are the:

NPDP, which is the only statutory guide to land use and development at the
national level;

Vision 2020 Draft National Strategic Plan, which is based upon an overarching
vision for Trinidad and Tobago for “successful national development resulting in
a high quality of life for all our citizens;” and
13

National Spatial Strategy – NSS (2007) a strategy for the spatial development of
the country to 2020 based upon Government‟s plans to achieve developed
country status by that year.
Common threads that run through the various instruments include the designation of
land for development based upon principles of suitability and social, economic and
environmental sustainability; retention of good agricultural land for food production;
conservation of the Northern Range; and prevention or minimisation of the intrusion of
development into sensitive environments. The aforementioned seek to produce an
efficient system of settlements while respecting environmental and agricultural
objectives.
Agencies with Responsibility for
Land and Environmental Planning, Management and Regulation
Set Policy
Direction
Overall
Management,
Regulation
and Control
Development,
Maintenance and
Regulation at the
Sectoral Level
Ministry of Planning, Housing and the Environment
Environmental
Management Authority
(with responsibilities for
environmental management)
Public
Utilities
WASA,
Drainage
Division,
SWMCOL
MLG
TCPD
(with responsibilities for physical
planning & development control)
Resource
Managers
FD, WRA
Land
Administration
MEEI,
MALMR,
IMA
LSA, LSD,
LAD
Development and
Maintenance, and
Regulation at the
Municipal /District
Level
Municipal Government
Corporations
14
Research &
Education
Institutions
UWI, IMA,
UTT
Figure 2.2: Existing Relationship among Agencies with Responsibility for Land Use and
Environmental Planning, Management and Regulation5
2.3
PHYSICAL AND NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS
2.3.1 Topography, Physiography and Drainage
The topography of the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality is dominated by the Northern
Range, the average elevation of which is between 457 and 610 metres. The natural
drainage channels on the northern side of the Range are steep, narrow, gorge-like
valleys through which flow the Yarra, Madamas and Marianne Rivers among others.
The landward slopes are less steep with the Maracas Valley being wider and deeper
than the others. Many of the large rivers in North Trinidad have their sources on these
slopes including the Maracas/St Joseph, Caura/Tacarigua, Lopinot/Arouca, Mausica,
Arima, Oropuna, Guanapo, El Mamo, and Aripo Rivers which all flow into the Caroni
River.
The southern portion of the Municipality falls within the Northern Basin which extends
from the foothills of the Northern Range to those of the Central Range and consists of
the floodplains and alluvial flats of Caroni River system and the Northern Terraces. The
Cunupia River drains the flatlands of Kelly Village, Warren Village and Bejucal. Figure
2.3 shows the topography of Tunapuna/Piarco.
2.3.2 Geology
The major groups of geological materials found in the Northern Range within the
Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality are metamorphic rocks (made up essentially of schists,
phyllites and limestones) and alluvial deposits. The geology of the Northern Basin is
entirely sedimentary.
The main mineral resources of the Northern Range are limestone and silica sand, while
extensive deposits of the "Melajo" and "Guanapo" gravels occur in the Wallerfield area.
Additionally, deposits of fine-grained plastering sand occur at scattered localities in the
Region.
National Action Programme to Combat Land Degradation in Trinidad and Tobago (2005-2020). Prepared by Kairi
Consultants, approved by Cabinet in 2006.
5
15
Figure 2.3: Topography of Tunapuna/Piarco
16
2.3.3 Soil and Land Capability
The dominant soils are of the Maracas/Matelot, Cleaver, Piarco, Guanapo, St Augustine,
River Estate, Pasea, Cunupia, Frederick, and Bejucal series (Figure 2.4).
Land in the Northern Range is classified mainly as VI and VII which is recommended to
be retained under indigenous vegetation (Figure 2.5). There are only a few small pockets
of Class I and II land in the Region, and most of these are already under built
development. The remaining land in the region falls in the III to V groups which are
generally good for agriculture requiring varying degrees of management.
2.3.4 Land Tenure
Figure 2.6 shows the ownership of land in Tunapuna/Piarco. The land is owned roughly
equally between the public sector, viz., State and Estate Management and Business
Development Company (EMBD), and the private sector.
Most of the land in the Northern Range is owned by the State while the private sector is
better represented in the foothills of the Range and in the plains. Much of the publicly
owned land outside of the Northern Range is leased for agricultural purposes in units
ranging from around 0.2 hectare to two hectares, except for Wallerfield where land is
leased in parcels up to eight hectares for livestock rearing. Large acreages have been
leased by the State for housing, quarrying, air transportation (Piarco International
Airport) and industrial development, the latter including a 30.8-hectare site at Frederick
Settlement which is vested in e TecK.
There is also a significant amount of squatting, residential and agricultural, on State
land.
17
Figure 2.4: Soils of Tunapuna/Piarco
18
Figure 2.5: Land Capability of Tunapuna/Piarco
19
Figure 2.6: Land Ownership Pattern within Tunapuna/Piarco
20
2.3.5 Water Resources
Tunapuna/Piarco consists of 16 watersheds named for the rivers which drain the
surrounding areas.
One of the four major aquifers, the Northern Gravels, is found within the Municipality.
Ongoing development carried out along the East-West Corridor within impact range of
ground water aquifers has led to a reduction in the recharge rate of the aquifers6.
2.3.6 Coastal and Nearshore Resources
The coastline along the North Coast is deeply indented with a large number of bays.
Blanchisseuse is the only coastal community within the Municipality. It has grown into
something of a seaside resort area and a location ideal for retiree homes. There are a few
other beaches along the Coast that are used for recreational purposes, accessed mainly
by hiking or sea and they include Yarra, Paria, and Madamas Bays.
2.3.7 Biodiversity
There is a diverse range of terrestrial flora and fauna in the Northern Range which
reflect that of the South American mainland. Loss, fragmentation and degradation of
habitat are the major causes of loss of biodiversity in this region. There are two small
wetlands in the north coast of the Municipality, namely the Marianne River
riverine/estuarine marsh and the Yarra River. The marine biodiversity off the coastline
of the Municipality is reflective of the rest of the Caribbean region, and includes a
number of important commercial fish species.
2.3.8 Protected Areas
Approximately nine percent of the land in the Municipality is protected through
legislation that covers nine protected areas including Northern Range Reserves A, B, and
C; and the Arima, Blanchisseuse, Paria, St. David, Yarra, and Tacarigua Reserves. Forest
loss in these protected areas is due mainly to squatting for agricultural purposes and
housing. The Tacarigua Reserve in the Five Rivers/Kandahar area is almost totally lost
to residential squatting.
6
TCPD. Planning for Development: The Capital Region. September 1975.
21
2.3.9 Historic and Cultural Assets
There are several sites, areas and structures of interest which reflect the rich history and
traditions of the Municipality. These include the town of St. Joseph, the Count Lopinot
House, the St. Joseph Mosque, the Old Feed Mill in St Joseph, the Tunapuna Hindu
Temple, the St. Mary‟s Anglican Church, St Mary‟s Children Home, and the Mount St.
Benedict Monastery.
2.3.10 Scenic Landscapes and Seascape
The North Coast and North Mountain area also forms part of the Maracas-Arima scenic
drive which extends from Maraval through to Maracas and Blanchisseuse and then
through the forest to Arima via the Arima-Blanchisseuse Road. The drive through the
Lopinot and Caura Valleys can also be described as scenic.
The coastal area from Blanchisseuse to Matelot is made up of a number of beaches, bays
and inlets accessible only by hiking or via the sea. This area is referred to as the North
Coast Beach Trail and includes the Paria, Murphy, Petite Tacarib, Grande Tacarib,
Madamas, and Grande Matelot Bays.
2.3.11 Hazard Susceptibility
Tunapuna/Piarco, like the rest of the country, is susceptible to tropical storms and
hurricanes and earthquakes. The north coastline is subjected to seasonal high tidal
activity which usually occurs from January to March.
Tunapuna/Piarco is also vulnerable to flooding in areas along the foothills of the
Northern Range7. This type of flooding, largely due to increased urban runoff, is further
compounded by inadequate and clogged drainage systems and water courses, poor
maintenance of drains and culverts, indiscriminate dumping of garbage into waterways,
poor maintenance of river channels, and changes in land use.
Landslips or landslides occur in parts of the Northern Range and its valleys.
7
Deduced from analysis of data collected by the Meteorological Services Division.
22
2.4
POPULATION AND LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS
2.4.1 Population
The 2000 Housing and Population Census put the population of the Municipality at
203,975 persons comprised of 55,206 households living in 55,852 dwelling units.
Estimates of the 2008 population put figure for the region at 275,000, and projections for
2020 vary between 330,000 and 380,000.
2.4.2 Population Density
Figure 2.7 shows the population density of communities within the Municipality. The
population is concentrated in a band along the East West Corridor, from Champs Fleurs
in the west to Santa Rosa Heights in the east, in one of the most densely settled areas of
the country. Areas of very high densities are Curepe, Tunapuna Proper, Dinsley, Bon
Air, Maloney, La Horquetta and Santa Rosa Heights.
However, most of the area displays low density mainly in the Northern Range, namely,
the districts of Blanchisseuse, Brasso Seco, La Laja, Heights of Guanapo, Arima Heights,
Lopinot, Caura and Acono. There are also areas in the Caroni plains with low densities –
Wallerfield, Oropuna and Bejucal, for example.
2.4.3 Labour Force Characteristics
Much of the employment is contributed by Wholesale and Retail Trade (Distribution),
Manufacturing, and Construction in that order. The area still provides some
employment in Agriculture, particularly in the more southern reaches of the
Municipality in locations like Cunupia and Kelly Village, where agriculture has been
undertaken by small farmers cultivating short crops and vegetables.
2.4.4 Poverty
The Municipality is among the better-off locations in the country, only Brasso Seco
featuring among the ten poorest communities in the country. Valley View followed by
Valsayn are among the most well-to-do areas of the Municipality.
23
Figure 2.7: Population Density within Tunapuna/Piarco
24
2.5
HOUSING
Housing has been provided throughout the Municipality by both the State and private
sectors. The State has developed housing estates at Maracas Valley, Curepe, La Paille
Village, Cunupia, Maloney, La Horquetta, Arouca, and D‟Abadie, and most recently at
Cleaver Woods, Arima; Goya, Tacarigua; Peastree, Caura Royal Road; Bates Trace, Santa
Margarita; Ramgoolie Trace, Curepe; El Dorado Road, Tunapuna; Victory Gardens; and
Real Spring, Valsayn.
However, most of the housing is provided by the large private sector groups, such as
Home Construction Limited (HCL) as well as by thousands of individual land-owners
including persons who have constructed multi-family accommodation to meet demand
created by the expansion of the student population at The University of the West Indies
(UWI) and other tertiary institutions. Much of this development in St. Augustine is
contiguous to the St. Augustine Campus, and in adjoining locations. Agencies such as
the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW) have also
contributed to the supply of housing in areas such as Real Spring, Valsayn South.
Much of the housing development in the Municipality has advanced without the
expansion of the physical and social infrastructure needed to ensure a satisfactory
standard of living.
Residential squatting has, in some areas, compromised plans for the utilisation of land
for other purposes including long-standing proposals for a Government Office complex
at the area known as „Bangladesh‟ in St. Joseph, as well as for agricultural development.
There are a number of squatter sites in the Municipality, some of very long standing,
that are being managed by the Land Settlement Agency (LSA), which has completed
upgrading and regularisation in a number of areas including Jacob Hill, Wallerfield.
25
2.6
DEVELOPMENT FORM AND STRUCTURE
2.6.1 Land Use
The Tunapuna/Piarco landscape is a reflection of the natural environment as well as of
economic and social activities undertaken in the Municipality as described in the latter
sections. Figure 2.8 shows the generalised land use map for the Municipality.
2.6.1.1
Recreation
Beaches along the coast of Blanchisseuse are intensively utilised, particularly by
residents of Trinidad including the increasing number of persons who own second
homes in the area. The remaining less accessible beaches are mainly utilised by nature
seekers and enthusiasts.
The areas of heavy primary forest in the Northern Range provides opportunities for
passive and active recreation in the form of scenic landscapes, natural areas, and hiking
trails to mount El Tucuche, and other attractions, such as the Paria and Madamas
waterfalls. The resources that are exploited include abundant birdlife, and unique
species of flora and other fauna such as those found in the Asa Wright Nature Reserve.
There are a number of other resources, such as oil bird caves in the Heights of Aripo
which are exploited to a lesser extent.
2.6.1.2
Forestry
All of the upper watersheds of the Northern Range are under forest vegetation. Parts of
these areas, particularly on the south facing slopes in the western portion of the region
in the Maracas Valley, have been cleared of vegetation for built development and
agricultural purposes. The north facing slopes remain generally undisturbed and
covered with primary forest.
A limited amount of timber is harvested from both private and State lands. Other
activities undertaken within the forested areas include the hunting of wildlife, and
harvesting of handicraft material, and medicinal plants, as well as wood for conversion
to charcoal.
There are forests in other parts of the region including on privately owned lands in the
Cumuto area of Wallerfield.
26
Figure 2.8: Generalised Land Use
27
2.6.1.3
Agriculture
Most of the agricultural resources in the Municipality are utilised to meet the needs of
the domestic food crop market and for the production of cacao and other tree crops.
According to the 2004 Agricultural Census about 89 percent of farm units in the
Municipality are less than five hectares, with approximately 45 percent less than one
hectare.
Significant acreages of land are devoted to agriculture in the area to the south of the
CRH on both sides of the Caroni River. This includes land in areas such as Warren
Village, Bejucal and Cunupia formerly managed by Caroni (1975) Limited now by the
Estate Management and Business Development Company (EMBDC). Much of this land
is utilised in units ranging from homesteads of around 2,000 m 2 to over one hectare, for
the intensive cultivation of rice, food crops, and vegetables.
Farther east is the Orange Grove Estate, an 85.4-hectare portion of which part has been
allocated to UWI for Faculty Housing, Research Park, and Agriculture Farm, while
another section has been allocated for the development of a 41-hectare mega farm for the
production of vegetables. Other areas of this estate have been subdivided into small
agricultural plots (0.8 hectare) to be distributed to former Caroni agricultural employees.
Another major agricultural area is Wallerfield where livestock farming and poultry
rearing are undertaken. Tree crops, mainly citrus, are also grown. This is the eastern
extremity of the agricultural area in the plains which also incorporates almost all of the
land to the east of Piarco including Oropune, Centeno, and Carapo on which there are
vegetables, tree crops and mixed farming, and also livestock are reared.
Agriculture is also practiced in Northern Range valleys and on some steep slopes such
as in the Maracas, Caura and Lopinot Valleys which are intensively cultivated with
short-term vegetable crops as well as tree crops – mainly cocoa, citrus, coffee and
bananas.
Other major poultry and livestock operations, with processing at some locations, take
place throughout the region. In some instances these activities create major conflict with
residential activity as evidenced by complaints made, for example, with regard to the
chicken processing operation at the south-western corner of the CRH and Mausica Road.
Much of the land under agriculture is owned by the State and leased to bona fide farmers.
However, extensive areas are cultivated by squatters such as at Bamboo Grove (Bamboo
No. 2) Oropune, St. Augustine South, and Carapo.
28
2.6.1.4
Fisheries
Blanchisseuse is one of a number of fish landing sites and fishing centres on the North
Coast. There are indications that some aquaculture is practised in Bamboo No. 2 and in
parts of Wallerfield at a semi-commercial level but this has not been verified. Land has
been allocated in north western section of Orange Grove Estate (close to the CRH) for
freshwater fish production.
2.6.1.5
Quarrying
Limestone and other minerals found in the upper Maracas and Lopinot Valleys, as well
as at Guanapo and in the Arima-Blanchisseuse area, are exploited for use in the
construction industry. Traffic congestion along the Maracas Royal Road and damage to
the road have been attributed to the movement of trucks and other heavy equipment
associated with quarry operations.
Quarrying operations take place also in the Wallerfield area where extensive deposits of
sand and gravel are mined for use in the construction industry and for road building.
2.6.1.6
Built Development
The region contains a mix of residential, office, commercial, industrial, and other
development located in settlements ranging from isolated rural Northern Range villages,
such as La Laja and Brasso Seco, to relatively large urban communities such as
Tunapuna. Built development for some of these purposes is also found in the
settlements in the lower Caroni plain, south of the CRH.
2.6.1.7
Residential Development
Most of the housing is contained in low rise, single-family buildings on plots or around
450m2. However, development is fairly dense and becoming increasingly so as a result
of the growing number of townhouses and higher-rise apartment buildings that are
being constructed. Student housing in the area stretching from Curepe to Tunapuna,
consisting of mainly apartments and rooms added to single-family houses, makes up a
significant proportion of housing in this part of the Region.
Much of the housing is planned and properly laid-out and constructed with the benefit
of planning permission. However, a great deal of it is sited on land for which planning
permission was refused based on policies formulated to protect against environmental
degradation associated with hillside development, reserve of good quality agricultural
land, and/or match development to infrastructural systems.
Residential development comprises a series of dormitory settlements whose residents
are employed or schooled outside of the region, many in Port of Spain and other areas
29
outside of reasonable range of their homes. As a result, many of the burgesses suffer
long commute times to get to and from work and school.
Intrusion of „bad neighbour‟ non-residential uses into residential areas, particularly in
the older settlements such as Curepe, St. Joseph, and Tunapuna, is a major problem
that reflects the inability of the TCPD and the TPRC to effectively monitor and move
against unauthorised and non-conforming development.
2.6.1.8
Office Development
Non-residential development includes a number of Central Government offices located
in the Tunapuna Administrative Complex, and the offices of the TPRC. Other public
sector offices are those of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) in St. Joseph, the
Bureau of Standards at the Macoya Industrial Estate; and the Airports Authority at
Piarco. There are a large number of private offices including those of consultancy firms
and agencies providing financial services, and insurance services. Many of these are
located within areas allocated for commercial use. However, there are several that have
been established within residential areas and which create problems associated with the
movement of traffic along streets that were designed to accommodate residential traffic
only, particularly where on-site car parking facilities are not provided.
2.6.1.9
Trade/Commercial Development
This is by far the largest user of built non-residential land in the Region. The activity
takes place throughout the Municipality, but mainly along the Eastern Main Road
(EMR) and several of the north-south arterial roads in particular the SMR and Pasea
Main Road. Development takes the form of a ribbon that extends from Curepe to Arouca
virtually without interruption, and almost all on individual plots which front onto the
EMR. Establishments that service UWI community have sprung up in the area stretching
from Curepe to Tunapuna. Most were not designed for the purpose. The result is a series
of buildings that do not provide for on-site parking and, hence, add to the traffic
congestion that plagues some parts of the EMR and other arterial roads.
Large purpose-built shopping complexes, namely, Grand Bazaar, Valpark Shopping
Plaza, and Trincity Mall offer higher-order goods and services including major
supermarkets and a large number of retail establishments, restaurants, banking facilities,
and some offices.
Other major commercial facilities are the Tunapuna Market on the EMR; Macoya Market
on the south-eastern corner of the CRH and Macoya Road; the PriceSmart development
at the north-eastern corner of the CRH and Mausica Road; and Bhagwansingh‟s
Hardware at the north-western corner of the CRH and Golden Grove Road. There are
30
small shopping centres throughout the region including the Maloney and La Horquetta
Malls, and Kantac Plaza, which meet basic needs of the communities.
Bamboo No. 2 contains a number of large businesses specialising in „roll on roll off‟ used
vehicle and automotive parts. There are also a large number of auto supplies/services
establishments mainly on the EMR.
Electronics and computer shops, furniture and appliance outlets, and hardware stores
also make up a large part of the landscape of the EMR as do mini-marts, parlours,
restaurants, and bars.
Apart from these, commercial activity is, in the main, limited to lower-order facilities
such as shops and parlours that service smaller communities throughout the region.
Settlements in the area to the south of the Caroni River, viz., La Paille Village, Frederick
Settlement, St. Helena, Kelly Village, Warren Village and Cunupia contain commercial
activities mainly in strip fashion along the main roads, with some having small
commercial cores such as in Carapo and St. Helena. As is the case with office
development several of these have been set up in areas for which they were not intended
for the purpose, to the effect that the free flow of traffic is compromised by
indiscriminate parking and loading/unloading arrangements.
The location of trading and commercial activity along major arterials force them to
multi-function as access to individual sites as well as for moving traffic along the
roadways, and therefore adversely impact their ability to effectively link the settlements
in the region and to connect these with those in other regions.
Traffic problems are caused, as well, by roadside vendors, in particular those operating
along the CRH and the other main roads in the region. Pavement vendors in Tunapuna
create a problem for pedestrians and detract from what might otherwise have been
attractive storefronts.
2.6.1.10 Industrial Development
Industrial activity, mainly light manufacturing, is undertaken on industrial estates at
Macoya (3.2 hectares), Trincity (4.2 hectares), and Frederick Settlement (on part of a 30.8
hectare site), and on a few other large sites including the Nestle factory at the northeastern corner of the CRH and UBH intersection. There is some industrial activity on the
Orange Grove Estate in the form of a foam factory and a water-bottling plant and large
warehouse.
Agro-processing operations include a large factory (Supermix Feeds) at the southwestern corner of the CRH and Mausica Road.
31
There are a large number of „bad neighbour‟ mechanic and auto body repair garages as
well as furniture manufacturing firms operating within residential areas with negative
impact upon residents. Industrial activity in planned estates has also, at least at one
location, proven to be problematic as is the case with the Frederick Settlement Industrial
Estate, adjacent residents of which have reported disturbance from noise and dust
generated by some factory operations.
2.6.1.11 Tourism Development
Small hotels and guest houses have been developed in the northern part of the Region,
for example, in the vicinity of the Asa Wright Nature Reserve and in the Paria,
Blanchisseuse, and Madamas areas. Vacation homes have also been erected by residents
of Trinidad and Tobago in Blanchisseuse and other parts of the North Coast.
However, much of the visitation to the natural attractions is by day-trippers whose
presence places additional pressure on roads and other infrastructure including water,
sewerage, and waste collection facilities. The activities undertaken at the pool sites in the
Caura Valley Recreational Park and in the upper Lopinot Valley are a good example of
this.
Business Tourism has created the need for accommodation facilities such as the Dr. João
Havelange Centre of Excellence (Centre of Excellence) at the north-western corner of the
intersection of the CRH and Macoya Road, Holiday Inn Hotel in the CRH Trincity area,
and a number of hotels and guest houses along the Golden Grove Road, Piarco area
including the long-established Bel Air International Airport Hotel.
2.6.1.12 Institutional Development
There are a large number of critical tertiary level educational facilities in the Region, the
largest being St Augustine Campus of UWI, and the Eric Williams Medical Sciences
Complex (EWMSC). The main campus of the UTT is currently being constructed at
Wallerfield.
A large number of primary and secondary schools are scattered throughout the region.
A significant addition to the stock of secondary schools is the Bishop Anstey High
School East and the Trinity College East. These and others have served to bring quality
education closer to home for a large number of students who live in the east and identify
these as their first choice schools, and hence to eliminate long commute times.
There are also a large number of churches, mosques, and temples. Among the most
historic and best known of these are the Mount St Benedict Catholic Church and
monastery and the St Joseph Mosque.
32
Protective/Health/Welfare Services: They include police stations or posts located in, or
in sympathetic relation to, most settlements in the Region. There are only two fire
stations in the Municipality, one at Tunapuna and the other at Piarco International
Airport. There are some 50 temporary emergency shelters located strategically
throughout the Municipality. They are mainly primary and secondary schools and
community centres and complexes.
Health facilities that utilise land in the Region are the EWMSC, the Mount Hope
Women‟s Hospital, the Caura Chest Hospital, and hospitals run by the private sector in
St. Augustine, Valsayn, and Tunapuna. There are also a large number of health centres
and clinics which appear to be well distributed throughout the Region including at
Tunapuna, Cunupia, and St. Helena.
The St Mary‟s Children Home in Tacarigua, and the El Dorado Youth and
Apprenticeship Centre are other notable welfare facilities that are located in the
Municipality.
A total of 12 public cemeteries, including a crematorium and a cremation site, are
located in the Region. There are also a number of private cemeteries.
The main operations of the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Corporation (TTPost) are
located at Golden Grove Road, Piarco, and post offices or postal agencies are provided
in communities throughout the region. There are also three prisons and the Youth
Training Centre for Boys (YTC) at Arouca/Golden Grove.
Some protective, health and welfare services are grouped and associated with
recreational facilities in some of the public housing developments. For example, there is
a complex at La Horquetta, adjacent to a large park and developed over the years,
containing the health facility, police station, community centre, post office, library, and
Family Transformation Facility which is operated by a religious body and which
includes a multi-purpose hall, senior citizen centre, and day care centre. The Maloney
Regional Complex is also located adjacent to a recreation ground, and includes a health
centre, post office, community centre, library, and Youth Training and Employment
Partnership Programme (YTEPP) office.
Transportation Facilities: Another major user of land in the Region is the Piarco
International Airport which takes up an area of 350 hectares which is vested in the
Airport Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT). Airport operations impact the
manner in which land in the vicinity can be utilised by virtue of noise and safety
considerations arising out of take-off and landing of aircraft. An „airport zone‟, within
which most forms of development should not be permitted, has been identified as the
area in the vicinity of the airport, bounded on the north by the CRH, south by the Caroni
33
River, east by O‟Meara Road, and west by a line running vertically from Kelly Village to
the CRH. The only activity recommended for this area is for Commercial, Industrial, and
passive recreation purposes and other uses that are compatible with airport operations.
Other transportation associated development includes the Priority Mall at the Priority
Bus Route (PBR) and EMR, Curepe and the bus station at Tunapuna.
2.6.1.13 Recreation and Sporting Facilities
The Municipality contains facilities for active recreation and sports ranging from small
neighbourhood playgrounds and parks to regional-scale facilities, such as the Eastern
Regional Indoor Sport Complex on Orange Grove Road, Tacarigua, and including
recreation grounds with pavilions, courts, and practice pitches such as Constantine Park,
the Mausica/Maloney Indoor Sporting Facility; and the La Horquetta Regional
Complex. Indoor and outdoor recreational sporting facilities are also available at the
UWI and the Centre of Excellence. One of the country‟s world class cricket pitch can be
found at UWI.
The Arima Race Course to the south of the CRH is another major user of recreational
land and the only facility for horse racing in the country. An 18-hole golf course is in
operation as part of the Home Construction Limited Millennium Vision Development at
Trincity.
2.6.1.14 Entertainment Facilities
There is a general lack of wholesome entertainment and entertainment facilities in most
of the Municipality, and the needs of younger people in particular are not being met.
Entertainment facilities are mainly cinemas, including a Cineplex in the Trincity Mall,
and a cinema in Tunapuna. There are also several panyards, rum-shops and bars
throughout the Region.
2.6.1.15 Multi-Purpose Development
A significant feature on the built landscape is the Centre of Excellence which contains a
swimming complex, the Marvin Lee Football Stadium, a 34-room hotel, conferencing
facilities, exhibition space, training facilities, and room for large functions and
entertainment events. The facility fills the demand for recreational, conferencing,
training, and entertainment space in the Municipality and areas further afield, but has a
major negative impact on traffic circulation at the CRH/Macoya Road intersection
whenever its facilities are in use.
34
2.6.2 Development Impacts
Land use activity in the Municipality has caused serious pollution of the Caroni River
Basin and contributed to the degradation of coastal and marine resources along the
coastal and marine environment of the Gulf of Paria.
Agriculture has impacted the environment through the injudicious application of
organic (including manure) and inorganic fertilisers and the application of pesticides,
fungicides and herbicides by farmers attempting to boost crop yields while treating with
the increase in pest infestation and the emergence of new species.
Residential development without a centralised sewerage treatment system has resulted
in sewage contamination of the aquatic environment and harm to commercially and
ecologically significant aquatic fauna. Most of the package sewage treatment plants in
use in the Municipality have either ceased to function or are functioning improperly
with the result that raw or inadequately treated sewage is disposed into water courses.
The near universal utilisation of on-lot disposal systems results in large volumes of
effluents high in septage finding its way into the environment.
Nutrient enrichment of water-bodies can result in eutrophication which can cause algal
growth and red tides that have been known to cause fish kills in the Gulf of Paria and
damage coral reefs. The main potential sources of excess nutrients in the Municipality
are domestic sewage; grey water; agricultural wastes in the form of sewage from pig and
poultry farms; runoff containing fertilisers rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium;
and effluents from food processing plants and beverage manufacturers.
Quarrying activity also impacts some of the rivers by sedimentation which ultimately
affects downstream activities in particular agriculture, water treatment, fish, and
wildlife. The siltation of drainage channels reduces the hydraulic capacity and leads to
flooding. The environmental impact upon the terrestrial environment has been felt in the
removal of vegetation from hillside land, unsightly scars left on the mountains where
rocks have been removed, and, in areas adjacent to the Asa Wright Nature Centre for
example, the destruction of entire hillsides and the consequent destruction of wildlife
habitats. Noise and dust pollution from blasting and crushing operations are also
experienced by residents within impact range of these activities.
The environmental impacts of land-based developments pose a challenge to the
formulation of plans for sustainable development of the land in the Tunapuna/Piarco
Municipality such that proposals for one sector do not adversely impact the viability of
another.
35
2.6.3 Major Developments Committed or Planned
There are a number of major development proposals which are not yet on the ground
but which must be considered in formulating the plan for Tunapuna/Piarco. Those that
are known at this time include the following:

Tamana InTech Park – a light industrial estate with an academic and research
component, on which construction has already been started on a site of 416.5
hectares at Wallerfield;

Proposals by e TecK to expand the Frederick Settlement Industrial Estate to provide
additional space for light industrial activity;

Plans by the UWI for the further development of the institution to be implemented
in three phases between 2011 and 2027 to include a Medical Teaching Campus and
Research Park on a 48-hectare site on the URH; a North Campus comprised mainly
of Academic and Housing activity on a 21-hectare site to the north of the EMR; and
Faculty Housing, Research Park, and Agriculture Farm on a 85.4 hectare portion of
the Orange Grove Estate;

Plans for a number of large HDC developments including extensions to existing
developments at East Grove, Curepe; and at Greenvale Park, La Horquetta;

Plans for the expansion of the Piarco International Airport to include a hotel and
convention centre, industrial development, bonded warehousing, shopping facilities,
and a taxi hub. Land is reserved to the north of the existing runway for a future
second runway; and

Proposals by HCL to implement the Millennium Vision development at Trincity to
include commercial development, convention hotel, multiple-family residential
development on eleven sites totaling approximately 24 hectares, a Business District,
two medical facilities, an International Exposition Centre, a Business Park, and an
Administrative and Civic area.
Plans have been mooted for an extension of the CRH from Wallerfield to Sangre Grande,
but these appear to have been shelved and appear unlikely to be implemented during
the period of the SDP. Notwithstanding, the Tunapuna/Piarco SDP assumes the
implementation of this proposal at some time in the future, particularly since many of
the proposals in the TPCDP assume or are dependent upon the construction of this
arterial.
36
2.6.4 Settlement Characteristics and Settlement Pattern
The 70 communities that comprise the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality (see Figure 2.9)
can be grouped according to their development character, that is, whether urban,
suburban, or rural; their socioeconomic characteristics; and based on proximity to, and
connectivity with one another and separation from other groups by major physical
barriers. The analysis in Annex 2 subdivides the Municipality into three blocks divided
by the CRH and the Caroni River, and treats the communities in the Northern Range
separately as a fourth group (Figure 2.9).
37
Figure 2.9: Settlement Pattern in the Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco
38
The list of settlements is as follows:
The settlements and communities are described and named based on the Central
Statistics Office (CSO) delineation and names as listed in the 2000 Population and
Housing Census Community Register. The population figures given are also contained
in the Register.
2.6.4.1
Settlements between the Churchill Roosevelt Highway and the
Caroni River
The dominant form of development in this area is low rise single-family housing sited
on residential sized plots of around 465m2 or on small agricultural units. The
development in this area is mainly single-family, one or two storey buildings situated on
plots ranging from the typical 465m2 to agricultural homesteads.
The community named as Bamboo Grove is bounded on the west by the UBH and north
by the CRH. The population in 2000 totalled 2,460. Bamboo Grove comprises the
settlements commonly referred to as Bamboo No. 2 and Bamboo No 3 which are
separated by the St. Joseph River and, hence, have very limited connectivity. Both were
formerly State agricultural developments that have been illegally converted to the
current uses. Bamboo No. 2 contains a number of large businesses specialising in „roll
on roll off‟ used vehicle and automotive parts. Bamboo No 3 is an elongated but fairly
compact settlement of single-family dwellings on undersized plots arranged in a
haphazard manner based on subdivision to regularise squatting.
To the east of Bamboo Grove is the development of Valsayn South which, together with
its northern half, contained 2,936 persons in 2000. This is a planned and well-laid out
mainly residential community of upper-middle and upper income single-family
dwellings on plots of around 2,000 m2. Valsayn South appears to be more linked with
Valsayn North, although separated by the CRH, than with the Bamboo Settlements and
its neighbour to the east – Real Spring.
Real Spring is a newer planned and well laid-out single-family development with a 2000
population of 928. Development here is also low-rise and comprised of single-family
buildings, developed by the NUGFW to the west of the UTT Teacher‟s College. A more
recent addition to this community is an area of single-family buildings, townhouses, and
a number of six-storey apartment buildings constructed by the Urban Development
Company of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT).
39
The SMR separates Real Spring from Spring Village, a long-established community of
around 2,332 low to middle income persons occupying single-family structures on plots
of around 465m2 in a somewhat less organised layout than the Valsayn and Real Spring
developments.
Development in this area extends farther east to take in the communities of St.
Augustine South and Pasea Extension with a total population of approximately 3,323 in
2000. The pattern of development here is reflective of the pattern of subdivision and
lease of these lands by the State to create the Streatham Lodge and Macoya Food
Gardens agricultural developments. There is some residential squatting in the
Dookiesingh Extension area and other parts of St. Augustine South which is manifested
in the disorganised placement of buildings on the land and a lack of vehicular access
roads.
The break in development on the ground that extends to the Golden Grove/Piarco area
coincides with the Orange Grove Estate which, until very recently, has been retained in
one block and utilised for agricultural purposes. The next settlement is the Oropuna
Village/Piarco community which contained around 1,311 persons in 2000. This is an old
subdivision directly west of the Airport where TCPD policy was, until recently,
consistently applied to keep development out of the airport clear zone. Hence,
development here is sparse and not well organised. The new HDC Oropuna
development to the north of this is based on a planned layout that is not effectively
linked to any existing settlement. This development, which was established to relocate
persons displaced from Oropuna and Piarco villages, contains a mix of house types
including single family units, townhouses, and a number of four storey apartment
buildings. Much of the land in this community is vested in the Airport Authority of
Trinidad and Tobago and taken up by Piarco International Airport.
Land to the east of the airport in the Centeno and Carapo communities is also sparsely
developed for the reason stated earlier. As a consequence the settlements that do exist
are unauthorised, mainly squatter communities, viz., Race Course Lands to the south of
the Arima Race Course; the densely developed Peytonville settlement that grew up to
the east of O‟Meara Road and the race course, and, proceeding south along the O‟Meara
Road, Carapo Village. Carapo is a nucleated settlement of single-family dwelling units
with something of a commercial core. These developments are grouped by the CSO into
two communities having a total 2000 population of 1,576.
La Horquetta is the largest of all of the communities in Tunapuna/Piarco – a denselydeveloped settlement of 13,817 that stands alone off Tumpuna Road South. It is compact
and makes an attempt at self-sufficiency, containing lower-order or basic shopping
facilities in a planned mall as well as a complex of recreational facilities. The housing
takes the form of single-family, and „wafda‟ housing (single-storey multi-family
40
townhouse type structures). The older small (population, 639) community of Tumpuna
Road is different in form, as it is not properly laid out, but appears to function as an
extension of La Horquetta.
2.6.4.2
Settlements between the Caroni River and the Southern
Boundary
On the other side of the Caroni River are a number of distinct residential settlements in a
sea of agricultural land. These settlements display rural characteristics and their
economies are heavily based on agriculture.
There is a cluster of three older single-family residential communities which in 2000
contained a total of around 3,644 persons, namely, La Paille Village a compact settlement
laid out in rectilinear form and hemmed in by the SMR and the Caroni River; Frederick
Settlement, a somewhat less organised settlement on the other side of the SMR to the
south-east of La Paille and adjacent to the Frederick Settlement Industrial Estate; and
Caroni Village, another nodal settlement. These communities have fairly effective links
with the settlements and areas to the north by virtue of their location on the SMR.
Kelly Village is another compact, relatively large, settlement of 3,621 near the western
extremity of the Caroni Road hemmed in between the road and the river and spilling
over to land to the south of the road. Kelly is separated by the adjacent settlement to the
east, St. Helena Village by a very short stretch of vacant land.
The latter community in 2000 contained 3,437 persons in single-family structures strung
out in ribbon form along the Caroni North Bank Road, Caroni South Bank Road, Caroni
Road, Madras Settlement Road, St. Helena Road, and the minor roads that run off these.
There is a bit of a commercial core at the junction of the Caroni South Bank Road and
Madras Road. The pattern of development in St. Helena is reflective of the dwelling unit
placed on the road-side end of each agricultural plot.
Communities in the remainder of this part of the region are Bejucal, Warren Village, and
Cunupia, the last named being the northern portion of the larger Cunupia settlement.
The total population of these three in 2000 was 6,662. Development in Warren Village is
strung out along the roads representing a residential unit on each one of the long narrow
agricultural plots which characterise this area. A similar development pattern exists in
Cunupia with development strung out in ribbon form along the SMR, Morne Plaisir
Road, and the other roads in the settlement. These settlements are split between the
Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco and the Borough of Chaguanas by Munroe Road, and
appear much more closely linked to the town of Chaguanas and other areas in central
Trinidad than they are to the remainder of the Tunapuna/Piarco region.
41
2.6.4.3
Settlements North of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway
The settlements and communities to the north of the CRH vary significantly in their
physical characteristics and pattern from those to the south. They form part of the
conurbation which stretches along the northern part of the Caroni plains and the
foothills of the Northern Range and spills into valleys from St. Joseph in the west to
D‟Abadie in the east.
One of the most notable features of the settlement pattern of this part of the
Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality is the difficulty of distinguishing one settlement or
community from the other on the ground. Development takes the form of an almost
solid ribbon of contiguous urban settlements between the CRH and the foothills of the
Northern Range and incorporates a mix of older settlements and newer planned
developments.
At the south-eastern corner of this segment of the Municipality is the community of
Valsayn North, which is laid out and occupied in much the same fashion as its southern
half as described earlier, except that it includes some smaller plots of around 800m 2, and
some townhouses in the north-western section of the development, on the western side
of the St. Joseph River. This community also appears not to have any real connection
with its poorer neighbour to the east, Curepe.
Curepe is the fifth largest of the communities (containing 10,080 persons in 2000) and
one of the oldest in the Municipality. The settlement displays all of the characteristics of
an urban area with residential areas of mainly single-family, townhouse and low-rise
apartment structures developed at high densities. There is a commercial core containing
mainly trade/commercial activities which grew up at the intersection of three of the
main transportation arterials, the EMR, the PBR, and the SMR.
The town crosses the EMR to merge with St. Joseph to the west (2000 population 0f
4,906) which is itself joined to the community named by the CSO as Champs Fleurs (the
eastern part of the wider Champs Fleurs area) in which 890 persons were counted in
2000. Both of these communities, like their neighbours to the east are developed on flat
land along the EMR based on what can be described as a modified grid pattern, and go
up the lower foothills of the Northern Range where the road pattern reflects the
undulating to steep topography of the land.
It is reasonable to link Curepe and St. Joseph with St. Augustine on the basis of their
proximity and relationship with the UWI which, though located squarely in the
community of St. Augustine, impacts the wider areas through spin-off residential and
commercial activity, in particular student accommodation, to the extent that the area is
considered to have become something of a University Town. The community of St.
42
Augustine was reported as having a population of 4,357 persons in 2000. Some of these
would have been students living in the vast number of apartments that have been
constructed or created from formerly single-family homes.
Adjacent to Curepe and St. Augustine is Santa Margarita, a residential middle and
upper income neighbourhood of around 1,010 persons in 2000 living on plots of around
900m2 situated on the hillside above St. Augustine.
St. Joseph contains a number of historically significant buildings dating back to its status
as the capital of Trinidad. It also contains the large squatting community known as
„Bangladesh‟, a collection of ramshackle buildings placed indiscriminately on the land
without regard to layout and health and sanitary conditions.
The area known collectively as Maracas Valley is made up of a number of settlements
viz., La Mango Village, 2000 population 790; La Baja, population 1,083; La Seiva Village,
population 1,229; Valley View, population 825; Maracas-St. Joseph, containing 4,367
persons in 2000; and Acono Village, whose population was 1,856 in 2000. These are
closely linked with both St. Joseph and Curepe through which vehicular access is
obtained from the outside world. The settlements are strung out along the Maracas
Royal Road going through the Maracas Valley and continuing into the Northern Range,
giving access to natural features such as the Maracas Waterfall and Mount El Tucuche.
The settlements are different in characteristics, ranging from the lower-income
communities such as La Mango to the up-scale communities such as Valley View
(including Mountain View). The quality of living environments is similarly varied.
Mount St. Benedict and St. John‟s Village are two very small communities located in the
hills north of Santa Margarita. The first contained only 116 persons in 2000, the other
446. The pattern of development reflects the nature of the topography and is
predominantly single-family residential with the exception of the Mount St. Benedict
Monastery.
The Tunapuna community, as delineated by the CSO, stretches from the CRH in the
south to the foothills of the Northern Range and, population wise, is the largest of all of
the communities in the Municipality, containing around 17,099 residents in 2000. These
persons occupy the entire range of house types, from single-family to townhouses and
apartments.
El Dorado with a 2000 population of 6,100 persons is not easily distinguished from
Tunapuna, and displays the same range of goods and services benefitting from
proximity to its larger neighbour. At both locations built development is placed on the
flatter land as well as on the lower slopes of the Northern Range.
43
The community of Caura contains development that dates decades as well as newer,
more properly planned and arranged developments undertaken by the HDC and the
HCL in the past five years on the foothills of the Northern Range. The population of
776 counted in this community in 2000 includes persons living in the villages in upper
Caura, which are described later, and would have increased considerably with the
addition of the recent developments.
The communities (whose 2000 population numbers are indicated in parenthesis) of
Paradise Gardens (708), Macoya (2,147), Trincity (1,609), Dinsley (2,431), Dinsley/
Trincity (9,459), Bon Air Development (5,881), and Bon Air West Development (1,730)
can be grouped together based on the fact that they represent a brand of middle-income
residential developments that have been placed in the Municipality over the past three
decades by both the State and the private sector. They were planned and implemented
based upon layouts that assured efficient circulation of traffic, recreational open space,
and generally pleasant living environments. Densities vary, but many of the units were
placed on plots that represented a departure from the traditional 465m2 to maximise the
use of the land. These are „dormitory‟ communities containing only the basic services
and no employment of any significance outside of the Trincity and Macoya Industrial
Estates and the Trincity Mall.
Tacarigua (2000 population 4,416), Kandahar (2000 population 1,700), Cane Farm (2000
population 1,368), and Five Rivers (2000 population 4,643) all resemble Tunapuna and El
Dorado in terms of their development form. They are older established communities
that contain some newer planned developments.
Maloney Gardens is the fourth largest of the communities, and contained 10,617
residents in 2000. It comprises a mix of residential accommodation in single-family units
and apartments. The development was planned and is reasonably well laid out and
includes a small shopping mall and a number of social and community facilities.
Red Hill (2000 population 2,291), Mausica (2000 population 2,791), and D‟Abadie (2000
population 4,703) are all older, established, essentially middle-income communities of
mainly single-family houses many of which might have been converted to multi-family
use.
Arouca, with 12,074 persons had the third largest population in the Municipality in 2000.
It is one of the oldest settlements and is very densely developed with mainly singlefamily dwellings. This figure would have increased significantly since the last census
with the development of a number of new planned middle-income residential areas
including one undertaken by the NUGFW.
44
La Florissante, with a 1,395 population in 2000, is another of the newer developments
and is based on a layout that has been designed sensitive to the topography.
La Resource, in which 1,223 persons were counted in 2000, is a mix of older established
housing and new, the latter including developments undertaken by the private sector
such as at Timberland, and by the HDC as at Cleaver Heights.
The communities of Sherwood Park, Cleaver Road, Olton Road, and Samaroo Village
are a group of settlements which contained a total population of 6,257 in 2000. Layouts
are typical of the older unplanned developments. Recent improvements to the landscape
in Samaroo Village are due to the squatter regularisation initiatives of the LSA.
Santa Rosa Heights is a planned exclusively single-family residential community with a
2000 population of 4,281. This community was developed based upon a well laid-out
street pattern and subdivision plan that made provision for recreational open space and
other community facilities. This is in stark contrast to its northern neighbours – Pinto
Road and Maturita, which present a picture of buildings placed indiscriminately on the
land without consideration to planning and design standards, a reflection of the massive
squatting that has taken place in Pinto Road in particular. The Pinto Road settlement
accommodated 6,138 persons in 2000, while 2,046 persons were counted in Maturita.
Wallerfield is the largest community in terms of land area and is a very sparsely
developed (3,585 persons in 2000), mostly farming, community that is contained by the
eastern boundary of the region including the Aripo River. The built landscape reflects
the siting of one residential building per agricultural parcel, and a large number of
poultry and livestock pens over much of the area. The only area of some concentrated
residential development is at Jacob Hill where the LSA has carried out squatting
regularisation and upgrading and the HDC has constructed a number of new singlefamily dwelling units.
2.6.4.4
Northern Range Communities
The communities in the eastern part of the Northern Range are treated separately
because of their distinctive character. They are essentially scattered hamlets and small
villages one of which accommodated only 89 persons in 2000, shaped and constrained
by the mountainous terrain, with little but mostly modest single-family houses and very
basic commercial and social facilities. While these are administratively part of the
Municipality they lack a sociological connection to the East West Corridor.
Upper Caura is a number of very small settlements including La Plata, Tumbasson, La
Veronica and Santa Mantal, nestled in the hillslopes and in the Caura Valley. None of
these communities display signs of being planned or properly laid-out but do respect
the natural topography of the land as there does not appear to have been any significant
45
alteration of the landscape. They provide generally pleasant living environments
despite the shortage of basic services such as water, public transportation, and solid
waste collection services. The total population of the Caura community in 2000,
including the lower areas covered earlier, was 776 persons.
The major settlements in the community of Lopinot, total 2000 population of 1,132, are
Lopinot itself and La Pastora. These are located in the flat valley floor as well as on the
hillsides along with a few smaller villages. Living conditions are pleasant
notwithstanding difficult access conditions and deficiencies in services as suffered by
the residents of Caura Valley. Surrey Village was home to 652 persons in 2000. This is
another long-established settlement that nestles into the hillside, on the road to Lopinot.
Arima Heights/Temple Village is a small hillside community in which 267 persons lived
in 2000. The houses are modest and are built sporadically into the mountainside along
the main road and the minor roads in this agricultural area. The tiny village of La Laja,
containing 89 persons in 2000, and the larger settlement of Brasso Seco Village, 2000
population of 448, are very similar in character with the houses also strung out along the
main roads.
Most of the 1,086 persons who were counted in the Heights of Guanapo in 2000 lived in
the flatter southern extremity of the community in the Torrecilla area, close to the Arima
Bye Pass Road and the Eastern Main Road. This is a farming community comprised of a
house on each of the agricultural plots. The remainder of the community resides much
farther uphill in a small agricultural village strung out along the Guanapo Road.
Blanchisseuse Village, home to 791 persons in 2000, is situated along the north coast.
Most of the settlement resembles the others in the Northern Range. However, there are a
substantial number of second (vacation) homes owned by Trinidadians along the
seaward side of the road. The view of the sea from the main road has been blocked
along long stretches by fences erected around some of these properties.
2.6.5 Hierarchy of Settlements
Based upon service function and population numbers, Tunapuna can be considered to
be the dominant urban centre in the Municipality, followed by Curepe. This is evident
in the findings of a land use survey undertaken in February 2009, and in the statistics
contained in the 2000 Population and Housing Census Community Register (CSO
Community Register) relating to population and business establishments. The CSO
Community Register shows Tunapuna as having 708 of the 5,706 businesses in the
Municipality, and Curepe having the second highest number, 525.
46
Tunapuna contains the largest number of Central and Local Government Offices, and
Financial Services followed by Curepe, as well as, by far, the largest number of retail
establishments in the Region (Tables 2.1 and 2.2). The importance and role of Tunapuna
is also evidenced by the establishment of a Magistrate‟s Court as part of the Tunapuna
Administrative Complex and by the presence of the Tunapuna Market.
Table 2.1: Location of Broad Non-Residential Land Uses by Leading Communities
Settlement
Arouca
Curepe
D’Abadie
El Dorado
Macoya
St. Augustine
St. Joseph
Tacarigua
Tunapuna
Number
Buildings
113
180
52
150
52
99
71
62
445
Office
Trade/
Commercial
48
43
16
9
4
16
12
9
108
7
14
26
5
24
Institutional
Mixed Use
28
18
49
44
100
26
102
15
23
22
38
223
Note: Uses not tabulated are Industrial, Protective/Health/Welfare Services, Recreation, Public Utilities, and Transportation/Communications/Warehousing
The reach of each of the centres can be expected to overlap based in part upon personal
preferences. In this respect, Port of Spain continues to, and can be expected to continue
to, exert an influence over the region in view of the concentration of higher order goods
and services and its role in accommodating much, if not most, of the employment
available to the burgesses of Tunapuna/Piarco. Arima is also important in this regard,
particularly for the communities closer to that Borough, from Arouca to Wallerfield, the
latter, conceivably being pulled, as well, to Sangre Grande for goods and services. At the
same time, Arima also falls within the sphere of influence of Tunapuna by virtue of
commercial services provided in the Trincity Shopping Mall and, to a lesser, the Grand
Bazaar and Valsayn shopping Malls.
Table 2.2: Location of Specific Non-Residential Land Uses by Leading Communities
Settlement
Arouca
Curepe
D’Abadie
El Dorado
Macoya
St. Augustine
St. Joseph
Tacarigua
Tunapuna
Financial
Services
3
2
6
Central/Local
Government
Services
3
1
2
1
7
Note: Uses not tabulated are Other Education/Research Facilities
47
Insurance
Services
Retail
4
5
20
32
17
63
7
7
12
13
125
University and
Tech/Voc/Com
Education
2
2
2
12
5
A review of the data in the CSO Community Register relating to the settlements in the
southern extremity of the region indicates that St. Helena Village had the largest number
of businesses in 2000 (136), followed by Cunupia (121), and Kelly Village (84). It appears
that the communities in this area might look to Chaguanas for higher-order goods and
services available in the town.
It is significant that 86 percent of all mixed-use buildings involved a residential
component, suggesting the partial conversion of residential properties for nonresidential purposes.
Table 2.3 shows the main urban places in the Municipality, and the perceived role of
each based on the land use survey and, in particular, on the review of the CSO
Community Register.
Table 2.3: Main Urban Centres in Tunapuna/Piarco Classified According to the Land Use Role
Centre
Tunapuna
Curepe
Arouca
Cunupia
D’Abadie
Dinsley/Trincity
El Dorado
La Horquetta
Macoya
Maloney Gardens
Oropune Village/Piarco
Pinto Road
St. Augustine
St. Helena
St. Joseph
Tacarigua
Role
Primary/Regional Centre
Secondary/Sub-Regional Centre
Tertiary/District Centre
2.6.6 Regional and Urban Form
The coastline of the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality is beautiful and varied, featuring a
number of beaches fitted into well protected bays and inlets including Paria and
Madamas Bays. The forested slopes of the Northern Range provide a perfect backdrop
for this coastline.
The Northern Range is a picturesque landscape and natural resource feature in which
the highest peaks in the country – Mount Cerro del Aripo and Mount El Tucuche, are
located. The south-facing slopes of the Range provide the background for, and relief
from, the heavily developed East-West Corridor portion of the Municipality. The
Maracas/St. Joseph River Valley, the Caura/Tacarigua River Valley, Lopinot Valley, and
48
the Arima/Blanchisseuse Valley are all beautiful valleys and mountainsides offering
sometimes spectacular scenery and the sights and sounds of unique species of flora and
avifauna and water features. Opportunities abound for the development of riverside
parks and recreational activities, such as those which take place along some parts of the
Caura River including within the Caura Valley Recreation Park (CVRP).
St. John‟s Road in Tunapuna leads to the historic Mount St. Benedict Monastery which is
one of a number of vantage points from which panoramic views of the Caroni Plains
and points further south are enjoyed. Other built structures of historical or architectural
interest that should be earmarked for preservation include the Compte de Lopinot‟s
house, the St. Joseph Mosque, and the St. Mary‟s Anglican Church in Tacarigua.
The visual amenity and the degree of functionality of the built environment vary from
one part of the Municipality to another. Housing in the new comprehensive
developments and in the older middle and higher income areas is generally quite
satisfactory in both aspects. However, the visual and environmental quality in many of
the settlements is poor as is the layout of the land, in particular in squatter settlements
and other areas of spontaneous development. The condition of much of the housing in
these latter areas is similarly poor as is the layout of the land and the state of the
infrastructure.
In most of the newer layouts open space has been provided as required by the TCPD,
but there is little attempt to develop these into parks and play spaces for the use of the
residents as intended by the Division. Policy also requires that a 45-metre reserve be
retained along both sides of the larger rivers in the East-West Corridor, and this has
been observed in some of the larger developments.
There is also some commendable attempt at providing good landscape features such as
boulevards in some of the planned developments as in La Horquetta, but these tend not
to be maintained. Space provided along the CRH by virtue of setback requirements is
utilised in many areas for advertising on billboards which do nothing for the amenity of
that corridor, quite apart from possibly distracting motorists.
Much of the more recent non-residential development can only be described as lacking
in design character and taste. Most of the buildings do not appear to have been designed
with input from design professionals.
There is no discernible town centre or downtown area in any of the communities,
including Tunapuna. The commercial and office development which marks this area as
the major administrative centre for the Municipality is strung out in linear form along
the EMR and other roads. Tunapuna and most of the other centres in the Region are
plagued by severe traffic congestion and the resultant pollution, confusion, and urban
49
decay. The centres, those stretching from St. Joseph to Tunapuna, in particular, present a
picture of overcrowding and confusion at ground level; a tangle of electricity and
telecommunication lines overhead; and tacky signage everywhere. Crime and security
problems are reflected in the presence of iron grills for the burglar proofing of all of the
premises.
There is almost no opportunity for safe pedestrian activity, all of the shopping areas are
intersected by major roads so that vehicle-pedestrian conflicts are the norm. Facilities for
persons with disability are sorely lacking.
While some of the newest buildings have been designed according to a high standard
and do provide for on-site parking, most of this is along the road frontage within the 7.5
metre setback distance imposed by the TCPD so that there is no opportunity for vehicles
to manoeuvre into and out of sites without impacting the free flow of traffic.
The Tunapuna Administrative Complex includes pedestrian space, which appears to be
well utilised, and incorporates vegetation along the EMR frontage of the building.
However, water features included along this frontage have not been maintained.
2.7
ECONOMY
The economic activities that take place on the land space relate to the provision of public
services, and to agricultural activities, fisheries, distribution, commerce, industry,
medical services, tertiary education, regulatory and utility agencies, consultancy
services, and tourism. This forms the mainstay of the economy of Tunapuna/Piarco and
make Tunapuna/Piarco the area of enormous economic dynamism and enterprise that it
is.
2.7.1 Public Services
There are, firstly, the range of public services, some concentrated in Tunapuna and
immediate environs, including public sector agencies such as the Regional Corporation
and the Magistrate‟s Court. There are also public hospitals at St. Joseph/Mount Hope
and at Caura; the two Prisons and a host of other public facilities across the
Municipality. Thus, there are many public servants in the Tunapuna area, as well as in
the wider municipal space.
50
2.7.2 Agriculture and Fisheries
There are large expanses of land within Tunapuna/Piarco that are suitable for various
types of agriculture and floriculture, and offer favourable conditions for a productive
agriculture once the appropriate infrastructure is laid. There is also a fisheries sector
capable of reasonable yield on the north coast at Blanchisseuse, and there are operations
within the region that prove the viability of aquaculture.
2.7.3 Distribution and Commerce
There is a wide range of business establishments catering to the population as well as to
populations in neighbouring municipalities and beyond. There is evidence of some
establishments taking advantage of economies of scale and of locational advantages that
the area offers, including a number of large groceries. There has been investment in
commercial centres that has led to the creation of the Grand Bazaar, Valpark, and
Trincity Malls, whose relative proximity has created a concentration of commerce that
attracts a clientele from across the country and even from neighbouring Caribbean
countries.
There are other major centres of distribution and commerce in such areas as building
materials, motor parts and accessories, foreign used vehicles, as well as fresh produce
retail and wholesale markets.
2.7.4 Industrial Development
The activities on the estates span a wide range of products, and much of the activity is
directed at the domestic market. There are major industrial activities in other locations
throughout the Municipality.
Along with the food processing firms in the neighbouring Municipality, there exists an
economic cluster of food and beverage processors, including an operation owned by
Unilever and the Nestle operation which is one of the largest food processing operations
in the country. There is also the major beverage operation just outside of the Macoya
Industrial Estate.
51
2.7.5 Medical Cluster and Services
The EWMSC is a teaching facility of the UWI and serves a national clientele, and
increasingly a clientele from the Eastern Caribbean. There are private hospitals and care
facilities in St. Joseph and St. Augustine that together with the EWMSC are already a
medical services cluster.
2.7.6 Tertiary Education and Training
There are a number of Tertiary Education Facilities in the Municipality including UWI,
The Hugh Wooding Law School, the EWMSC, the UTT, and the St. Andrew‟s
University. There are also a number of other private institutions offering tertiary
educational services in the field of Management, Law, Accounting and Computer
Studies.
The area between the St. Augustine Campus of UWI and St. Joseph has become the
nucleus of a University Town. This has posed infrastructural challenges in terms of
housing, traffic, garbage disposal, and sewage, along with social infrastructural issues
and social difficulties like crime and violence.
There could well be a student clientele of some 85,000 to 95,000 in the area including
UWI, UTT (Main Campus), the School of Accounting and Management (SAM), School of
Business and Computer Science (SBCS), and Cipriani College of Labour and Cooperative
Studies8. The prospects are for the number of students to grow in the years to come.
TRPC can remain the dominant supplier of tertiary education services in the nation and
to the Eastern Caribbean. Demand and needs are expected to grow over the next 10
years.
2.7.7 Regulatory and Utility Agencies
The Municipality is the base for a number of regulatory agencies and utility operations,
including the WASA, representing, in part, the commitment to decentralise
administration and to reduce the concentration of governmental agencies in Port-ofSpain. This trend is likely to continue and to increase the personnel with high level
administrative and technical capacities in the area.
8
Universal Consulting 2008
52
2.7.8 Consultancy Services
The presence of a large number of well-trained University Graduates and of personnel
with higher degrees has prompted the establishment of private consulting firms in the
area, engaged in research, engineering, legal and other services.
Office complexes and facilities for research and development will be required in the
allocation of space for businesses that are likely to develop in the years ahead.
2.7.9 Tourism
There are a few small establishments in the Blanchisseuse area engaged in the traditional
sun and sea tourism. However, there are a number of sites/attractions for day trippers
and local tourists.
The Municipality is well-endowed with potentially sustainable resources for a viable
eco-tourism subsector. The valleys offer an entrée to nature trails in the Northern Range
– Maracas, Caura, and Lopinot. The Northern Range communities have already
established a programme in the sector, including the Asa Wright Centre. Brasso Seco
and La Laja attract a flow of tourists from abroad, as well as locals seeking to enjoy the
solitude, and to engage in bird watching in some of the most pristine forest locations
and landscapes of Trinidad. There are also less accessible and out-of-the-way locations
to waterfalls, caves and mountain vistas, which offer a challenge to those seeking a more
active adventure.
History and Archaeology also offer advantages. The Municipality is comprised of a
number of locations with history and cultures that give them individual distinctiveness.
Tunapuna, Arouca, and Piarco have an Amerindian past, Lopinot has distinction from
its French past, and there is a slave burial ground in Arouca.
2.8
TRANSPORTATION
2.8.1 Main and Secondary Roads
The Tunapuna-Piarco region is well served by a network of main and secondary roads
that give access to all of the key population and activity centres.
The key east-west linkages are provided by three main roads: the EMR, the PBR, and the
CRH.
53
Between the UBH and Macoya Road, Tunapuna, the CRH is a six–lane dual carriageway
limited access rural highway. However, there is a growing number of illegal access
„roads‟ from properties abutting the highway. Work is currently in progress to expand
the section of the CRH from O‟Meara Road to Demerara Road from a two-lane single
carriageway to a four lane dual carriageway highway.
The major north-south road in the region is the SMR. Between the CRH and EMR, the
SMR functions more like an urban arterial giving direct access to numerous properties
which front onto the road including fast food complexes, bars and pubs, hardware stores
and retail shops. Dozens of local streets feed into the SMR and taxi operations are
particularly acute.
The surface of the main and secondary roads is generally good. However, the most
eastern section of the CRH between Demerara Road and Antigua Road has an uneven
surface and shows the effects of heavy vehicles.
Most of the major intersections are controlled by traffic signals. Other traffic controls are
mainly restrictions on parking, although commercial vehicles and taxis stop at will to
pickup/discharge passengers on some roads. The combination of lateral clearance
factors, vehicle operations and direct access to various activities significantly reduce the
capacity of some of the roadways.
The Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT) has announced plans to convert several
of the intersections along the CRH to grade-separated intersections in order to increase
its capacity.
There are a number of problem areas in the region, which are already in need of traffic
management measures including improved enforcement, relocation of unofficial taxis
stands, creation of lay-byes for taxi and maxi-taxi stops, channelisation, restriction on
turning movements, and traffic signalisation and other intersection improvements. The
key areas are as follows:1. The EMR, in particular the intersections with Abercromby Street (Maracas Royal
Road) St. Joseph; SMR, Curepe; Pasea Main Road, Tunapuna; and Lopinot
Road, Arouca which would all need to be upgraded;
2. SMR, between the EMR and the CRH;
3. Pasea Main Road, Tunapuna; and
4. Mausica Road.
54
Additionally, most of the intersections along the CRH from the UBH interchange to
Demerara Road already exhibit significant delays and congestion during the peak
morning period in particular.
2.8.2 Local Roads
Several of these were previously developed by the HDC or private housing developers
which have now reverted to the Regional Corporation in terms of maintenance and
other amenities. Additionally, residents of squatter settlements have expectations that
the Corporation would take responsibility for the development and upkeep of the roads
and traces servicing their lots.
Several of the communities serviced by these roads also have light commercial traffic
generated by the retail establishments which have developed over time in response to
demand. The consequence is that frequently truck and van traffic cause considerable
congestion and delays due to on-street parking to make deliveries. These establishments
also make illegal vehicular accesses across the sidewalks (drains) to provide off-street
parking or loading facilities for delivery vehicles and/or customers.
2.8.3 Pedestrian Facilities
Several of the secondary and local roads lack sidewalks adequate to accommodate
pedestrian demand, including demand by the visually impaired, young children and
senior citizens. Ramps for wheelchairs are practically non-existent. There is a range of
pedestrian crossings within the Region including pedestrian overpasses on the CRH,
none of which is currently easily accessible to physically challenged users.
There are no pedestrianised areas in the “downtown” areas of any of the towns. The
historical development of these communities around the EMR makes such arrangements
a major planning and operational challenge.
2.8.4 Public Transportation.
The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) operates a number of routes within the
Municipality. There are complaints from several communities about the adequacy of the
service. Taxis, PH taxis, and maxi-taxis also operate throughout the region, normally
servicing communities from official or unofficial “stands” located on-street in major
55
urban areas. The streets used for these stands are usually congested and public safety is
often compromised.
2.8.5 Traffic Management Systems
There appears to be very little scientifically developed traffic management schemes and
most of the elements of proper traffic management, including road markings and traffic
signals, are either missing or in a state of disrepair. Enforcement of regulations,
especially parking, taxi operations, improper overtaking and the like is poor.
Information derived from the Comprehensive National Transportation Study (CNTS) of
2004/2005 and from update traffic counts taken in early 2009 shows that the majority of
communities to the west of Arouca continue to function as “bedroom” communities
with a heavy unidirectional peak period movement by workers and students alike. By
far the greatest volume of traffic leaves locations in Tunapuna/Piarco for Port of Spain
and San Juan/Barataria.
2.9
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
2.9.1 Water
WASA has advised that Trinidad and Tobago has adequate water resources to meet
current demands for potable water. Water is supplied from the Caroni Arena and North
Oropouche systems, augmented by wells at various parts of the Municipality. In the
upper elevations, truck borne supply is used to augment piped supply, especially in the
dry season.
There are no major storage facilities in the Corporation to balance out the flows to
customers. The primary distribution system of large pipes is relatively new and quite
robust. However, in the secondary and tertiary systems, there is a high level of leakage
especially in the older pipeline systems.
2.9.2 Wastewater
Approximately 31.5 percent of the population in Tunapuna/Piarco is sewered while 50.3
percent of the dwellings have septic tanks and soakaways, and 16.7 percent have pit
latrines. The remaining 1.4 percent either has other systems or none at all. There are
approximately 55 water treatment plants and lift stations many of them in housing
56
developments, malls and large institutions such as the schools and hospitals. Due to lack
of maintenance many of the smaller private treatment plants are not working efficiently
with the result that raw and/or inadequately treated sewage is often released into the
environment. These private systems and treatment facilities are slowly being adopted by
WASA.
The Region has many industrial sites accommodating manufacturing and service
industries. These sites produce chemical and toxic wastes including oils, hydrocarbons,
detergents, inks, acids, alkalis, paints, solvents, many of which discharge untreated
wastewater directly into the environment.
2.9.3 Drainage
The water courses that flow out of the Northern Range valleys and into the Caroni River
fall under the jurisdiction of the Drainage Division of the MOWT. All of the rivers are
cleared regularly by the MOWT and permanent protective structures such as gabion
baskets, and masonry walls are employed in built up areas. The drainage network
within the borough consists of tributaries to these rivers and a system of drains which
carry storm water and grey water from within the borough. The tributaries and drains
fall under the jurisdiction of the Corporation.
The number of localised flooding events has increased over time as drainage channels
have become blocked or their hydraulic capacity reduced by siltation and solid waste.
The problem is exacerbated by development on the hillsides and increased residential
development on the flat area which has resulted in an increased extent of hard surfaces
and hence increased runoff into drains that do not have the capacity to meet the
increased flows. Flooding is also caused by development that has taken place within
reserves of the main rivers. Large scale flooding occurs in the Caroni Basin from lower
Wallerfield to Bejucal.
Heavy runoff from upstream areas and poor construction practices along the water
courses have resulted in scouring of river embankments, erosion, massive land
movement and eroded streambed along portions of some rivers. This has placed some
buildings at risk and represents a potential for loss of human life or injury and a health
hazard resulting from damage to pit latrines and septic tanks.
2.9.4 Electricity
Demand for electrical power in the Region is large and is growing at an approximate
rate of about 12 percent per annum due to expanding development activity. Trinidad
57
and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC) is currently expanding and building new
substations and other infrastructure to handle the increasing demand.
At present the area is well served by 66 KVA and 33 KVA lines running east from Port of
Spain via Trincity/Piarco/Arima and San Raphael. Local distribution of power from the
high voltage network is done at the substations and through poles and transformers to
customers‟ sites.
It is forecasted that there will be 90,000 customers in the region with power consumption
at 29 percent domestic, 18 percent commercial and 53 percent industrial.
Issues and challenges to the supply of electricity include maintenance of the
transmission and distribution systems with regard to changing of poles and
transformers.
2.9.5 Telecommunications
The Municipality has access to all the facilities however there is a lack of uniformity in
the availability of quality services. In the rural areas, landlines are limited due to the
sparse population. This are many „black spots‟ caused by the inconsistency of existing
cell-phone towers.
2.9.6 Solid Waste
In Tunapuna/Piarco, solid waste is collected by the Corporation or its contractors. There
is an increasing challenge to collect, treat, recycle or dispose of solid waste and so the
quality of the garbage collection service varies from one area to another. The waste is
taken to the two main disposal sites in northern Trinidad – Beetham and Guanapo
Landfills where minimal recycling is done.
Garbage is not picked-up in some informal settlements, often with the result of
unofficial dumpsites which are breeding grounds for rodents and vermin. The
placement of garbage by some householders for collection outside of scheduled pick-up
days has also exacerbated the problem of rodent breeding and unsightly presence of
litter. Issues and challenges include educating the population about proper solid waste
disposal, expanding the recycling effort for waste products, and treating with the
problem of informal dumpsites.
58
2.10 SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES
2.10.1 Police Service
There are eight police stations in the Municipality, with some recent upgrade of the
Tunapuna Police Station, possibly adequate to its being at the apex of the region. The
crime situation in the country generally and in the Municipality in particular dictates a
Police presence possibly by the placement of police posts in various locations across a
wide swathe of the Municipality. Discussions with personnel from the Council and Staff
of the Corporation and other institutions suggest the presence of „hot spots‟ at several
locations in the Municipality.
2.10.2 Fire Service
There are fire stations at Tunapuna and Piarco. However, having regard to the size of
the Municipality and the expansion that has taken place in the area in the last 20 years,
there is need for a close examination of the adequacy of fire-fighting services in the
Municipality.
2.10.3 Markets
There are three markets in the Municipality, namely, the Tunapuna Market, the Farmers‟
Produce Market at Macoya, and a small market at Arouca. Traffic problems caused by
Tunapuna market and the inadequacy of the site have led to moves in some quarters to
relocate the facility.
2.10.4 Geriatric Care
The provision of geriatric care is discharged by a mix of private sector organisations and
NGOs in the Municipality.
2.10.5 Entertainment/Civic Occasions
The Centre of Excellence can seat upwards of 1,000 people. The secondary schools have
auditoriums that can seat small numbers of persons.
The Santa Rosa Race Course is the only facility for horse racing in the country. This
activity still attracts a fair number of enthusiasts. There is one drive-in cinema in the area
59
which serves the east of Trinidad. There are two cinemas in Tunapuna and a number of
others at the Trincity Mall.
2.10.6 Cemeteries and Cremation Sites
There are 10 cemeteries under the control of the TPRC and one cremation site on the
banks of the Caroni River. There are also other cemeteries under the control of the
various religious organisations, and a privately-operated crematorium. The growth in
the population has outstripped the available space in cemeteries.
2.10.7 Health Care Facilities
There are three major publicly supported hospitals in the area catering for the
population of the country with specialised services viz., the EWMSC, the Mt. Hope
Women‟s Hospital, and the Caura Hospital. There are also five private hospitals and
eight health centres which appear to be well distributed throughout the Region.
The expansion of housing districts in the Municipality in the latter decades of the 20th
century and more recently in the present decade might pose some challenge in the
equitable provision of primary health care services, given the physical distribution,
quantum and spatial allocation for such services. Pre-natal and children‟s healthcare
remains an area of challenge.
2.10.8 Education
There are 64 primary schools and 15 secondary schools in the Municipality.
Approximately 25 percent of primary school children in the Region travel in excess of
four kilometres to attend primary school9. At this level, there will be need for an
expansion of places, given the objective of the educational authorities that no child
should need to travel in excess of four kilometres to attend primary school. On the other
hand, given the geographical area of the Municipality and given the concentration that
has taken place in terms of population density, there will be areas that are currently
seriously underserved in terms of number of available places while in other locations,
there are schools with an excess in the number of places.
9
SLC 2005
60
There is likely to be a shortage of places at the secondary level as well, assuming that
most students resident in the Municipality will go to school within the region.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is engaged in the upgrade of secondary schools
mainly through retro-fitting. The improvement in the physical infrastructure will allow
the Government to address another client group – persons seeking to upgrade their
education through Adult Education Programmes.
The Government has announced the building of a number of pre-primary schools with
special regard to their placement in communities that are among the more deprived in
the country. Meanwhile, the increasing participation rates of women in the labour
market have triggered a widening demand for nursery services.
2.10.9 Sports, Recreation and Public Parks
There are around 95 recreation grounds within the Municipality, but most are substandard. The UWI has grounds that are up to international level in football and cricket,
and can host major athletic tournaments as well. The Centre of Excellence is also an
important complex in respect of football, while the Eastern Regional Indoor Sport
Complex houses the National Hockey Centre, and facilities for Volleyball, Netball,
Gymnastics, and Tennis training and competitions. However, there is no sports stadium
in this Municipality even though it is the largest in terms of population in the country.
There is also the issue of public spaces for passive recreation and more so for the elderly.
In addition, the provision of sporting facilities especially for the youth is an area of
immense importance.
2.10.10
Community Centres
There are some 32 community centres and regional multipurpose centres which can be
used for a variety of community and individual events.
2.11 MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT
The work of the Corporation is undertaken by a large staff whose functions include
building, public health, disaster management, and infrastructure including roads and
solid waste collection, and policing. Staff shortages have been identified in some areas
including in the Building Inspectorate. Hence, enforcement of the law is limited.
61
Identified institutional challenges to the provision of infrastructure and public utilities
and the attainment of sustainable development include:

Insufficient coordination and collaboration among central government
Infrastructure and public utility providers on the one hand and the TPRC on the
other; and

The failure of agencies, such as Community-based Environmental Protection and
Enhancement Programme (CEPEP), WASA, and the Unemployment Relief
Programme (URP) to collaborate to more effectively serve the Municipality.
A Coordinating Committee, constituted of agencies involved in land development,
including the TCPD and the WASA, has not been functioning in a manner that would
assist the process of planning and development control.
Participants at the Visioning Exercise noted the inadequate communication between the
Regional Corporation and its communities as well as the lack of co-ordination of effort
among departments within the Corporation and between the Corporation and the
Arima Borough Corporation. This general lack of communication and co-ordination has
been cited as the reason for “…ineffective planning and implementation of projects, the
absence of standards in the execution of projects, the general lack of concern for
timeliness in the completion of projects, poor service delivery, duplication of effort, and
wasteful deployment of resources.”
The failure of the Corporation to engage stakeholders in the decision-making process
also encourages the perception of the Corporation‟s relative ineffectiveness.
The view was also expressed that the size of the Municipality and the varied interests
that the Corporation is required to serve indicated a need for the decentralisation of
delivery of services, through the establishment of sub offices at strategic locations,
particularly for services such as Public Health.
The inability of the Corporation to adequately service the needs of all burgesses or even
to properly monitor their activities has been identified as additional challenges. Some
services specifically mentioned by stakeholders are the collection and disposal of
garbage, and the lack of control over the use of the hillsides and the consequential
flooding and other environmental issues.
Stakeholders have also cited the inadequacy of funds and the lack of timeliness in
receipt of the monies as limitations to the Corporation‟s ability to deploy its financial
resources in the most effective manner, pointing to a need for improvement in the
relationship between the Corporation and the Budget Department of the Ministry of
Finance.
62
There is also a perception that most of the TPRC‟s resources are allocated to the
Tunapuna area at the expense of the other parts of the Municipality. This may be
confounded by the lack of manpower to undertake field work in some of the isolated
and distant communities, such as Blanchisseuse.
Finally, one of the deficiencies that would need to be addressed as a matter of priority is
the lack of land use planning capability in the Corporation to implement the SDP
through development control and enforcement, and to update the Plan as needed.
2.12 DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
Tunapuna/Piarco contains a massive land area. However, most of the land is
constrained by one factor or another which will limit the extent to which it can be
utilised to accommodate population growth and provide for the social, economic, and
cultural needs of the burgesses. Figure 2.10 shows the development constraints for
Tunapuna/Piarco.
Constraints to new built development and/or the intensification of existing built
development are shown on map and listed below:

Protected Areas;

Forest Reserves;

Northern Gravels;

Piarco International Airport „clear zone‟;

Land prone to moderate or severe flooding;

Land with good potential for agriculture (Classes I to III); and

Land on slopes steeper than 1:3.
It is noted that many of these areas have already been developed, in many instances
with Planning Permission. Some are committed to development for various purposes.
For example, most of the land under Northern Gravels, flood prone land, agricultural
land in classes I and II, and land on slopes steeper than 1:3. Some housing development
has recently taken place within parts of the Piarco Airport clear zone.
63
Figure 2.10: Development Constraints in the Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco
64
In addition, there are a number of land uses which would severely limit the use to which
adjacent land can be put, particularly in the case of residential development. These
include the Guanapo landfill, HCL sewage ponds on the CRH south of Trincity, and the
Golden Grove Prison complex around which development is restricted for security
reasons.
Some constraints can be considered to be flexible. For example, engineering solutions
including appropriate drainage infrastructure can be applied to treat with the issue of
susceptibility to flooding. New development can take place on Northern Gravels once
strict limits are placed on the extent of paved surfaces. Some, however, are intractable in
the sense that failure to treat with them might have legal implications – Protected Areas
and Forest Reserves; or might be dangerous, or at least ill-advised, such as the airport
clear zone and steeply sloping land. Others, such as land with good potential for
agriculture, require decisions relating to the priorities to be assigned to agriculture as
opposed to built development, decisions that need to consider the irreversibility and
sterilisation effects of the latter.
2.13 SWOT ANALYSIS
The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were determined based upon the
documentation review, the land use surveys and other field visits, and consultations
held with the major stakeholders. Information obtained from the relevant public sector
agencies also informed the process. The results of the analysis are summarised in Table
2.4.
~ 65 ~
Table 2.4: SWOT Analysis
INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
STRENGTHS

Clusters of higher education

Generally good basic infrastructural facilities

WEAKNESSES

Adverse environmental impact of land based
activities
Ready access to Piarco International Airport

Lack of a centralised sewerage treatment

Relatively easy access to the Point Lisas sea
port

Inadequate physical and social infrastructure
and services in some areas

Significant industrial infrastructure in industrial
estates

Traffic congestion along main and secondary
roads,

Reasonably good transportation system


Expanses of good quality agricultural land that
is not under built development
Dysfunctional
development


Some vacant land of low agricultural capability
Incidence of squatting and unauthorised
development

Beautiful natural landscapes and seascapes


Primary forests with legal protection
Poor quality of residential environment in some
areas

Fisheries resources at Blanchisseuse

Vulnerability of some areas to land slippage
and flooding

Sites of historical importance

Public transportation deficiencies

Increasing levels of crime

Incidence of poverty in some areas

Inadequate
pattern
collaboration
of
commercial
between
the
Corporation and Central Government agencies
and statutory authorities.
66
EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS
Planned major developments including Tamana
InTech Park and UTT

Potential for downstream benefits from
Tamana Park and UTT

Trincity Millennium Vision Development

and Valencia for downstream benefits from
Tamana Park and UTT
Pressure for development of land in the
Northern Range
Potential for further development of tertiary

Development pressure on agricultural land
education through UWI and private sector
institutions

Downturn in global economy

Lack of clear cut policy emanating from
Potential for eco, health, business, heritage,
historical, and events tourism

Thrust to resuscitate the agricultural sector

Potential for agro-industrial development

Introduction of planning policies to improve the
urban fabric

Competition from Arima, Sangre Grande,




HDC developments will bring good quality
residential environment
central government on the future of local
government

Insufficient autonomy and funding granted
to Corporation

Increasing national crime rate

Threat of re-alignment of boundaries to
the disadvantage of the Municipality

Lack of monitoring and enforcement of
land use policies and legislation

Lack of coordination between approval
agencies

Continuing housing development without
adequate support services

Environmental pollution
Upgrading of residential areas
In order to come up with a development concept that is sustainable and appropriate to
the needs of the people of the region the Plan would need to build upon the strengths
and opportunities and convert them into development potential, at the same time as it
addresses the weaknesses and threats.
2.14 KEY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES
The survey and analysis phases uncovered a large number of problems and issues which
relate to the manner in which development has proceeded and the land disposed and
utilised.
The main development issue relates to the limited amount of land resources available
for built development to accommodate the residential, social, and economic activities of
current and future burgesses of Tunapuna/Piarco notwithstanding the large size of the
Municipality. This includes the special housing and social needs of the large student
67
population whose presence is vital to the continued existence of the tertiary level
institutions which are one of the main pillars of the economy of the Municipality.
Most of the land is either already under built development, or is constrained by virtue of
being legally protected in the interest of safeguarding the environment, its value for
agriculture, its unfavourable topography, its proneness to flooding, or its proximity to
the Piarco International Airport.
The shortage of unconstrained greenfield sites in the Municipality forces considerations
of whether to build on good agricultural soil which makes up most of the undeveloped
land in the Municipality10, on vulnerable hill slopes whose disturbance has caused
destructive flooding and landslides and impacted watershed functions and biodiversity,
or to intensify development of existing built-up areas.
Densification can serve to lessen the impact on the natural resources base. However,
that option risks development of these areas beyond the limits imposed by already
inadequate infrastructural systems, and hence adversely impacting living standards,
and the health, safety, and welfare of the population. It has implications, as well for the
mores of the various communities, in particular, the agricultural or rural communities.
And provision needs to be made for more than housing – land space must be found to
provide employment for as many of the burgesses as possible in order to address the
problems created by the fact that many now live in dormitory settlements, from and to
which they must travel for work and education at severe time and other costs. The
challenge therefore is to accommodate population, job growth, and environmental
quality in the same „house‟, in other words to build environmentally, socially, and
economically sustainable communities that allow for high quality of life for all burgesses
without placing them in harm‟s way and without destroying the sensitive natural
resources on which so much depends.
In sum, informed choices need to be made to reconcile competing demands and to
resolve land use conflicts from housing and other forms of built development,
agriculture, industry, quarrying, and conservation forest.
A plan for the sustainable development of the region must be based upon striking the
right balance between development, on the one hand, and environmental protection on
An example of the agriculture versus development conflict is the Valsayn-Curepe area where
proposals for the residential development of land have had to be abandoned because of protests
by agricultural interests against the conversion of Class I land. There is also the instance of
farmers in the Arima Old Road area of Bon Air/Arouca making productive use of land that
would otherwise be considered logical for infill development.
10
68
the other, allowing for optimum use of the land to meet current development needs
while minimising adverse impacts on the natural resource base.
In considering trade-offs consideration must be given to human safety and well being,
the fact, for example, that hillside development undertaken without the infrastructure
required to mitigate the attendant adverse consequences has caused, and will continue
to cause, destructive landslides and flooding of downstream areas.
The environmental impacts of agricultural and other economic activity upon the coastal
and marine environment have been outlined. These must be tackled if economic
development is to be sustainable. It must be recognised, however, that land
development and environmental protection do not have to be incompatible. Growth can
be made to be sensitive to the environment, and therefore sustainable, if it is based on a
policy that encourages environmentally-friendly land uses and development activity
over that can cause environmental degradation. In this regard, the Precautionary
Principle11, which is one of the basic tenets of the NEP, is relevant.
Other issues to be addressed include:

Deficiencies in infrastructural facilities, in particular, infrastructure relating to
drainage, sewage disposal, and solid waste collection and disposal; and

Congestion and decay in the town centres and the lack of opportunities for the
safe passage of pedestrians.
The issues mandate the formulation of policies and plans that would ensure the
sustainable use of the limited land space for development purposes.
As stated in the NEP, the Precautionary Principle is that if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental
damage, lack of full scientific certainty will not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental
degradation.
11
69
70
Strategic Framework
3.1
3
THE ROLE OF THE TUNAPUNA/PIARCO MUNICIPALITY IN NATIONAL
SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT
The main framework for the spatial development of
Tunapuna/Piarco is contained in the NPDP which was
prepared in the early 1980s and is the only statutory
guide to development of land at the national level. A
National Conceptual Development Plan (NCDP)
prepared in 1999 ostensibly to update the planning
framework of the NPDP is also relevant. More recently,
a NSS was developed to guide the spatial development
of Trinidad and Tobago to the year 2020. These provide
guidance to the role of Tunapuna/Piarco in the national
spatial system.
The NPDP allocated most of the land in the
Municipality for conservation with some intensive and
moderately intensive agriculture to be allowed in two
small areas within the Northern Range valleys and on
land to the south of the CRH.
Urban type development was to be restricted largely to
existing built up areas such as Curepe/St. Augustine,
Tunapuna/El Dorado, and Arouca/D‟Abadie. One of
the twelve Sub-Regional urban centres identified as part
of the proposed national settlement system was
Tunapuna, while Curepe, St. Augustine, and Arouca
were designated to be District Centres.
The plan proposed some degree of decentralisation of activity outside of the Capital
Region in order to redress identified regional imbalances.
71
Tunapuna was seen as becoming important as a place of employment as well as for
service facilities, and was expected to serve not only the local community but its subregional hinterland including smaller urban centres and villages. Employment
opportunities were proposed to be generated through a policy of selective incentives to
private entrepreneurs to locate in those towns.
A local area concept plan prepared for the Urban Corridor Barataria to Arima within the
framework of the NCDP also designated Tunapuna as a Sub-regional Centre and added
Curepe, Valsayn, and Trincity to this category. With respect to Tunapuna and Curepe it
was proposed to consolidate commercial development within the existing town centres
and to undertake redevelopment or enhancement programmes therein.
Major changes have taken place in the Municipality since the formulation of these plans
as indicated in the overview of existing conditions and trends. The most significant of
these has been the development of what is essentially a University Town in the St.
Joseph to St. Augustine area based upon the UWI and the large number of other tertiary
educational institutions in the area.
The addition near the eastern end of the Region of the UTT O‟Meara Campus, and plans
for the development of the main campus of this institution as part of the Tamana InTech
Park, will give the Municipality two institutional anchors and make it likely to remain
the centre of tertiary education in the nation for the next few decades. In addition, the
growth in tertiary health care facilities has also been very significant. These existing and
anticipated developments will serve to elevate the role of the Municipality in national
economic and physical development over the period of the Plan and beyond.
Population growth in the Municipality has also been considerable. With the resultant
extension of residential accommodation into vulnerable areas in the Northern Range
and on to the flood plains of the Caroni River and of its tributaries, there has been
increased exposure of burgesses to hazards, mainly flooding and landslides.
These changes would have been considered in the NSS which classified Tunapuna as an
Urban Centre that will provide a range of social and community services, facilities, and
some employment opportunities.
72
3.2
STRATEGIC AND KEY DIRECTIONS
Development in Tunapuna/Piarco will be guided by the tenets of sustainable
development. This will involve the achievement of a high quality of life for residents,
while striking a balance between socio-economic development and the protection and
conservation its natural, cultural and built heritage. The Municipality will secure and
maintain pride of place among its burgesses specifically and among the citizens of
Trinidad and Tobago generally, as a premier locality in the country.
The following are the Goal, Vision, and Development Objectives of the burgesses
towards the future growth and development of the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality.
3.2.1
Development Goal and Strategic Vision
The core goal for development of Tunapuna/Piarco is:
“To ensure successful regional development resulting in the creation of sustainable
communities and a high quality of life for all burgesses.”
Strategic Vision:
“Tunapuna/Piarco will be a Municipality endowed with a strong community spirit,
built on enterprise, talent and insight of all its residents, inclusive in its approach to
development, empowering of all, irrespective of age, station, or location, respectful of
culture, and enamoured of traditional values of honesty and commitment to law and
order, and founded on an economy constantly utilising modern technology to create
sustainable livelihoods and actualisation for its people.”
Development Objectives of the Plan are:
There are 11 development objectives identified as logically coming out of the Goal and
the Strategic Vision, and the achievement of which would assist the attainment of the
first and the actualisation of the second. They are:
1. Release of the economic and productive potential of all its localities;
2. Equitable development and economic and social complementarity among its
respective sub-regions;
3. Conservation of quality agricultural land;
73
4. Protection and conservation of the natural environment;
5. Provision of affordable and good quality housing at safe locations;
6. Provision of adequate social and physical infrastructure, equitably distributed
throughout the Municipality;
7. Provision of appropriate levels of support services;
8. Ease of access throughout the Region;
9. Functional efficiency and aesthetic appeal of the natural and built environment;
10. Effective municipal management; and
11. Ease of implementation of the Plan.
A set of targets has been developed to monitor the progress of the implementation of the
SDP.
3.3
ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS
The communities of Tunapuna/Piarco are show in Figure 3.1. The scenarios to which
consideration was given are illustrated in Figure 3.1, and described hereunder. All of the
options assumed the continued evolution of a University Town in the St. Joseph-toTunapuna area; the development of the Tamana Park including the UTT Campus at
Wallerfield; the retention of most of the land to the south of the CRH, including most of
Orange Grove Estate, for agricultural purposes including two 41-hectare mega farms
and a number of 0.8 hectare farms; and the retention of the Northern Range under forest
cover.
Table 3.1: Population Projections for Development Scenarios
Community
West of Tunapuna, El
Dorado
Tunapuna and El Dorado
East of Tunapuna and El
Dorado
Northern Range
Communities
Wallerfield
South of CRH
Socially Displaced Persons
TOTAL
No
35,236
%
17.3
Trend
Development
No
%
57,800
17.0
23,199
90,684
11.4
44.5
37,400
151,250
11.0
44.5
34,000
149,600
10.0
44.0
38,500
148,750
11.0
42.5
4,465
2.2
8,550
2.5
10,200
3.0
8,750
2.5
3,585
46,804
2
203,975
1.8
23.0
13,600
71,400
0
340,000
4.0
21.0
13,600
78,200
0
340,000
4.0
23.0
22,750
77,000
0
350,000
6.5
22.0
2000 Population
100.0
100.0
Source of 2000 information: Central Statistical Office Community Register
74
Dispersed
Concentration
No
%
54,400
16.0
Growth Pole
(Wallerfield NT)
No
%
54,250
15.5
100.0
100.0
Figure 3:1 Tunapuna/Piarco Communities
~ 75 ~
Figure 3.2: Alternative Development Scenarios
76
3.3.1
Trend Development
This option is something of a „baseline‟ scenario that assumes the continuation of
existing development directions with little or no effective planning intervention driven
by current policies, or the lack of enforcement thereof; and commitments to
development.
This Scenario assumed the continued dominance of the town of Tunapuna as the
Regional Centre, serving the remainder of the Municipality and providing some
employment and social, commercial, and administrative services. It also envisaged the
development of Sub-Regional Centres at Wallerfield and Trincity, with smaller District
Centres at Curepe, St. Augustine, Arouca, St. Helena, and Cunupia; significant
population increases in the East-West Corridor, Trincity, and Wallerfield; employment
opportunities in the Tamana InTech Park and in the non-residential components of the
Trincity Millennium Vision Development as a significant pull factor.
Development in the remainder of the Region was expected to be minimal – with only
slight growth in the Northern Range communities due to limited exploitation of natural
resources for ecotourism and resort tourism; and continued limited development in
Northern Range valleys and in the communities south of the CRH.
The Trend Scenario was expected to see the Municipality growing from the 203,975 level
to 340,000 in 2020, with the most significant change in the distribution of the population
being the increase of Wallerfield‟s share from 1.8 percent to 4.0 percent as a result of the
influx of students and staff associated with the UTT and, to a lesser extent, the Tamana
InTech Park.
3.3.2
Dispersed Concentration
A strategy of Dispersed Concentration will also see the population increase to 340,000 by
the year 2020. However, with a view to attaining a much more balanced allocation of
activities and pattern of development across the region and achieving objectives relating
to sustainable communities, economic activity will be dispersed to the smaller centres
within the region.
As with the Trend option Tunapuna will continue in its role as Regional Centre.
However, some of the development that would go into the town would be channelled to
the Sub-Regional Centres in Wallerfield and Trincity as well as to District Centres at
Curepe, St. Augustine, Arouca, St. Helena, and Cunupia. There will also be a significant
decrease in the share of the population in Tunapuna and El Dorado and areas further
west, and an increase in those of the Northern Range Communities and Wallerfield as a
~ 77 ~
result of deliberate efforts to achieve balance and equity in the first case, and the
development of the Tamana InTech Park/UTT complex in the second.
Primary sector activities, viz., Agriculture, Forestry, Ecotourism, Agro-Tourism12, and
Fishing will be explored as a source of employment and income in the Northern Range
communities. This should serve to reduce any rural-urban drift that might be taking
place from communities such as La Laja, Aripo and Brasso Seco and, hence, increase the
size of the population in those areas.
3.3.3
Growth Pole (Wallerfield New Town)
This option is essentially a mandate of the National Spatial Strategy to achieve balanced
regional development through the establishment of Growth Poles/Development
Magnets/New Towns at four areas including Wallerfield.
The significant feature of this Scenario is the foundation and growth of Wallerfield as a
University Town with light industry and service companies as off-shoots of an
environment in which intellectual capital is applied and Research and Development
leads to new activities. In this Scenario, the Municipality will have two University
Towns, and this would lend a certain character to its development.
This Scenario considers Tunapuna continuing in its role as Regional Centre for the
Municipality, and Wallerfield as a New Town. The role of the other centres is as
outlined in the Dispersed Concentration option since the NSS also seeks to secure
balanced development across the country. Hence, a Sub-Regional Centre will be
developed at Trincity, and District Centres at Curepe, St. Augustine, Arouca, St. Helena,
and Cunupia.
In this case, a significant amount of the population is allocated to Wallerfield and it is
assumed that, by the end of the plan period, up to 2,450 households could be added to
that community over and above that assigned under the other Scenarios. The total
population is projected to increase to 350,000 persons.
3.3.4
Evaluation of the Options
The Scenarios were evaluated by stakeholders at a consultation organised by the TPRC.
The stakeholders utilised a matrix to measure the extent to which, in their view, each
The concept of Agro-tourism is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages visitors to experience
agricultural life at first hand.
12
78
would meet the development objectives. At the end of the process the Dispersed
Concentration option was scored highest by the three groups and therefore determined
to be the strategy on which the Plan is to be based.
3.4
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR TUNAPUNA/PIARCO
The Plan posits an approach which recognises that the fragility of the eco-system of a
Small Island Developing State (SIDS) requires careful and meticulous planning to avoid
tragedy of immense proportion and major negative irreversible impacts. Global climate
change is already evident in Trinidad and Tobago. Within the Municipality of
Tunapuna/Piarco, some of the change has been evinced in the failure of its
infrastructure to cope with seasonal rains. Lack of observance of basic rules in spatial
planning and land use has resulted in major damage and loss of life.
The major task in the years ahead is managing continuing expansion in the population
of the Municipality and providing a good quality of life for burgesses, existing and new.
Management of the requirements of this larger concentration of population has to be
complemented by a major infrastructural retro-fitting exercise to correct for past
mistakes and existing flaws, and to place land-use on a path to a more sustainable
development. The stakeholders of the Municipality will be required to participate in the
retrofitting of their infrastructure to ensure a quality living environment.
At the same time, the Municipality is a major component of the competitive space of
Trinidad and Tobago. Its industry in the emerging scenario of the early 21 st century has
to be competitive, and to deliver employment to many of the residents in the
Municipality. They have to be internationally competitive from the municipal space of
Tunapuna/Piarco.
The challenge over the next ten years might well be as much about institutional
development and cultural and behavioural practices as it is about allocation of activities
across physical space.
The Municipality has to engage in planning social models to manage sustainable
development in a massive urban sprawl, on the one hand, and in a sparsely settled rural
hinterland.
79
3.4.1 Development Theme
The regional development strategy is based upon the Dispersed Concentration option.
The strategy makes provision for the projected 2020 population of 340,000, which is
around 136,000 more than the 2000 figure and 65,000 more than the projected 2008
population of around 275,000. This population, and the households into which it is
divided, might be distributed roughly as shown in Table 3.2. The breakdown into
households/dwelling units is based upon the household sizes indicated in Table 3.2,
and assumes a household to dwelling unit ratio of 1:1.
This strategy would create a more equitable balance between the various parts of the
region, and is premised on the assumption that the various nodes are capable of
sustainable economic activity. Hence, development opportunities would be channelled
to selected areas whose potential for growth is not currently being recognised and
properly exploited.
The general upgrading of social and physical infrastructure in the Northern Range
communities in particular is critical to ensure balanced development. Adequate
transportation and communications, and a minimum infrastructure of services are basic
to the successful implementation of this strategy.
Economic activities and facilities would also be dispersed to Sub-regional and District
Centres outside of Tunapuna.
Aside from this the Municipality will continue to experience growth based upon its
economic drivers, becoming something of a University Region with institutions as
anchors at its eastern and western extremities. The development of the new eastern
education anchor would cause the most significant growth to take place in the
Wallerfield area.
Table 3.2: Distribution of Population by Communities 2000 and 2020, and Incremental
Population
Community
West of Tunapuna, El Dorado
Tunapuna and El Dorado
East of Tunapuna and El Dorado
Northern Range Communities
Wallerfield
South of CRH
Socially Displaced Persons
TOTAL
2000 Population
No
35,236
23,199
90,684
4,465
3,585
46,804
2
203,975
2020 Population
%
17.3
11.4
44.5
2.2
1.8
23.0
100.0
Source of 2000 information: CSO Community Register
No
54,400
34,000
149,600
10,200
13,600
78,200
0
340,000
~ 80 ~
%
16.0
10.0
44.0
3.0
4.0
23.0
100.0
Incremental
Population and
(households/dwellin
g units)
No
%
5,323
19,164
3,086
10,801
15,923
58,916
1,593
5,735
2,706
10,015
8,262
31,396
136,027
36,893
Percentage
Population
Increase
54.4
46.6
65.0
128.4
280.0
67.1
66.7
Figure 3.3: Tunapuna/Piarco Development Strategy
~ 81 ~
3.4.2 Overarching Policies
Attainment of the goal and objectives of the Plan through the application of the
development strategy outlined above would require application of the following
overarching policies:

The natural and cultural heritage of the region will be preserved, protected, or
rehabilitated to the fullest extent;

Population growth and dynamics will be managed in a manner that supports
sustainable development;

Disaster prevention will be promoted through regulating development and
providing appropriate infrastructure on hillsides and flood-prone areas;

The natural resource base will be utilised for social, economic, environmental,
and cultural benefit;

Good quality agricultural land will be protected from encroachment by other
uses;

Provision will be made for the expansion of traditional economic activities and
the emergence of new growth sectors;

Job generating projects will be encouraged at such locations in order to increase
employment choices, regenerate deprived areas, and reduce travel to and from
work;

Research and development activities will be promoted to create and refine new
technologies and products;

Economic and social development will be promoted within a framework of
environmental sustainability;

Provision will be made for a level, range, and spatial distribution of facilities and
services that will promote social advancement, community cohesion, and human
development;

The development of liveable and sustainable residential environments will be
promoted;

Physical infrastructure facilities and services will be provided and upgraded, as
relevant, in a timely and cost effective manner;

A transportation system that will be complementary to the land use system and
offer safe, convenient, and efficient access to and within the region will be
established;
~ 82 ~

A compact form of built development will be promoted in order to prevent
urban sprawl;

Provision will be made for efficient spatial relationships and connectivity among
the various communities in the region;

A coherent landscape framework will be established;

The quality of areas of high landscape value, and features of historical,
architectural, and cultural significance will be protected; and

Effective municipal management of the development process will be promoted.
3.4.3
Spatial Development Framework
The policies shape the broad spatial development framework shown on Figure 3.4. The
framework gives a broad guide to the allocation of the land in the Municipality to 2020
as follows:

Conservation Forestry over the entire Northern Range system from the southern
foothills to the north coast within which the following is proposed:
o
Tree crop agriculture, agro-forestry, or other types of agriculture that do
not involve the clearing of land by any means or any high-impact
practices; and
o
Infilling and limited expansion of existing settlements;

Agriculture on all of the undeveloped land between the CRH and the southern
boundary of the Municipality as far east as the western boundary of La Horquetta,
with the exception of the area in the west which is contained by the CRH, the UBH,
and the Tunapuna River, including the Bamboo and Valsayn communities. New
development within this agricultural zone would be restricted to consolidation and
limited expansion of the settlements to the south of the Caroni River, and new
development elsewhere would be limited to airport-related and airport-compatible
activities;

Urban development in the East-West Corridor from the western boundary of the
Municipality to the western boundary of the Wallerfield community;
83


Conservation in the northern section of the Wallerfield community and mixed
development in the southern portion to include:
o
The Tamana InTech Park;
o
Urban development for housing and support activities; and
o
Agriculture.
A hierarchy of centres at the apex of which is Tunapuna as Regional Centre; Trincity
and Wallerfield as Sub-regional Centres; and Curepe, St. Augustine, Arouca, St.
Helena, and Cunupia as District Centres.
84
Figure 3.1: Land Use Proposals
~ 85 ~
~ 86 ~
Thematic Policies
and Proposals
4
Discussions with various stakeholders in the Municipality, an examination of the
physical landscape and infrastructure, and the placement of the area in the context of
Vision 2020 have led to the identification of a number of policies and proposals which
will form the basis for economic and social development of the Municipality over the
next 10 years. The policies and proposals are covered under eight development themes,
namely:
1. Urban Design;
2. Environmental Management;
3. Economic Development;
4. Social Services and Community Facilities;
5. Transportation;
6. Physical Infrastructure;
7. Institutional Strengthening; and
8. Municipal Management.
87
4.1
Regional and Urban Form
PREAMBLE
The Northern Range is a picturesque landscape and
natural resource feature in which the highest peaks in
the country are located, including Mount Cerro del
Aripo and Mount El Tucuche. The south-facing slopes of
the Range provide the background for, and relief from,
the heavily developed East-West Corridor portion of the
Municipality. The Maracas/St. Joseph River Valley, the
Caura/Tacarigua River Valley, Lopinot Valley, and the
Arima/Blanchisseuse Valley are all beautiful valleys
and mountainsides offering sometimes spectacular
scenery and the sights and sounds of unique species of
flora and avifauna and water features.
The visual amenity and the degree of functionality of
the built environment vary from one part of the
Municipality to another. Housing in the new
comprehensive developments and in the older middle
and higher income areas is generally quite satisfactory
in both aspects. However, the visual and environmental
quality in many of the settlements is poor as is the
layout of the land, in particular in squatter settlements
and other areas of spontaneous development. The
condition of much of the housing in these latter areas is
similarly poor as is the layout of the land and the state
of the infrastructure. In most of the newer layouts open
space has been provided as required by the TCPD, but
there is little attempt to develop these into parks and
play spaces for the use of the residents as intended by
the Division.
88
There is no distinct town centre or downtown area in any of the communities, including
Tunapuna. Tunapuna, like the rest of the other centres in the Region, is plagued by a
number of issues including severe traffic congestion and the resultant pollution,
confusion, poor facades and signage, instances of urban decay and iron-grilled
fortresses.
There is almost no opportunity for safe pedestrian activity, all of the shopping areas
being intersected by major roads so that vehicle-pedestrian conflicts are the norm.
Facilities for persons with disability are particularly lacking. There is need for a clear
and coherent strategy to guide urban development in Municipality that will regenerate
decaying areas, improve the relationship and connectivity among communities, create a
sense of Tunapuna/Piarco through its preservation and development of its natural and
cultural heritage, provide attractive and aesthetically appealing natural and urban
spaces, and improve and develop safe pedestrian facilities and amenities.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The basic urban design objective for Tunapuna/Piarco is to promote and facilitate the
development of high quality built and natural environments that are both functional and
aesthetically appealing.
POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
The following policies will guide regional and urban form, including the design of
residential areas and town centres, in Tunapuna/Piarco:

A landscape framework comprising the Northern Range, riverside parks,
recreation open space, and the street environment will be established;

Provision will be made for efficient spatial relationships and connectivity among
the various communities in the Region; and

Town centres, activity centres, and points of interest will be developed as safe,
comfortable, adaptable, and vibrant public spaces.
These are intended to assist the fulfilment of the objective relating to functional
efficiency and aesthetic appeal of the natural and built environment.
The Tunapuna/Piarco SDP recognises that the creation of attractive, vibrant, high
quality, sustainable areas where burgesses and visitors can live, work, recreate and
89
enjoy, will require good urban design. There is commitment on the part of Local
Government in ensuring that sound urban design principles are taken abroad in the
planning, design and development of new areas and the retrofitting of existing
neighbourhoods. Designing new places and changing existing places, urban design must
be:





Distinctive;
Safe;
Well-connected;
Adaptable and manageable; and
Easy on the environment.
The urban design guidelines have been developed at the Local Government level for
Trinidad and Tobago based on these qualities and will be used by the Corporation in
assessing development proposals before the Corporation for approval.
URB-1: Natural Landscape Framework
The main feature of the natural landscape of Tunapuna/Piarco is the Northern range,
which is the perfect foil to the development that has been placed along its foothills and
extends into the plains. Plans to fill in remaining areas of open space in this East-West
Corridor and to densify the development that already exists would make it increasingly
important that the visual relief is sustained.
Rehabilitation and Preservation of Forested Areas
The Tunapuna/Piarco SDP proposes the development of the foothills and valleys of the
Range as a landscape and natural resource through its retention under forest vegetation
and through appropriate reforestation programmes to restore degraded forest land. In
the interest of visual amenity, quite apart from the environmental benefits, development
on the hillsides is to be severely restricted.
Hillside Housing Development
Where hillside housing is to be allowed, it will be required to be designed to fit with the
natural topography of the site and, hence, to minimise the disturbance of the land and
the need for visually obtrusive engineered structures including roads. This will serve to
minimise both the visual and environmental impact of hillside development. Buildings
should be clustered so that there would be minimum disturbance to the natural shape
and character of the land and in order to minimise the need for paved surfaces.
Attention needs to be paid, as well, to design details including the colour and material of
construction of buildings, and the style of rooftops. Valley View in Maracas Valley is
90
considered to be an excellent example of hillside development that has taken place with
sensitivity to the environment.
Riverside Park Development
The rivers which flow from the south facing slopes of the Northern Range provide
opportunities for further relief through the development of riverside parks. Where the
45 metre reserve along the banks of the major rivers, imposed by the TCPD over the
years, has been observed, riverside parks will be developed through the built up areas
as urban parks that can be utilised for active recreation and other purposes such as the
St. Helena Eco-Park developed by the St. Helena Development Corporation.
Opportunities will be explored to develop these parks where space permits along the
Maracas/St. Joseph, Caura/Tacarigua, Lopinot/Arouca, Mausica, and Arima Rivers to be used
for community activities and passive recreation.
Landscape Framework Plan
Scenic drives are enjoyed along some of those rivers including the Caura Royal Road,
the Lopinot Road, and the Arima-Blanchisseuse Road as it crosses the Range and runs
along the North Coast. These have been identified for special focus and to be the subject
of a Landscape Framework Plan (LFP) to be developed for the Region. This Plan supports
measures to retain visual access to the beautiful North Coast beaches and bays, views of
which are currently blocked along long stretches by walls which have been erected in
the interest of security and privacy.
Solutions need to be found, as well, to the problem of dumping that has spoilt the view
along the Caura Royal Road, for example. Parts of this roadway have become dumping
grounds for electronic waste and other large items. These areas will be cleaned up and
landscaped where necessary with low-maintenance plants as a deterrent to dumping.
The LFP will incorporate the Cleaver Forest, the rare area of forest vegetation which has
managed to survive within the built up area and which has been developed into the
Cleaver Woods Recreational Park. This is an excellent example of an urban park that
interrupts the monotony of the built-up areas while allowing for passive recreation for
burgesses and their guests.
91
URB-2: Urban Landscape Framework
The LFP will also address the imperative for improvements in urban form in Tunapuna
and, indeed, in all of the communities, in particular those designated as commercial
centres. The problems were identified as being mainly:

The absence of design character and taste;

The lack of a discernible town centre in any of the communities;

Severe traffic congestion and confusion;

Urban decay caused by the failure of some property owners to properly maintain
their buildings; and

Little opportunity for safe pedestrian activity.
Regeneration and Redevelopment of Urban Centres
It should be noted that the Tunapuna commercial area contains a large number of vacant
buildings, which were formerly used for trading, that can be refurbished and
redeveloped as part of a plan to improve the image of the town centre. Incentives should
be given to property owners to re-develop these vacant sites.
Improvements are required in the commercial cores of the other centres including the
University Town (St Joseph-Curepe-St. Augustine), Trincity, Arouca, St. Helena, and Cunupia
and plans for the new Wallerfield Sub-Regional Centre.
Development of Tunapuna Town Centre
In Tunapuna, there is an opportunity to build upon the concept of the Tunapuna
Administrative Complex, by incorporating the site on which the TPRC offices and the
fire station are located to produce a site that would be sufficiently large to be
comprehensively developed as a feature of a new Tunapuna Town Centre. Such a
development would need to be designed to incorporate and harmonise with the historic
Police Station building. Focus on the market and shopping areas in its vicinity is also
required, and issues relating to street trading would need to be addressed. Similar
opportunities will be identified in the other town centres.
92
93
4.2
Environmental Management
PREAMBLE
The
development
of
the
Municipality
of
Tunapuna/Piarco
must
be
balanced
and
environmentally sustainable as burgesses seek to create
sustainable communities and a high quality of life for
all. From an environmental perspective and towards
fulfilling this goal, the Plan will:
1. Address the densification of the East-West
Corridor by managing population increases,
facilitating
appropriate
infrastructural
development particularly in communities where
poor infrastructure has created and increased the
risk of people and property to environmental
hazards;
2. Facilitate the adoption of positive attitudes and
behaviours, encourage greater responsibility
towards the environment, and promote the use
of sustainable environmental management
practices;
3. Conserve the Municipality's
natural resources through:
non-renewable
o
minimising the consumption of the
remaining green spaces in the Region;
o
limiting and discouraging encroachment
of
residential
spread
into
environmentally sensitive areas;
o
the recognition and preservation of the
remaining large tracts of agricultural
lands in the Region;
94
o
Promotion of co-management and monitoring systems where
communities, their community-based organisations (CBOs) and NGOs
play an important role in the protection of the Region‟s natural resources;
and
o
Recognition and preservation of rural environments.
4. Identify, preserve and protect the quality of local landscapes, open spaces,
historical,
architectural,
archaeological
and
cultural
heritage
of
Tunapuna/Piarco.
5. Minimise all forms of waste and pollution and improve water quality of rivers,
streams, and other waterways including the effective management of municipal
waste, wastewater and stormwater;
6. Reduce environmental hazards and protect people and property from exposure
to such hazards;
7. Promote the inclusion of stakeholders in regional decision-making and action;
and
8. Address climate change in all aspect of regional development.
The Environmental policies and proposals as stated herein for the Municipality of
Tunapuna/Piarco are largely set and influenced by the various National Plans and
Policies referred to in Situational Reports 1 and 2 and by the expressed desires and
vision of the burgesses and other stakeholders of Tunapuna/Piarco. The stated policies,
proposals and projects within the SDP seek to maintain a stable natural resource base, while
avoiding over-exploitation of renewable resource systems or environmental sink functions, and
allowing the utilisation of non-renewable resources only to the extent that it does not adversely
impact on them thus allowing for the maintenance of biodiversity, atmospheric stability, and the
carrying out of other ecosystem functions13.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The key Environmental Management objective of the Tunapuna/Piarco SDP is to
support the sustainable management, conservation and protection of natural and
cultural resources, promote and strengthen environmental stewardship, while
facilitating socio-economic development in the Municipality.
POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
Taken from Jonathan M. Harris Basic Principles of Sustainable Development. Global Development and Environment
Institute at Tuft University, Working Paper 00-04. Website Source: http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/publications/
Working_Papers/Sustainable%20Development.PDF
13
~ 95 ~
ENV-1: Managing Population Increases
At present, there is no clear national population policy or policy for the Tunapuna/
Piarco Municipality.
The population of Tunapuna/Piarco has displayed dynamic growth, as a result of
internal migration, and the immigration from abroad. With a number of tertiary
education institutions located within its boundaries, over the years, the settlements
along the East/West Corridor have become the strategic choice of residence for
professionals and others who have to travel to and from their workplace in Port of Spain
and environs.
However, the population must not be increased beyond the capacity of the environment
to provide essential ecosystem services, such as clean water, soil and air. Reference has
already been made to the state of the riverine environment in the Region and further
downstream. The ecological carrying capacity of the Municipality needs to be
determined which would help guide decision making at a regional and national level. In
addition, it would be important to examine the distribution of this human population
and the forces that influence population movement and settlement in the country with a
view to managing population growth particularly along the East/West Corridor.
The specific objective of this policy is to manage population growth and dynamics in the
Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality in a manner that supports sustainable development.
It will be important to:
1. Determine the sustainable population level for the Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco
2. Promote the generation and accessibility of gender disaggregated population data at the
Municipal level including annual population estimates
3. Develop capacity at the Local Government level to monitor and integrate population and
the environment concerns into the regional development planning process
4. Increase awareness at all levels of the link between population, environment and
sustainable development
The Tunapuna/Piarco SDP recognises the need to determine the sustainable population
level for the Municipality at this juncture, particularly along the East/West Corridor.
However, the sustainable population level along the East/West Corridor should not be
viewed in absolute terms, but instead it should be viewed as flexible. As improvements
are made in drainage infrastructure, a more efficient public transport system developed,
a better waste management system implemented and an improved institutional
infrastructure put in place, including better collaboration among agencies, it should be
possible for the Sub-region to sustainably support an increased population.
96
It will also be important to determine how that population should be distributed to
minimise negative environmental impacts and resources. Given the severe drainage
constraints and flooding noted along the East-West Corridor and the fact that lands
south of the Highway form part of the Caroni floodplains, it would be important to
prohibit further development on the hillsides and south of the CRH particularly as far
east as Oropune/Piarco to as far west as the Uriah Butler Highway, until such time as
infrastructural development catches up with development of the area.
The CSO of the Ministry of Planning, Housing and Environment (MPHE) has
responsibility for the estimation of population level. However, given the current thrust
towards regional and local area development planning initiated at the Local
Government level additional information will be needed to support this mandate. The
effort required in establishing the sustainable population level, monitoring of population
level and its full integration at the regional development planning level will require
collaboration and cooperation between the MPHE and CSO and the MLG to ensure the
provision of up-to-date statistical estimates. It will also require building capacity within
the MLG and the Municipal Corporation.
Under this policy, the projects for the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality are as follows:
1. Estimation of Sustainable Population Levels of the Tunapuna/Piarco
Municipality and the East/West Corridor
2. Regional Development Planning Capacity Building in the Tunapuna/Piarco
Regional Corporation
3. Linked to ENV-2
ENV-2:
Changing Attitudes and Behaviours toward the Municipal Environment
Addressing the attitudes and behaviours of burgesses (both Corporate and individual)
towards the environment has the potential to improve the quality of life and put the
Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality on a sustainable development path. The Vision 2020
Draft National Strategic Plan has, as one of its goals, increased public awareness and
development efforts by private sector groups and community based activities in the
maintenance and enhancement of the environment. The Cabinet-approved National
Action Programme to Combat Land Degradation (2006-2020) also reiterates this goal
and outlines the Land-related Education and Awareness Programme (LEAP). The LEAP
is listed as a Priority One Project „meant to raise the importance of land resources in all
levels of the education system and to increase public awareness of the socio-economic,
cultural and ecological functions of land as a means of bringing about a change towards
sustainable management and wise use of natural resources and the environment.”
97
The specific objective under this Policy is to positively influence the behaviour of
burgesses and visitors towards the environment in Tunapuna/Piarco.
The regional policy will be to:
1.
‘Lead by Example’ by promoting pro-environment actions;
2. Target and working with regional Leadership, Public, Private, NGO and Community
Sectors and Individuals in
a. Promoting environmental responsibility;
b. Increasing awareness of sustainability issues; and
c. Getting more people outdoors and involved in the environment.
3. Encourage programmes geared at pro-environment behavioural change; and
4. Support and strengthen community groups and networks in the Municipality with a
commitment to environment and promoting the link between environment and human
wellbeing.
Pro-environment behavioural change is cross-cutting and, where appropriate, will be
factored into all the programmes and projects identified in the SDP. In promoting proenvironment behavioural change the message must be clear. This paradigm shift starts
at the Local Government level. The Municipal Corporation by its actions will
demonstrate its commitment to principle pro-environment ethos. It would therefore be
important to audit its existing programmes and projects to ensure compliance and to
ensure that the activities of its agents and contractors are in keeping with this focus.
It is important that environmental awareness translates into an appreciation and
positive change in behaviour towards the environment. Natural Tunapuna/Piarco to be
championed and implemented by the TPRC is in keeping with the principles of the
LEAP and Vision 2020 National Strategic Plan. The project, which will first be
undertaken as a pilot, will involve the Corporation working closely with MLG, UTT,
MPHE, EMA, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources (MALMR), and
Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs (MCDCGA).
The programme represents a unique opportunity for the Corporation and the burgesses
to define Natural Tunapuna/Piarco and to encapsulate and promote this through public
sensitisation and training programmes. A website will be developed which would
provide information on a number of important lifestyle topics such as energy use, waste
management, wise purchasing, conservation in homes and businesses. Interactive
training activities will also be developed with the targets being groups and
organisations working in the Municipality. The objective is to increase awareness,
information sharing and social interaction. The programme will also involve a Green
98
Exercise Project to encourage burgesses to participate in outdoor activities. The project
will be centred on staging an annual event which promotes health and environment.
While most of the Programme activities will be voluntary, consideration will be given to
developing a programme which can form part of the certification for Tunapuna/Piarco
contractors.
Pro-Environment Behavioural Change Programme-Tunapuna/Piarco entails the
following:
1. Development of the Natural Tunapuna/Piarco Programme which will consist of
public education and social marketing programme including the development of
the Natural Tunapuna/Piarco Website, and the development Green Outdoor
Exercise Project;
2. Audit of the programmes and projects of the Municipal Corporation with a view
to ensuring compliance;
3. Scoping exercise to identify and map all projects at the Public Sector, Private
Sector and NGO and Community Sector levels within the Municipality that
encourage behavioural change in relation to biodiversity, water, waste, energy
and other environmental issues;
4. A follow-up study to the Scoping Exercise to examine a sample of these projects
to evaluate and identify best practice episodes. This information will be
important for use in the Natural Tunapuna/Piarco Project; and
5. Establishment of the Natural Tunapuna/Piarco Contractors Compliance
Programme.
ENV-3:
Conserving Tunapuna/Piarco Non-Renewable Resources
Tunapuna/Piarco, as one of the largest municipalities in Trinidad, consists of a range of
ecosystems and natural resources including its geology, physiography, flora, fauna,
habitats and biodiversity. Stretching from the North Coast to the Caroni Plains, its
ecosystems include coastal environments, forests, urban environments (including parks,
and other landscaped and managed areas such as golf courses), streams and rivers,
agricultural environments, tourism sites, and its wetlands. The Northern Range
dominates the Municipality and provides habitat for most of the Region‟s wildlife, while
its southern sections are dominated by urban environments and agricultural areas. The
state of these environments and their preservation both directly and indirectly impact on
the quality of life of the burgesses and visitors to the Municipality.
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Protecting and enhancing these resources are important as the Region embarks on its
development thrust. Achieving a balance between the protection of the natural
environment and its development efforts is only possible if the natural resources of the
Municipality are utilised in a sustainable manner. However, defining sustainable
environmental management and carrying out the necessary actions to achieve this
require strong collaboration and a coming together of all major stakeholders in an effort
to establish effective and efficient management, monitoring and regulating systems.
The specific objective of this Policy is to protect and enhance where appropriate the natural
heritage of Tunapuna/Piarco.
The Municipality will:
1. Increase the area under statutory protection in Tunapuna/Piarco
2. Protect the best and most versatile agricultural land in Tunapuna/Piarco
3. Protect key environmental tourism assets in Tunapuna/Piarco
4. Employ appropriate conservation systems geared at improving management of areas of
environmental significance
5. Employ measures to control hillside development
Areas of Environmental Importance
The areas listed below are considered of Environmental Importance and therefore
conservation and enhancement of these areas will be encouraged and promoted. These
include the Statutory Protected Areas, the best and versatile Agricultural Assets and the
Environmental Assets of Importance to the Tourism Industry. These areas are highlighted in
an effort to protect and reduce adverse development on these sites. The statutory
Protected Areas status for the most part affords a type of management which reduces
the likelihood of adverse development of these sites. The SDP recognises the importance
of extending this safeguard to other environmental assets to reduce adverse impacts
resulting from poor management practices and to promote the use of best practices in
the utilisation and management of these areas.
The following highlights the Areas of Environmental Importance in Tunapuna/Piarco:
1. Protected Areas
Statutory Protected Areas in Tunapuna/Piarco cover some nine percent of the total land
area of the Municipality. Given that most of the Tacarigua Reserve is almost totally
occupied by squatters, the SDP encourages the rationalisation and revision of its
protected status.
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Plans to improve the protected areas system through the establishment of a system of
National Parks and Other Protected Areas developed in the 1980s, recommends a total
of 61 units within the System of National Parks and Protected Areas in Trinidad and
Tobago. Although the system never secured the necessary legislative support, many of
the designated areas under this Plan are currently being managed as if they were
Protected Areas. Statutory designation of these areas could further increase the total
land area under legal protection. The National Parks and Other Protected Areas noted in
the Tunapuna/ Piarco Municipality are listed below:
Name
Classification under the National Parks and
Other Protected Areas System
Asa Wright
-
Nature Conservation Reserve
Blanchisseuse/ North Coast
-
Scenic Landscape
Cleaver Woods
-
Recreation Park
Caura
-
Recreation Park
Madamas
-
National Park
2. Scenic Landscapes
Apart from the Blanchisseuse/North Coast Scenic Landscape listed under the National
Parks and Other Protected Areas System, due regard will be given to the following Areas
of Landscape Importance:

Arima via the Arima-Blanchisseuse Road Scenic Route;

Lopinot Valley Scenic Route;

Caura Valley Scenic Route; and

North Coast Beach Trail (from Blanchisseuse to Matelot) – now only
accessible by boat and hiking, and consists of Murphy Bay, Petite Tacarib
Bay, Grande Tacarib Bay, Madamas Bay and Grande Matelot Bay.
This list should evolve as consideration is given to other areas that are of unique quality
and high aesthetic appeal. The MLG and the Municipal Corporation, along with other
collaborating agencies, such as the Forestry Division, Tourism Development Company
Limited Trinidad and Tobago (TDC), EMA, Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), among
others should identify, assess and develop a full list of Landscapes of National and
Regional Importance.
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It will be important to preserve such areas of high landscape and aesthetic value, and
areas forming an attractive background to tourist development. Great emphasis will be
placed on the visual impact of developments on such landscapes. It will also be critical
to design developments in such a way to retain high and unique quality landscapes
within the Municipality. Regard will be paid to the coastal protection structures
particularly in undeveloped coastal areas with unique quality and aesthetical appeal to
locals and visitors.
Controlling development in these areas will take collaboration among the key partner
State and Statutory agencies as well as the development of a National Policy and
Regulations which recognise and speak to the issue of the preservation of Landscapes of
High Aesthetic Importance.
3. Individual Trees and Group of Trees
There are a number of existing trees in the urban areas of the Municipality that are of
outstanding natural beauty, help create attractive landscapes and some are of historical
importance. A list of trees and woodlands of conservation value will be developed for
Tunapuna/Piarco and guidelines developed for the retention or removal of these trees.
Tree Preservation Orders made under the TCP Act will be issued with respect to trees
identified for protection.
4. Tourism Environmental Assets
It is important to protect key environmental assets for the tourism industry and to
prevent their damage or destruction for short term gain. A number of sites have been
identified as areas of importance because of the high quality of their landscape, and the
unique experiences they offer. There is a partial listing of these sites for
Tunapuna/Piarco which includes Areas of Quality Landscape, Scenic Routes, Protected
Areas and Sites of Historical Importance. The Environmental Assets in the
Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco utilised by the Tourism Industry are highlighted
below:
Natural Tourism Resources within the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality
Names
Beaches
o
o
o
Yarra Bay
L’Anse Mitan Bay
Blanchisseuse Bay
o
o
o
o
o
o
Paria Bay
Grande Tacaribe
Madamas Bay
Murphy Bay
Petite Tacaribe Bay
Grande Tacaribe Bay
Features
swimming, food, parking, rip currents,
leatherback turtles
hiking, swimming, rip currents
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Names
Features
o
o
o
o
Madamas Bay
Lopinot Caves,
Dunstan Cave (Arima Valley)
Aripo Caves
Rivers
o
o
o
o
o
o
Marianne River (Three Pool)
Paria River
Guanapo River (Guanapo Gorge)
Caura
Lopinot River
Maracas River (upper reaches)
Bathing/recreation
Waterfalls
o
o
o
o
o
o
Paria
Guanapo Gorge
Sumbasson
Aripo
Asa Wright
Cleaver Woods
Hiking, swimming
o
o
North Coast
Rainforest Drive – (Arima/
Blanchisseuse Road)
Rainforest Drive – (Lopinot/
Blanchisseuse Road)
Caura Valley
Blanchisseuse Bay
Caves
Nature Centre
Scenic Drives
o
Camp Sites
o
o
Hiking, oilbirds
Conservation area, educational activities,
bird watching, nature trails, recreational
Completion of this register is important as Trinidad and Tobago focus on ecotourism as
a viable industry and more community-led ecotourism is established. There are a
number of sites unique to the area and known only at the community level. These sites
should form part of a Register of Environmental Assets for the Tourism Industry of
Regional and National Importance.
This Tourism Environmental Assets List will be fully developed in collaboration with
the relevant State and Statutory agencies, Key Tourism Industry Stakeholders and the
NGO and Community Sector.
5. Co-Management Nature Conservation
It is important to acknowledge and ensure the protection of the natural resources of the
Region, including its forests, wildlife habitats, biodiversity, and the beauty of its
landscape. The establishment of co-management systems is one approach in achieving
this objective. The lessons of community-led conservation and ecotourism initiatives
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within the Municipality and in the Sangre Grande Municipality can be used as a model
to develop community–led schemes in Tunapuna/Piarco. The community of Brasso
Seco is already involved in a co-management tourism and conservation scheme. The
National Reforestation and Watershed Rehabilitation Programme represents an
opportunity for community-driven rehabilitation of degraded and deforested areas. At
present, there are a number of community groups in the Region involved in replanting
and forest protection activities as part of this Programme. It will be important at this
point to conduct an evaluation of the Programme and to increase the involvement and
collaboration with key partner agencies, including Forestry Division and the TPRC.
6. Managing Hillside Development
Where hillside development is to be permitted, such as in developments already
approved in Maracas Valley, policies, standards, and guiding principles stipulated in the
Hillside Development Policy of the TCPD will be enforced. Included are the following
measures which are intended to maintain or maximise slope stability, reduce
vulnerability to erosion and landslides, and limit the migration of sediments from
hillsides:

Minimising the removal of vegetative cover;

Minimising disturbance caused by cutting and grading of land for buildings/structures,
driveways, and roads;

Re-vegetating disturbed land within one month of completion of the development; and

Prohibiting earthmoving operations on slopes in areas where the soils are vulnerable to
erosion or are geologically unstable.
Any new built development that may be allowed in the Northern Range will be
clustered in order that as much of the land as possible would remain uncovered by hard
surfaces. In planning and assessing development proposals in sensitive areas the
Precautionary Principle will be applied.
Projects to be implemented for the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality are as follows:
1. Soliciting the views of burgesses and defining the following terms
a. Scenic Landscapes of High Aesthetic Importance;
b. Environmental Assets of Importance to the Tourism Industry; and
c. Trees and Green Belts of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Historical
Importance.
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2. Identification, mapping and designation of Landscapes of High Aesthetic
Importance;
3. Identification and mapping of Environmental Assets of Importance to the
Tourism Industry;
4. Mapping and designation of special protected areas under the National Parks
and Other Protected Areas System and Environmentally Sensitive Areas
Regulations;
5. Identification and mapping of trees and green belts of outstanding natural
beauty;
6. Development of guidelines for the sustainable management of agricultural lands
to be leased by Government; and
7. Monitoring and mapping of hillside development, squatting and other hillside
activities.
7. Strictly Controlling the Quarries Industry
Open-pit quarrying is a major economic activity in the Municipality, but it has resulted
in serious environmental challenges and problems for which there has been much
debate but little relief. It is critical at this stage of the development of the Municipality to
effectively control this industry, not only in light of current concerns but for the
sustainability of the industry beyond this present generation. There are a number of
activities which are undertaken to bring order to the industry and to minimise negative
impacts, including the following:

Conduct of an audit of quarries and quarry operations and rationalisation of
operations of the industry;

Instituting strong regulation and monitoring of quarry operations consistent
with best practices and legislative reform;

Regularisation and closure of all illegal operations;

Operation of a Quarries Rehabilitation Fund based on funds collected at the start
of and during operations of quarries;

Provision of appropriate levels of security to guard against resource capture,
including the establishment an electronic monitoring system to ensure real time
information on quarry operations; and
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
Development and implementation of an Abandoned Quarries Rehabilitation
Plan initially targeting rehabilitation of spent quarries in Valencia area and
including activities such as the relocation of squatters from abandoned quarries,
exploring alternative uses of areas for productive activities – fish farming, leisure
and recreational activities, etcetera.
ENV-4: Protection of Landscapes, Open Spaces, Historical and Cultural Assets
A. Open Spaces, Landscaped Areas and Outdoor Recreational Facilities
The SDP promotes the concept of Natural Tunapuna/Piarco which recognises the link
between the natural environment and human health and wellbeing, and promotes
greener ways to stay healthy and all activities that lead to healthy choices and healthier
lifestyles. Natural Tunapuna/Piarco also encourages all communities to know,
appreciate and have strong links with their natural and historical heritage. Part of this
programme requires the Municipality to have a well developed network of green
resources, including open spaces, landscaped areas, and outdoor recreational facilities.
The SDP encourages the protection and enhancement of the Municipality‟s open spaces
and outdoor recreational facilities for the benefit of all.
The provision of publicly accessible open spaces (such as parks and landscaped spaces),
and outdoor recreational facilities is the responsibility of both TPRC and Central
Government agencies, such as the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, the
MOE and, and the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs (MSYA). Various private sector
organisations have provided open spaces and outdoor recreational facilities, for sports
such as, football, golf, etcetera. The Region‟s forest resources are under the control of the
Forestry Division, while its water resources – rivers, waterfalls, etcetera – fall mainly
under the jurisdiction of Drainage Division and the TPRC. At present, the responsibility
for the Municipality‟s historical resources falls between stools.
The specific objective of this Policy is to ensure passive and active recreational uses occur in a
manner that is environmentally sensitive and takes place in accordance with the principle of
sustainable resource management.
The Municipality will:

Protect and enhance existing open spaces and sites designated for future provisioning;

Ensure availability and accessibility of open spaces and recreational facilities to all
groups of the society including children, the elderly, and the disabled;
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
Ensure that designated open spaces are provided as an integral part of new residential
development and that suitable provisions be put in place for their management and
maintenance in perpetuity;

Ensure that the provision of new open space areas and outdoor recreational facilities is in
keeping with the environmental conservation principles and helps sustain and enhance
biodiversity; and

Ensure the development of appropriate facilities and services to support outdoor
recreation in rural areas.
1. Protection and Enhancement of Existing Open Spaces and Sites
The demand for recreational resources and leisure time will increase in the short and
medium terms as Trinidadians and Tobagonians seek to escape the stressors of their
daily lives. Green spaces are an intricate part of the urban landscape in maintaining and
enhancing environmental quality while facilitating access to outdoor recreation and
natural areas, and preserving historical and archaeological sites and structures. A range
of such resources already exists in the Municipality – a list of such resources has been
developed as part of the baseline analysis for the preparation of this Plan. Their numbers
are likely to increase as new residential developments are established. Allocation of land
for new open spaces and outdoor recreational facilities is already part of the stipulations
for planning approval process for new developments. However, the past trend has been
that developers sometimes use these lands for other uses than otherwise designated to
the disadvantage of the neighbouring communities that may not have easy access to
open spaces and recreational resources. This trend will stop with the establishment of
appropriate system of monitoring and enforcement of regulations by the TPRC.
A minimum standard for the allocation of land for open spaces and outdoor recreation
resources and guidelines for their management and use will be developed. Such
standards and guidelines will take into account a number of factors including
anticipated participation rates, mobility and accessibility by all societal groups, nonrecreational use, environmental principles for conservation and protection of the
resource, etcetera.
There are a number of existing spaces and recreational resources in the Municipality that
are being neglected and are often used for non-recreational activities that hinder their
utilisation by legitimate users. Such resources will be rehabilitated and brought back
into productive use. Innovative ways will be found to ensure their sustainable
management including employing community-led management initiatives.
In cases where change of use is being proposed for open spaces and recreation
resources, the impact assessment will take into account the cumulative and long term
impact of the loss of such spaces.
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There are several protected areas in the Municipality. The development of these areas
(establishment of trails and routes) and their use for recreational activities must not
conflict with their traditional uses and with the ecological, conservation and protection
objectives of these protected areas. Care must also be taken to preserve scenic routes,
green belts and areas of outstanding natural beauty. An inventory of such sites and
resources will be developed in the short term and proper signage developed to highlight
their presence. In addition, care will be taken to ensure that such areas are not
obstructed or considerably devalued by new development.
2. Increasing and Improvement of Opportunities for Rural Recreation
There are some recreational activities which are best undertaken in rural settings
including country walks and drives, bicycling, hiking, picnics, and sea bathing. Local
tourism has taken off on the North Coast and in the mountain sub-regions as people
seek more leisure time and more passive activities on weekends and on public holidays.
The SDP recognised that such pursuits create their own demand for facilities, such as
parking, camping sites, cooking facilities, picnic areas, garbage disposal system, etcetera.
Some local communities in conjunction with TDC, Ministry of Tourism (MOT) and other
Central Government agencies, have taken advantage of this tide of local tourism by
offering tour guiding, hiking services, and sale of food. However, much more needs to
be done to ensure that these activities are conducted without damage to the
environment. There will be collaboration among the main stakeholder which includes
the TPRC, Central Government agencies and local communities in developing tourism
products and to establish suitable systems for management of the resources.
3. Sustainable Use of Water Courses as Recreational Resources
Many persons use the rivers of the Municipality for recreational purposes - bathing,
fishing, riverside cooking, picnicking, etcetera. It will be important to preserve
traditional and new sites for recreational use and to provide services to enhance and
protect their integrity in areas such as Maracas River, Caura River, Lopinot River,
Mausica River, Arima River, and Aripo River. Preservation of these sites include
undertaking an inventory and providing guidelines for their use, particularly with
respect to waste disposal. The quality of water in many of these rivers is questionable
and poses health risk to users. An appropriate programme for monitoring of recreational
water must be instituted, if the country is to achieve the national development goals by
2020.
A number of projects are earmarked for implementation in the Tunapuna/Piarco
Municipality:
1. Identification and mapping of Open Spaces, Landscaped Areas and Outdoor
Recreational Facilities.
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2. Development of an effective system for monitoring and enforcement of
regulations with regards to use of recreational resources.
3. Establishment of a monitoring programme for recreational water quality.
B. Historical and Cultural Heritage
The conservation and enhancement of Tunapuna/Piarco historical heritage can
contribute significantly to the quality of life of burgesses and help generate a sense of
regional pride. This heritage must play a part in the sustainable development of the
Municipality. It will be importance to strike a balance between protecting and enhancing
these resources while at the same time allowing for their use.
The specific objective of this policy is to Preserve and Enhance the Historical and
Cultural Heritage of Tunapuna/Piarco.
The Municipality will:
1. Identify and protect historical and cultural resources
There are several places and structures within Tunapuna/Piarco that are of cultural
heritage significance, some of which has been identified as part of the Situational Report
(Annex 1). Notwithstanding the national inventory of sites of historical and cultural
heritage significance, the TPRC will develop an inventory for sites, structures and other
artefacts within the Municipality in collaboration with relevant Government agencies
and NGO and Community Sector. As part of the initial assessment undertaken in
preparation of the SDP, a number of sites have been identified that will be considered of
cultural heritage value. An audit will be conducted to assess the condition of these
identified resources including the issue of ownership and/or control. As a follow-up, it
will be critical to devise a management and maintenance plan for those resources and to
identify sites and structures for priority protection. At the same time, it will be
opportune to set out guidelines and policy for the protection of the historical heritage.
The projects to be implemented are as follows:
1. Identification, mapping and designation of historical cultural heritage resources
in Tunapuna/Piarco of national and regional importance.
2. Conduct an audit of cultural heritage resources to determine the condition and
priority status of the resources for protection.
3. Development of guidelines for the protection of cultural heritage resources.
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ENV-5: Minimising Waste and Pollution
It is important to manage the amount of waste generated annually from within the
Municipality by reducing the generation of waste where possible; encouraging best use,
reuse and recycling of materials; and monitoring and regulating the handling,
processing and disposal of municipal waste. Ultimately an effective management system
leads to the protection of public health and safety, and the environment. This Priority
Area is strongly linked to behavioural change, and buy-in from Local Government, the
private sector, and the public is critical for the establishment of an effective and efficient
system.
Particularly difficult to treat with are tyres and scrap metal/vehicular waste. Increasing
car ownership numbers will make disposal of these wastes increasingly problematic.
The TPRC has been considering the purchase of a waste processing plant that consumes
solid waste, tyres and biomass. Discarded waste items will be collected and the plant
will collect the materials that can be recycled and dispose of the rest.
The specific objective of this policy is to improve waste management in the Tunapuna/Piarco
Municipality. The SDP supports the establishment of an Effective Integrated Municipal
Waste Management System. The National Action Programme to Combat Land
Degradation (2006-2020) has as one of its short term objectives, the need to improve
municipal solid waste collection and disposal systems as well as explore the adoption of
new technologies in waste disposal. The TPRC in collaboration with Trinidad and
Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) and TPRC will
develop and adopt an integrated municipal waste management system which supports
the following:
1. Greater responsibility by individual and corporate burgesses for the waste they
generate;
2. A reduction in the amount of waste generated at the household and institutional
levels;
3. Sorting waste at source;
4. Increasing recycling and re-use of waste;
5. Ensuring compliance with the system by negligent householders, business
owners and others;
6. Proper handling, transport and disposal of hazardous waste including medical
and industrial waste;
7. Developing a system and sites within the Municipality for composting of waste;
8. Cleaning up of illegal dumping sites and regulation of such activities.
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The TPRC will formulate and implement an action plan which sets out its proposals for
reducing the amount of waste reaching the disposal facilities and for improving its
waste collection and disposal systems. It is envisaged that waste reaching the landfill
can be reduced by 40 percent. This action plan will address the establishment of
municipal recycling programme to encourage greater recycling and reuse by their
residents. It will also be important for the Corporation to strengthen its system for waste
collection and disposal.
In addition, the SWMCOL has designated the Region for the strategic location of a waste
transfer station in the Wallerfield area. The Plan recommends that another station be
located along the North Coast.
The following projects will be undertaken as part of the Tunapuna/Piarco SDP:
1. Development and establishment of an integrated waste management system.
2. Development and establishment of a hazardous waste management system.
3. Development of a Waste Transfer Station in Wallerfield and along the North
Coast.
4. Development of community education social marketing programme to sensitise
and change behaviours with respect of household and community waste
management.
ENV-6: Improving Disaster Management
The TPRC will strengthen the municipal disaster management system, by identifying
and reducing risk to disaster and adopting a proactive approach to disaster
preparedness and management.
Municipal Disaster Management Plan
As part of its remit, the TPRC will take the lead in developing a comprehensive and
strong disaster management system for the Municipality. This first entails the
development of a Municipal Disaster Management Plan which is guided by National
Disaster Policy and Programmes but address issues specific to the Region, evacuation of
main town centres, aviation-related accidents, early warning system, community
emergency responses, and communication strategy for informing burgesses during
upset times.
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Shelter Management
The TPRC has responsibility for shelter management and will take a proactive approach
in the identification, evaluation and ensuring that these facilities meet required
standards for such facilities. The Corporation will also ensure that adequate shelter
capacity is in place in the Municipality. Effective collaboration will be required between
the Corporation and the MLG, ODPM and disaster response agencies, among others in
this activity.
Early Warning Systems
In keeping with the National Action Programme to Combat Land Degradation in
Trinidad and Tobago, early warning systems will be developed for potential disaster
events, such as flooding, and El Nino dry seasons. Strategic vulnerable communities will
be targeted as pilot in the Municipality for the development of early warning system for
flooding. Lessons in the establishment of an early warning system pilot in the Santa
Cruz/San Juan River will be incorporated into the programme in Tunapuna/Piarco.
ENV-7: Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change
There is recognition both at the Central Government and Local Government levels that
accelerated global warming and climate change are a reality. The current rate of
warming and climate change is as a result of human activity, primarily due to increased
emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as a result of the burning of fossil
fuel, industrial processes and waste management.
Tunapuna/Piarco faces a heavy toll as its entire coastline is impacted by accelerated
coastal erosion. The projected changes in the climate of Trinidad and Tobago will lead to
a 1.1-2.6oC increased in atmospheric temperature by 2060, along with less annual rainfall
and increased sea level rise. The impact of such changes is expected to be multi-sectoral,
affecting agricultural production, human health, human settlements, coastal zone and
water resources.
The Government has produced a draft Climate Change Policy which is currently being
circulated for public review and comments. The Policy provides measures to mitigate
and adapt to the impact of Climate Change. At a regional level, the TPRC will:
In respect of Mitigation:

Support and promote national initiatives to reduce the emissions of greenhouse
gases and will encourage the development and use of renewable energy sources.
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To this end a study will be undertaken to explore the feasibility of the coastal
region as a site for wind-generated energy initiatives;

Promote energy saving measures and devices;

Promote and support energy-efficient building designs. The Corporation will
work with the TCPD and others in developing and enforcing a Green Building
Code and energy efficiency standards; and

Encourage and support projects that enhance natural carbon sinks through the
conservation and protection of forests and natural systems and the reforestation
and rehabilitation of denuded areas that contribute to carbon sequestration.
The Plan also supports the replanting of other denuded locations as part of the National
Reforestation and Watershed Rehabilitation Programme (NRWRP) and reforestation
projects undertaken by the Forestry Division. However, there is need to review and
strengthen the NRWRP initiatives.
In respect of Adaptation:

Support public education and social marketing initiatives through its Natural
Tunapuna/Piarco and Contractor Compliance Programmes and other initiatives;

Develop its information system to collect data on the impact of climate change;

Work with MOWT and other State agencies with responsibility for
infrastructural development and natural resource management:

implementation of recommendations of Flood Mitigation and Integrated
Watershed Studies in the Region;

development of flood risk management guidelines for the Region;

development of a coastal protection strategy for southeast Trinidad,
which includes the identification of coastal protection and defence
mechanisms; and

conduct and implementation of recommendations of risk assessments to
manage risks associated with landslides and erosion.
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4.3
Economic Development
PREAMBLE
The investing of Municipal Corporations with greater
powers in the governance structure of Trinidad and
Tobago implies greater involvement of residents in
municipalities and their representatives, in the
formulation of industrial policy.
In the economic and social development of the country,
industrial policy and planning have been the preserve of
the Central Government. The prospective local
government legislation anticipates greater voice on the
part of the citizenry.
A review of the recent economic history of Trinidad and
Tobago is replete with examples of viable activities and
even sectors that have emerged and blossomed without
any stimulus from the planning agencies of the State.
For example, there is a food processing cluster along the
East-West corridor that has evolved without the benefits
of a formal industrial strategy.
The emergence of a „University Town‟ has gone almost
unnoticed and undetected as an integral feature of the
western area of the Municipality. The possibilities that
this affords the country and the Municipality have
remained largely unrealised and need to be fully
explored. The presence of universities and tertiary
education and training in close proximity to industrial
estates has not led to industry/university links of
substance. Medical tourism is an emerging subsector,
but has hardly merited mention in the new national
tourism policy prepared by the MOT14.
Ministry of Tourism, 2009. National Tourism Policy (September 2009).
Website source: http://www.tourism.gov.tt/documentlibrary/downloads/
10/National_Tourism_Policy_Final.pdf.
14
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Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality is endowed with an excellent complement of resources
on which to build economic drivers over the next two decades. These include:

Large reservoir of high level human resources, resident in, or on tap to the
Region;

Varied economic infrastructure;

Resource base to support different types of tourism;

Access to Piarco International Airport; and

Relative proximity to the main seaports of Trinidad.
The presence of much of the tertiary education infrastructure of the country within the
Municipality gives it a considerable advantage over other locations in the country, and
places it in a highly competitive mode vis-à-vis engaging with the rest of the world.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The key objective of the Economic Development Priority Area Policies and Proposals
for the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality is a thrust to sustainable economic and
industrial development, through empowerment of businesses, raising the
technological profile of production, and the creation of high quality employment
within the Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco.
POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
The policies and proposals described herein will support the expansion of traditional economic
activities (tertiary education and training services, retailing, manufacturing, public services,
etcetera) and the emergence of new growth sectors, including ecotourism, medical tourism,
heritage tourism, business tourism and conferencing, sport, financial services, and information
and communications technology [ICT]).
ECD-1: The Economic Drivers of Tunapuna/Piarco
The Municipality is set to continue to grow as one of the most dynamic locations in
Trinidad. It distinguishes itself as the heartland in which will evolve the foundation of
new economy of Trinidad and Tobago in its post-energy driven future. It is in this
Municipality that reside some of the important possibilities for a development path that
would allow the country to retain viability in export markets and in accruing foreign
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exchange, as the world reduces its present reliance on fossil fuels, and as the country
shifts to greater reliance on non-energy or non-oil exports.
The main sectors, on which this new economic paradigm will be built, are:

Tertiary Education and Training, both as a stand-alone activity and as the base
for technological applications in industrial investments, as inputs in technical
consulting and related services;

Tertiary Health Care and Medical Tourism;

Eco-tourism;

Resort Tourism;

Heritage Tourism;

Business Tourism and Conferencing;

Merchandising, Commerce and Distribution;

Financial Services;

Manufacturing;

Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture;

Agri-business and Fish-Processing; and

Public Services and Public Administration.
In support of all of this will be a substantial Construction Industry, and Maintenance
Services, as new buildings are constructed, roads are built, infrastructure expanded and
retrofitted.
In the new approach to spatial planning, the Municipality has to be put under the lens of
a structured planning framework and some of the major physical impacts of poor
planning and lack of observance of physical planning rules and guidelines become
obvious and in need of correcting: widespread flooding from hillside development is
one example of the need for retro-fitting. This involves reforestation, along with major
engineering works that will become an important economic activity in the area, creating
employment opportunities in the years ahead.
The base of Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality will be characterised by a large services
economy, potentially very dynamic and based on the application of high level human
resources. In the post-independence period, industrial strategy was built on the
promotion of manufacturing, including light manufacturing, as the basis of economic
diversification. The establishment of industrial estates at Macoya and Trincity was the
visible evidence of the strategy at work. It was expected that the new industry would be
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directed at the export markets in the main. This latter objective was partially achieved
with much of the emerging industry becoming engaged in import substitution, and then
later on, exporting to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) where Trinidad and
Tobago industry became the dominant supplier.
More recently, official industrial strategy that has evolved out of the Vision 2020 has two
main strands:

A renewed thrust at heavy industry a la Point Lisas of the 1970s, anchored on
energy, but with a view to a greater presence in downstream activity; and

The development of a number of sectors outside of the energy and related
industries.
The studies conducted by the Ministry of Trade and Industry led it to focus on
Information and Communications Technology; Yachting; Fish and Fish Processing;
Merchant Marine; Printing and Publishing; Music and Entertainment; Film; and Food
and Beverage.
There is some convergence between these sectors and the list of potentially dynamic
sectors in the Municipality. However, the economic development and industrial
transformation of the Municipality have to be viewed against the backdrop of the overall
development strategy of the country which, given its small size, has inevitably to be
centred on its export strategy. The MOT, along with the Ministry of Energy and Energy
Industries (MEEI) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) are all involved in
setting export-oriented industrial strategy for the country.
Most of these sectors have relevance for the Municipality. Information and
communications technology are cross-cutting, as a component of the physical
infrastructure of a modern economy – providing the platform on which most economic
activities are run. However, there is also information and communications technology as
a stand-alone sector.
Fish and fish processing operations will remain relevant to Blanchisseuse which is the
area of the Municipality with ongoing activities in the fishing industry. There are
locations within the Municipality that are amenable to aquaculture. The other fields –
Printing and Publishing, Music and Entertainment, Film, and Food and Beverage are
activities in which there are firms already operating in the Municipality or which can
easily find a base for their operations in the Municipality, especially one with an already
diversified base, and teeming with resources that allow for the competitive participation
of the Municipality.
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There are already firms that are part of the cluster of operations in the Food and
Beverage sector that are located in the Municipality. A facilitative public sector might
well involve promotion of Research and Development (R&D), provision of training for
labour or personnel for particular fields in the sector, for example phytosanitary, and infirm testing. Alternatively, given the existing agricultural potential, the food and
beverage sector might be the locus of forward linkage in the promotion of the
agricultural sector within the Municipality.
Finally, the presence of the largest concentration of population in Trinidad and Tobago,
and of tertiary training institutions in the Municipality, where programmes in Art and
Culture are part of an emerging offering, and where there are groups involved in music,
entertainment and film, suggests that there is a fertile environment for the development
and growth of industry in these sub-sectors – steel bands and Indian cultural groups are
very active in the Municipality.
The spatial requirements of these latter activities are already easily realisable in the
Municipality. However, the provision of cultural centres and facilities where large
audiences can be accommodated are some of the facilities that are required. The
establishment of community centres and related complexes in district centres, can be the
base for the exposure of emerging cultural groups in the Municipality.
Thus, a major cultural complex comparable to Queen’s Hall in Port-of-Spain, and
complemented by district or community facilities might well be the hierarchy of
support of groups involved in the Arts and Culture, whose skills and expertise can be
enhanced by a continual supply of personnel with training at the University level in
music and film: the University of the West Indies and UTT already offer programmes in
the relevant fields. A possible location for the cultural centre is on a site just south of the
Pan Trinbago Headquarters in the Orange Grove area. Existing community centres in
all communities will be expanded where necessary and remodelled to accommodate
small local events.
ECD-2: Tertiary Education and Training: The University Town in Making
The Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco lays claim as the Centre of Knowledge for
Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean. The area is a Mecca for students
pursuing higher education in Trinidad and Tobago. Although most students at the
respective institutions are from Trinidad and Tobago, there is a small number of
students from the CARICOM Region and further afield. One initiative to be employed
by the Municipality will involve encouraging an increase in foreign students, who,
through their fees and their requirements for accommodation, can contribute to the
increase in foreign exchange earnings.
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In any event, even among students from Trinidad and Tobago, attendance at tertiary
education institutions in the area creates a derived demand for housing, and for a host of
other services. It is likely that the expansion of facilities to permit a much larger
percentage of the cohort 20 to 24 years of age and the more mature to attend tertiary
education and training would result in an increasing derived demand in the years
ahead, including in respect of accommodation.
The expansion in student numbers from 80,000 to 120,000 over the next 10 years is not
unlikely, having regard to the investments in the public and private sectors in higher
education.
Greater clarity in planning for a university town in the area of St. Augustine to St. Joseph
has implications for transport, student accommodation, shopping and entertainment.
The Municipality‟s key education stakeholders along with the TPRC will work together
to anticipate requirements and to avoid some of the hastily contrived tenements without
appropriate complementary services, a deficiency that is evident at present in some
parts of Curepe and St. Augustine.
This type of tertiary education and training „tourism‟ has not been identified in the
tourism thrust developed by the MOT. However, recognising that Tertiary Education
can be a source of earnings of foreign exchange and that countries like the United
Kingdom and Australia have actively pursued the provision of tertiary education as a
foreign exchange earner, Tunapuna/Piarco will take advantage of such possibilities
given the strategic location of such institutions.
The Central Government and Municipal Corporation will formally endorse the
establishment of St. Augustine/Curepe/St. Joseph, as a university town. In that regard,
the TPRC will institute arrangements with the universities to:
1. Develop and maintain an ongoing relationship to ensure that the needs of the university
community are constantly being addressed;
2. Manage expansion in housing to ensure students and staff have access to safe and secure
accommodation within reasonable distance of the University Town;
3. Where possible, work in partnership with private sector and Central Government to
provide infrastructural and public utility needs of the University Town;
4. Develop student-friendly arrangements especially since a growing percentage of students
will be foreign nationals; and
5. Anticipate need for safe entertainment and recreation from large numbers of young
people, within close proximity to the campuses.
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ECD-3: Tertiary Health Care and Medical Tourism
Health Care and Medical Tourism can be built out of the cluster of Tertiary Health Care
Facilities at Mount Hope, and the private hospitals and medical tertiary facilities within
the St. Joseph, Curepe and St. Augustine areas. As indicated previously, the clientele of
these institutions is drawn from Trinidad and Tobago as well as from the Eastern
Caribbean.
These facilities can be complemented by the cluster constituted by the private hospitals
and other facilities in Port-of-Spain. The Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality has an excellent
opportunity in the offing, for expanding the presence of the area in medical tourism.
The Municipality will need to invest in a complement of facilities and services consisting
of the following:

Investment in three or more specialised fields to create centres of excellence in particular
aspects of tertiary care;

Formal institutionalisation of arrangements among tertiary care institutions, in respect
of their being a cluster offering care to the national and regional community;

Prioritisation of ambulatory services outside hospitals in the area, but within easy reach
of hospitals through small hotels designed to accommodate guests requiring medical care
services.
Not much is required in terms of physical land use planning beyond the hotel and
guesthouses for clients for ambulatory care services who need to be in the immediate
vicinity of the Tertiary Care Institutions along with relatives who may accompany them.
Expansion of existing hospitals or the building of additional hospital beds will need to
be conditioned by the densification rules that apply in the Municipality. In other words,
encouragement of multi-storey buildings in the creation of additional bed space has to
be addressed.
For the most part, other requirements are of an institutional nature. The TPRC will
institutionalise meetings with the management of the hospitals such that they can
exercise a coherent approach to such issues as:

Safe disposal of hospital medical waste;

Traffic management in and around hotels; and

Provision of services.
The Municipal Corporation will work closely with the EWMSC and the private hospitals
in the area in creating a network among them, with a view to promoting medical
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tourism as one of the services provided by the area. In that regard, there will be efforts
directed to:
1. Facilitating the establishment of hotels and guest houses targeted at (foreign) clients of
hospitals in an ambulatory stage of convalescence or in pre-operation preparation, and at
relatives who may accompany such clients;
2. Developing coherent strategies and infrastructure to treat with medical wastes;
3. Ensuring traffic management is sensitive to need for access to hospitals and care
facilities; and
4. Promoting specialisation and the development of centres of excellence in research and in
treatment in a few targeted areas in tertiary care.
Hotels and guest houses will be located mainly in the St. Joseph to St. Augustine area
but may spill out to areas further east based upon demand.
ECD-4: Eco-Tourism
The Municipality is well-endowed with potentially sustainable resources for a viable
eco-tourism subsector. The valleys offer an entree to nature trails in the Northern Range
– Maracas, Caura, and Lopinot. The Northern Range communities have already
established a programme in the sector. The famous Asa Wright Centre is unique. Brasso
Seco and La Laja attract a flow of tourists from abroad, as well as locals seeking to enjoy
the solitude, and to engage in bird watching in some of the most pristine forest locations
and landscapes of Trinidad.
Ecotourism provides opportunities for sustainable employment and income for the local
communities and can give the residents a sense of control over the development of their
space. It has the potential to maximise economic benefits and, far from destroying the
environment, minimise environmental costs. In the latter regard, limits to the carrying
capacity, both ecological and aesthetic, must be recognised and a determination made of
the maximum capacity that can be tolerated in each of the areas, and measures taken to
ensure that it is not exceeded.
It will be necessary, as well, to recognise the potential negative social impacts and take
steps to minimise them by facilitating the fullest involvement of local communities and
allowing them to play a meaningful role in the process of planning and implementing
the projects. In addition, the SDP encourages close collaboration with Forestry Division
and the EMA in the development of eco-tourism ventures.
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The major requirement in spatial planning is in the upgrading of the roads and their
regular maintenance, such that visitors can have ease of access, without the road system
and traffic obtruding on the land space and leading to the depreciation of the amenity
resource. Most critically, the Northern Range Communities - Asa Wright, La Laja, Brasso
Seco and Morne La Croix - can be treated together as an Eco-tourism node. Facilities for
visitors need to be planned but always with a view to maintaining sensitivity to
sustainability and to discouraging levels of physical construction that might prove
invasive on a fragile ecosystem. Here, physical planning has to be closely complemented
by inputs from environmental science. In that regard, the monitoring and evaluation
components of land use and spatial planning become the central focus, rather than the
documentation for a Draft Plan.
Indeed, sustainable eco-tourism, especially for the Northern Range communities,
requires an infrastructure that does not currently exist in Trinidad and Tobago. This
involves expertise not only of Land Use Planners, but institutionalisation of control
exercised by a full complement of other personnel with expertise in environmental
science, including the biological sciences, who will continuously be engaged in
monitoring, and working with NGO and community sector and other partners. The
institutional infrastructure to be built, will require that Central Government and the
Municipal Corporation, as well as community groups could act or react quickly in the
light of any evidence of environmental stress. Such an approach to the arrangement of
the eco-tourism amenity is a sine qua non of any spatial plan or of projects specific to the
Northern Range communities.
The TPRC will formally identify the Northern Range communities as a locus of
ecotourism sector within the Municipality. The Corporation will work with central
Government and Statutory and NGO partners in:
1. Constituting a team comprising expertise in environmental science, biological sciences
and physical planning, to monitor eco-tourism amenities, on a continuing basis, with a
view to ensuring that visitor presence and visitation levels do not endanger sites or the
flora and fauna of the area;
2. Assisting community groups with provision of skills for co-management of eco-tourism
resources;
3. Ensuring sustainability remains the guiding principle in management of resource, and
that physical man-made interventions impose little damage to the environment; and
4. Ensuring proper maintenance of road infrastructure and facilities for visitors.
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ECD-5: Resort Tourism
In recent years, Blanchisseuse has shown definite signals that it can be a seaside resort of
some importance. It is an idyllic location for sun, sea and solitude. While it is not blessed
with any major beach like Maracas or Las Cuevas, its seascape is of immense beauty,
with bathing possible in a few locations, and with surfing for the more adventurous.
There is also a stream that enters the sea in the area and allows for bathing at a few
points. The area is also a site frequented by the leatherback turtles.
However, the area suffers a severe water shortage and other deficiencies that mitigate
against its being developed as a high density resort. The area can support only a few
guest houses and small hotels over the next ten years, catering for locals and foreigners,
as is already the pattern. Ancillary services are required to support „day trippers‟ as well
as „stay-over‟ visitors. There is little infrastructure in place at the moment for such
traffic, in terms of public conveniences and change facilities, and parking.
The coastline is also vulnerable to erosion and sea level rise requires the application of
hard and/or soft solutions, viz., engineered defences, such as sea walls in the first
instance, and retreat or generous setbacks, as advised by the IMA and the Drainage
Division, in the second.
The Municipality will:
1. Develop Blanchisseuse as a low density resort location;
2. Provide basic amenities for day trippers to Blanchisseuse;
3. Improve road infrastructure to Las Cuevas in the west, and to Arima and Lopinot on the
other side of the Northern Range; and
4. Provide an environmentally sustainable means of sewage disposal that will ensure the
protection of the coastal environment from sewage pollution.
ECD-6: Business Tourism and Conferencing
There is a substantial level of business activity transacted in the area, not only among
locals, but with visitors from the region. This activity is set to expand in the years ahead
as more business is attracted to the area. As a developing business and commerce
emporium with proximity to the international airport, there is likely to be some demand
for hotel rooms on the part of regional visitors on business trips to the Trinidad.
The presence of two major tertiary institutions in the Municipality means that the area is
likely to attract academic conferences with some regularity. There are also business
conferences that might be attracted to the area, depending on the facilities. The Centre of
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Excellence has established the fact that there is a market for such services, although it
might not have attracted high level business conferences.
It is possible that over the next 10 years, the Municipality could attract a business and
convention hotel of some proportion, which would cater for both the high level
academic and business conferences and conventions, and can rival Port-of-Spain in that
regard. It already can support small meetings and academic conferences, with the
conference facilities of the University of the West Indies being an important factor.
The Municipal Corporation will promote the area as a good location for conferencing in
addition to developing its obvious advantages in business tourism. The Corporation will
work closely with the management of the three large malls - Valsayn, Grand Bazaar, and
Trincity - to create the appropriate image to clients coming from abroad. The TPRC, in
collaboration with MOT, TDC and other partners, will therefore:
1. Promote areas as suitable locations for hosting of conferences;
2. Develop capacity to manage large numbers of people needing accommodation and
attending conferences within the Municipality;
3. Develop airport to mall shuttles and facilitate shopping among visitors coming in from
abroad; and
4. Ensure protection especially for shoppers from abroad with coordinated security system
based on an electronic platform.
ECD-7: Heritage Tourism
Heritage Tourism could be further developed in Lopinot with focus on the preservation
of the Count Lopinot House, and a museum documenting fully the coming of the French
to Trinidad in the latter years of the 18th century. This would create interest in the
location as a historical and ecotourism site.
The industry will also be built around other buildings and sites of historical or
architectural interest in the Municipality, including St Joseph as the first capital of
Trinidad, the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, the St. Joseph Mosque, and the St. Mary‟s
Anglican Church and St. Mary‟s Children Home in Tacarigua. In addition, a Historic
District incorporating the George Earle Park in St. Joseph and historically significant
buildings in the vicinity will be identified for preservation and development as a
heritage attraction. This will help to provide the finances needed for the preservation
and maintenance of these resources.
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Development of this sector requires the introduction of incentives for private sector
investment in tourism facilities and services including hotels, guesthouses, vehicle
rentals, tour guiding, picnic sites, and restaurants.
ECD-8: Merchandising, Commerce, Distribution and Personal Services
The area is already host to a wide range of distribution, commerce and personal services
as indicated in the survey section of the Plan. As the capital city was transformed in the
last three decades, there are locations in this Municipality that have taken up the slack in
respect of warehousing and merchandising, as well as in distribution and commerce,
that are evident in the three shopping malls – Grand Bazaar, Valsayn and Trincity, the
latter being the largest in the country. If properly marketed, this commercial cluster can
become a major emporium capable of competing with Miami in providing competitive
shopping for clientele from the Eastern Caribbean.
Height limits will be raised for business establishments to accommodate expansion,
given the relative absence of sites for building new business complexes in the existing
locations. In that regard, further shifts in population and business to the east of the
Municipality, for example in Wallerfield become a possibility.
The opening of a PriceSmart Mall in Mausica is a portent of the spatial shift of
population to the east, with access to the Highway being an important determinant of
the new activities and establishment of major commercial developments to serve the
expanding population.
Small groceries and supermarkets in District Centres will continue to compete with the
large super stores. Increased criminal activities in the country have eroded the
competitiveness of the small establishments which usually offered longer opening
hours. Investment in an upgraded security infrastructure and better capacity of the
authorities in respect of crime prevention and crime detection will result in increased
business especially in the area of commerce and distribution.
Beside supermarkets and small groceries, a rapidly growing population will require
such facilities as:

Fresh produce, and vegetable and fruit supply neighbourhood stores;

Department stores, book stores, and dry good suppliers;

Restaurants;

Pharmacies and health food stores;

Furniture and household equipment supply stores;
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
Medical and Dental Services;

Legal Services;

Other personal services – fitness trainers, launderers, barbers, hairstylists, tailors,
seamstresses, and beauticians, day spa operators; and

Funeral parlours.
The Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with key partners, will:

Develop a coherent approach to shopping and commerce in the area, facilitating
convenience to all shoppers;

Ensure traffic management is sensitive to the needs of a large body of shoppers in various
locations of the Municipality;

Collaborate with business owners to ensure improved security and facilitate extended
hours; and

Ensure that the distribution of personal and other services provides an adequate mix in
each concentration of business activity.
ECD-9: Financial Services
With the increase in the population, the financial services sector will expand to serve the
needs of businesses and the community of the Municipality. Most of the important
financial services institutions in the country are located in the Municipality. One of the
largest credit unions in the country has its headquarters and a branch in the
Municipality. An expanding population with higher income will create a demand for
services in banking, insurance and real estate.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT) proposes to develop the Financial
Services Sector in the hope of making the country a financial services centre with
international standing. Although Port-of-Spain is seen as the headquarters of this new
sector, firms operating with that market as their focus, do not need to be located in Portof-Spain if there is good access to telecommunications and they can be easily accessed by
all their clients.
Given its strategic location, the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality may well attract a
number of important international players in the Financial Services Sector to establish
their operations in the Region. In that regard, all that may be necessary is the
remodelling of existing buildings in one or more locations in the Municipality.
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Alternatively, or in addition, space can be provided for this in the proposed Trincity
Business District or Business Park.
The TPRC will seek to ensure a major presence of the area in the Financial Services
Sector. To this end, it will identify a location for:

Establishment of a few targeted institutions capable of identifying the Municipality as a
financial services centre: spatial architecture, conveniences for visitors, and security are
important necessary conditions; and

Facilitation of any specialised telecommunications infrastructure required by financial
services firms that operates in the international financial services market.
ECD-10: Industrial Development
The challenge for the next 10 years lies in re-directing activities at the three industrial
estates towards the use of higher level technologies. The estates are well located to
embark on a new path, partly in conformity with the thrust identified by the Ministry of
Trade and Industry, and partly on the basis of the resource base with which
Tunapuna/Piarco is endowed.
The estates provide space for some amount of manufacturing space. Few of the activities
are oriented at export-markets, and where they are, these may be limited to the regional
market, where there may still be protection afforded by the CARICOM agreement. In the
emerging international economic dispensation, which includes the removal of tariffs and
a far more open competition, manufacturing that might have been competitive in the
latter half of the 20th century, may not be able to survive. Most critically, there is the
matter of scientific and technological change that has made obsolete, most
manufacturing premised on the assumption of the access to, and use of cheap labour.
The requirement for competitive manufacturing in the early 21st century involves the
application of science and technology across a wide swathe. It is likely that existing
industries could not survive in the absence of their being anchored on approaches that
lead to technological adaptation and upgrading with regularity, and almost in real time.
In this regard, the presence of UWI in the Municipality and of campuses of the new UTT
will be fully exploited. In addition to the industrial estates being used as the locus for
start-ups for new manufacturing by young student entrepreneurs, eager to try out and
apply ideas deriving from R&D activities in the university system, there is the matter of
industry-university links in which firms involved in manufacturing seek to keep abreast
of new ideas that might be relevant and which may be on the agenda of university
research teams.
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The UTT is committed to the building of industry around:

Upstream Technologies;

Process and Utility Engineering;

Maritime Industry;

Information and Communications Technology;

Industrial Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management; and

Construction Industry.
Most of these should resonate positively with the TPRC, in terms of industrial planning
over the next ten years, and there are firms on the industrial estate engaged in related
fields. A focused approach to the two universities might result in the stimulation of
activities on the industrial estates, leading to the emergence of new manufacturing and
other industry in the next decade.
In the former case – budding manufacturing entrepreneurs emanating from the
University System – there will be need for e TecK, in collaboration with the Municipal
Corporation, to contextualise their needs in the allocation of space on the existing and in
any prospective industrial estate, whether at Wallerfield or elsewhere in the
Municipality.
As part of its new role, the TPRC may want to discourage or to relocate certain
industries, given that with such a high percentage of the better trained personnel in the
country, it has a vested interest in encouraging economic activities that are heavily
reliant on high level human resources. Thus, space that is occupied by low technology
industry may not constitute the best use of the industrial space within the Municipality.
The TPRC will collaborate with e TecK and other partners, to shift industrial estates to
higher value activities by:
1. Identifying industries that are better capable of taking advantage of the high quality
human resources available to the industry;
2. Initiating the process of shedding ‘sunset’ activities utilising space on the industrial
estate, in favour of ‘sunrise’ industries; and
3. Promoting an environment conducive to the growth of a high level service economy in
the Municipality.
There are a number of sites on which large industrial complexes can be developed or redeveloped. These include the former Neal and Massy industrial complex on the CRH
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south of Santa Rosa Heights, and the former Kirpalani industrial complex on Tumpuna
Road east of La Horquetta.
Small industrial estates should also be developed in residential areas to accommodate
population oriented service industry such as motor vehicle garages, appliance repair
shops, and furniture manufacturers, but only where they can be sited and planned to
prevent negative impacts upon the health, safety, and welfare of the residents. The sites
would need to be sufficiently large to buffer the activities from the residents.
Industrial Incubators
In spite of the oft-quoted statements in Budget Speeches over the years on the promotion
of start-ups and industrial incubators, the strategic thrust of the MOTI does not place
much reliance on such initiatives, except in respect of ICT.
A more sensitive TPRC may see the importance of industrial incubation at the industrial
estates and would seek to network or create networks among relevant agencies that can
facilitate initiatives in all of these areas.
The TPRC will collaborate with e TecK and other partner institutions with a view to
providing time-bound space to young entrepreneurs, especially those graduating from
the Universities, to establish industrial incubators, and ICT based firms, on the existing
industrial estates.
ECD-11: Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
The Government has expressed its commitment to agriculture. Over the last 10 years, the
industry has undergone tremendous changes, moving from the large scale production of
sugar cane to the closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd, the subdivision of its holdings into megafarms and two-acre small farm holdings, and the conversion of some agricultural lands
into other uses (such as residential and industrial). Focus now lies mainly on domestic
production and achieving food security. This means that there is need to preserve the
best and most versatile agricultural lands so as to support varying types of agriculture –
from intensive vegetable production, tree crop production to livestock production.
High quality agricultural land is a critical natural resource. There are only around 6,600
hectares of land in the Municipality that is classified as I to III quality. Conversion of
these lands to urban use is permanent, signalling the end of agriculture and activities
supporting the industry. For this reason, careful consideration must be given to the
conversion of such lands. Agricultural subdivisions should be based upon land
capability which will determine the crop to be cultivated and the minimum economic
farm size for that specific commodity.
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Tunapuna/Piarco is endowed with agricultural assets, including its traditional valley
and mountain agricultural districts (such as Caura, Lopinot, Lalaja) and those found in
the Plains such as Wallerfield, Orange Grove Estate, South St Augustine, Pasea, Macoya,
Bamboo No. 2, and Caroni Estate. Its agricultural lands are amongst the best and most
versatile in the country which means that a wide range of agriculture can take place in
the Municipality. Protecting these assets will be a priority in a scenario of decreasing
and scarce quality agricultural land. Protection of these lands means that as much as
possible they will be used only for agricultural purposes and all effort will be made to
ensure that they do not remain idle for long periods of time (unless as part of a
management scheme to restore productivity) and all efforts made to maintain and even
enhance their productivity.
Two mega-farms are earmarked for Tunapuna/Piarco at the Orange Grove and Caroni
Estates, while a substantial proportion of the Caroni Estate has also been distributed for
large scale rice production. These will be operated by private sector entities. In addition,
more than 200 small farm holdings on these Estates have been distributed to farmers.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources should develop best practices
and guidelines for leases to ensure sustainable soil management and use of these lands
and minimise the impact on the environment.
Acceptable Farming Practices
The fulfilment of the objectives of sustainable agriculture requires a change from highimpact intensive cultivation of short-term vegetable crops in unsuitable locations, such
as on steep hillsides in the Maracas, Caura, Lopinot and Arima Valleys. In the case of the
hillside agriculture, the Tunapuna/Piarco SDP endorses the cultivation of tree crops
such as cocoa, citrus, coffee, and/or the adoption of agro-forestry systems, depending
upon market demand.
Where flat or gently sloping lands are available, short-term agriculture is supported.
However, there are a number of agricultural techniques, which if applied can be
sustainable, can improve and ameliorate soil conditions and can result in safe crop
production, including:

Ecological crop management practices, such as provision of a healthy growth
medium through soil amelioration;

Companion planting that provides a mutually beneficial pattern of cropping;

Strip cropping to separate crops by family, nutrient demand and susceptibility to
pests and diseases;

Inclusion of pest repelling plant types, trap and border crops, and
organic/biodegradable mulches; and
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
Utilisation of safe pesticides.
Subsidies and other incentives should be given farmers who engage in environmentally
friendly methods of farming. The SDP acknowledges and supports the MALMR
Incentive Programme for the establishment of new fields and rehabilitation of existing
cocoa, citrus, coffee and cocoa fields by registered farmers.
Retention of Agricultural Lands
The retention of land in agriculture and the management of land resources will require a
proactive approach including planning control that is exercised with sensitivity to
sustainability. The SDP endorses the retention of the former Orange Grove Estate and
Caroni Estate for agricultural purposes. Lands under the Orange Grove Estate will be
used mainly in the production of short term crops and vegetables and for fish farming.
Caroni Estate will be used primarily for the production of rice and root crops.
TPRC will collaborate with TCPD and the MALMR in creating the conditions for a
productive agriculture that not only satisfies the requirements of food security, but
allows those who elect to pursue this avocation a quality of life that is expected and
realised in other professions.
ECD-12:
Agri-business and Fish Processing
There still resides agricultural potential in the Municipality. The wholesale produce
market at Macoya is an outlet used by farmers in the area, in addition to others from
outside of the Municipality. The recent initiatives in the distribution of agricultural lands
that have been released from sugar on the southern section of the Municipality in
Caroni, and Orange Grove, will result in the expansion of output.
First stage processing and packing may develop on farm with markets targeted at the
Municipality and further afield, including export markets. Essentially, the Northern
Range Communities will practise a different type of agriculture to that of the plains at
Pasea, Southern St Augustine, Orange Grove, Caroni and the other lands previously in
sugar cane at Caroni 1975 Ltd. In respect of agri-business development, the TPRC will
collaborate with the MALMR, Agricultural Development Bank and other partner
agencies to ensure that farmers in both Northern Range communities and on the plains
have access to appropriate tech-packs for on-farm operations and farm-to-market
distribution systems.
Blanchisseuse remains the main fishing centre of the Municipality. An immediate
requirement in respect of fish processing relates to the fisheries at Blanchisseuse, or the
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supplies generated in that community. In respect of the fisheries subsector, the regional
policy is to:

Upgrade chilling and cold storage facilities;

Develop capacity to allow establishment of processing operations; and

Provide facilities to manage fish waste and to protect environment from any
discharge from fish processing operations.
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4.4
Community Services and Facilities
PREAMBLE
The goal of the Tunapuna/Piarco SDP speaks of the
creation of sustainable communities and ensuring a high
quality of life for its burgesses. Achieving this goal
requires the delivery of a wide range of social and
community facilities and services made readily available
across the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality. This means
that existing facilities and services will have to be
upgraded and expanded. Where gaps exist facilities will
be developed. Certain facilities and services will be
located within communities, others de-centralised to
district centres and others at the town centre. Key to this
strategy is the need for mechanisms to ensure that local
communities are on board and involved in the
identification, development and management of some of
these facilities and services.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The key objective of the Community Services and
Facilities Priority Area is to ensure access and timely
delivery of quality social and community facilities and
services that are responsive to the expressed needs of
local communities. Such facilities and services must
ensure social inclusion and facilitate the development
of sustainable neighbourhoods.
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POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
The TPRC will use its resources and work with public sector, private sector and NGO partners
in ensuring the delivery of sustainable community facilities and services. Where appropriate the
TPRC will collaborate and form the necessary public-private sector partnership required to
develop needed social infrastructure and services.
In the spirit of social inclusion, it is important to that all population groups have a chance to
realise their potential, and to contribute to and participate in community life, regardless of their
age, ability, religion and the other characteristics which make Trinidad and Tobago a unique and
diverse society. This ethos therefore will be at the centre of the delivery of social and community
facilities and services throughout the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality. In designing new facilities
consideration will be given to ensure that they are adaptable to meet the changing needs of the
population and to provide potential for multi-usage. In addition, such social and community
facilities will be grouped together wherever possible for economy and to foster community
coherence.
SOC-1: Health Care
New Hospital
The TPRC will collaborate with the Ministry of Health and the Arima Borough
Corporation (ABC) in ensuring a new public hospital in the east, possibly to be shared
with Arima, and providing about 200 beds. Such a facility would serve the Northern
Range Communities, the Municipality of Arima, and environs, and the communities to
the east of Tunapuna, thereby relieving the EWMSC of a more general load, including
the treatment of emergencies.
Primary Health Care Services
In the first instance, the increase in population in the Municipality can be accommodated
by extending the hours of service to evenings at strategic primary health care facilities
with more than one shift. This will have implications for the staffing of these facilities.
Secondly, as deemed appropriate, there will be expansion on the existing sites. Given the
growth in population, it may be necessary for additional facilities to be constructed
especially in the east, towards the end of the plan period.
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SOC-2: Education and Training
Early Childhood Education
The Government is committed to the universal provision of early childhood education.
The guarantee that those at the bottom of the income hierarchy will have access requires
substantial expansion since the country is some distance from universal enrolment.
In respect of educational facilities, the first thrust in the next five years will be on the
provision of facilities for early childhood education as the State takes a role in its
universalisation. The MOE has taken steps to identify sites for the construction of 601
Early Childhood Care and Education Centres (ECCECs)15 throughout the Trinidad and
Tobago by the end of fiscal year 2012. These facilities will be located in the various
neighbourhoods so that children will be within a distance of not more than
approximately 400 metres from their homes except in the isolated rural communities
where the distance criterion will not be practicable.
At present, there are some 127 registered private centres and 12 unregistered centres in
Municipality of Tunapuna/Piarco. The SDP endorses the MOE‟s plans to construct
additional centres in the Municipality. The TPRC will work with the MOE, private sector
providers and other partner institutions to ensure the requisite number of ECCECs are
established in the Municipality and quality service is achieved and maintained.
However, the Corporation recognises that there is need for integration of housing and
community facilities such as ECCECs and would therefore promote the strategic
location of these centres in close proximity to major housing developments and
employment centres.
Primary School Education
There is debate on the matter of projections of school enrolments in the light of the fall in
the birth rate and the general decline in the rate of growth of population. However, the
experience of the last ten years suggests that the Municipality has had a trajectory of
population growth very much at variance from the norm for the country as a whole, as a
result of rural urban migration and the immigration of people from the rest of
CARICOM into the Municipality.
It is likely, therefore, that while in the last 10 years school populations at primary and
secondary levels have been falling for the nation as a whole, one may well witness a
return to growth in enrolment in the more populous areas of TPRC, even though not at
Early Childhood Care and Education Centre refers to all facilities providing learning support, care and development
services to children from three to children under six years of age. Early Childhood Services (ECS) are here defined as
all settings offering informal programmes to children under six, and include: Day Care Centres, Preschools,
Kindergartens, Early Childhood Care and Education Centres, and Nurseries. Website definition:
http://www.moe.gov.tt/ecc_curriculum.html
15
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the same rate of earlier decades. There is some evidence from the MOE of reappearance
of enrolment increases at the primary level in some parts of the Municipality. This is
seen in the table below supplied by the Planning Division of the Ministry.
Academic Year
2007-2008
2006-2007
2005-2006
2004-2005
2003-2004
Primary Education
% Change
Male
Female
Both Sexes
12,355
12,345
11,736
11,398
12,025
12,017
11,853
11,293
10,980
11,582
24,372
24,198
23,029
22,378
23,607
0.72%
5.08%
2.91%
-5.21%
2.17%
Source: MOE/Education Planning Department (EPD)
The areas that are likely to be affected are in the east of the Municipality as the
population expands eastward, and also in the south in the Oropuna area, for example.
As a result, one primary school will be required in the latter part of the decade. There
will be also some expansion of private provision as higher income families opt for
private schools.
Secondary School Education
Enrolment increases at the secondary level will depend on the impact of the
demographics, as well as on the extent to which students elect to attend school in the
districts where they reside, and the degree to which the pecking order in secondary
schools continues to reflect patterns of yesteryear. The increase in primary enrolment
will eventually translate to an increase in required places at the secondary level, all other
things being equal.
There could be the need for a new secondary school in the Municipality by the end of
the plan period. This potential requirement will be better assessed following the next
annual census.
Tertiary Education Facilities
The Municipality will remain the Centre of Tertiary Education for the nation. The
TPRC, in collaboration with Municipal and other partners, will promote and develop
programmes geared at establishing the Municipality as the Centre of Tertiary Education
for Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean. As the new institutions become
better established, and assuming their becoming known for particular areas of
scholarship, they will attract students from abroad. Some of this expansion will have to
be catered for through densification and the raising of height levels in the existing
institutions as the process of rebuilding takes root, on the oldest campus, at UWI.
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The area is likely to witness continued increase in tertiary enrolments in the years ahead.
UTT, UWI and the private institutions will be the base for this growth. There is also the
possibility that a campus of the College of Science, Technology, and Applied Arts of
Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT) may be established on the 16-hectare „Bangladesh‟
site in St. Joseph. This will further strengthen the Municipality as the Tertiary Education
Centre.
There is recognition that the country is involved in catch-up in terms of tertiary
enrolment relative to the age cohorts involved, and compared to countries at a similar
stage of development. Indeed, compared to such dynamic countries as South Korea and
Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago is very far behind in respect of the percentage of the 20
to 24 age group enrolled in tertiary education. The TPRC will work with the Ministry of
Science, Technology and Tertiary Education (MSTTE) and tertiary education institutions
in the Municipality in developing suitable programmes to increase enrolment in the 20
to 24 age group. Consideration will be given to ensuring that there is increased male
enrolment in these programmes as well.
Technical and Vocational Training
Post-Secondary and Tertiary Education is undergoing reorganisation in Trinidad and
Tobago. In recent years, such institutions as the John Donaldson Technical Institute and
the San Fernando Technical Institute have been absorbed into the framework of the UTT.
A number of campuses of UTT are already located in the TPRC.
The Ministry of Science and Technology has oversight for a range of employment
related training, including the Multi Sector Skills Training (MuST) Programme, the
Retraining Programme and the On-the-Job Training (OJT) Programme. Given the need
for the country to catch up with others in the development of competitive exports
outside of oil and gas, a high premium has to be set on technical and vocational training
and on programmes that are flexible enough to allow for the participation of large
sections of the work-force, in facilities that provide state of the art technology and
equipment for training and education. There will be need for an institution that might
cater for TPRC and other municipalities which may be incorporated into the fold of
UTT. Its focus will be on technical and vocational training, with a heavy bias to
employment related preparation.
Adult Education Facilities
The SDP recognises that Trinidad and Tobago has made considerable strides in the
provision of education to the population. Universal secondary education was achieved
some 15 years ago, and the vast majority of persons entering the labour force now do so
with some exposure to secondary education. However, quality has been somewhat
below par, and the country has a major hurdle in emulating a small country like
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Singapore where the vast majority of students completing secondary school can earn full
passes in the equivalent of CXC: over 75 percent of students in Singapore pass with five
or more subjects at the Cambridge O Level.
The labour force data reveal that most of the workforce has no formal educational
qualification, which poses a problem for the mounting of training and retraining
programmes which have to be institutionalised in the context of a society and economy
needing to be flexible and adaptable in the face of rapid technological and economic
changes in the international economy.
TPRC, like the rest of Trinidad and Tobago, will collaborate with its partners in putting
place the institutional structure to ensure that large numbers of people embark on Adult
Education programmes to upgrade themselves and to complete their education,
including the introduction of online and distance education programmes. The
infrastructure of primary and secondary schools has to be used for the provision of a
wide range of Adult Education courses across the Municipality all have access within
reasonable distance from their residence. Given its sheer size in terms of population, the
Municipality has to be a leader in the nation in the provision of Adult Education
programmes.
SOC-3: Sports and Recreation
In the context of a commitment to the promotion of wellness, all age groups in the
Municipality have to be catered for by the establishment of the appropriate facilities and
services for sport, for both the highly active – youth – and for the more mature and
elderly whose demands may be for more passive activities. In the spirit of social
inclusion, the provision of sports facilities and services will also cater for the needs of the
disabled.
Sporting Facilities of National Importance
The Region is home to the National Hockey Centre at Tacarigua. There are plans in place
to construct the National Tennis Centre within the existing sporting complex which is
compliant with the International Tennis Federation regulations. The facility will include
six outdoor courts, six indoor courts and a centre court able to host international
tournaments, with a seating capacity of 1,500.
Recreation Grounds
Recreation grounds will be distributed across the districts to ensure that all communities
are within easy reach of some basic complement of facilities – athletic track, park for
walking, facilities for popular sports like soccer, cricket, basketball, netball, lawn tennis,
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etcetera. Lots for playgrounds must be provided in all new housing layouts, and the Corporation
will work to ensure that these facilities are developed to allow opportunities for active recreation
in safe settings for small children.
Some facilities will be upgraded and retrofitted as central to the recreation infrastructure
for the Municipality. Walker Park is a prime example. The TPRC will work along with
the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago in examining space requirements for
another park appropriately located in the Municipality.
Indoor Sporting Facilities
Given the size of the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality, the TPRC recognises the need for
additional recreational complexes at strategic locations throughout the Municipality. It is
envisaged that such facilities will be opened well into the evening to allow access to a
high percentage of the citizenry. The TPRC will work along with MSYA and other
partners in the establishment of indoor facilities which will be distributed across districts
to afford access by all population groups to swimming, tennis, volleyball, basketball,
weight training, squash, and badminton, etcetera. The Corporation recognises the need
for gyms and fitness centres, and will work along with private sector and NGO and
community sector entities in the establishment and provisioning of these facilities.
SOC-4: Other Social Services
Meeting the Demand for Services and Facilities by Age Cohorts
The demographic distribution is a good base for determining the range of services
required. The demands of the various age cohorts have a certain predictability. Babies
and children make demands on the health system first and then on educational facilities,
and these have been addressed in earlier sections. Likewise, secondary schools provide
for the education of those above 11 years of age. Part-time post-school education can be
mainly supported by the infrastructure of secondary schools.
Facilities for other services will anticipate requirements of youth, mature adults and the
elderly in their communities. Youth services, community development services, and
services for counselling and the catering to those with social problems constitute the
situation. It will be important to ensure that in each district there is access to a minimum
complement of community services, with facilities well distributed for their delivery.
In this regard, Central Government and Local Government will ensure the following in
all district centres at the very least:

Community centres – with an immediate need in the El Dorado, St Helena and
Kelly Village area;
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
Homes and day activity centres for the elderly.
Given the ageing of the population, which is likely to continue inexorably, the needs of
the elderly will figure more prominently as they become an increasing percentage of the
Municipal population. Arrangements are to be made for assisted living for those who
can function well with such arrangements. However, other services and provisions are
needed for the active elderly. The TPRC will support the establishment of retirement
communities and elderly care service providers including assisted living services,
nursing care, independent living, adult day, Alzheimer‟s care, hospices, rehabilitation
services, etcetera. The Corporation will develop list of facilities to be shared with its
burgesses and the general public, and will work with the Ministry of Social development
in monitoring the activities and facilities of such operations.
Library and Information Services
The Public Library in the Tunapuna town centre will be at the centre of Library Services
for the Municipality, with smaller libraries in selected communities (La Horquetta,
Wallerfield and St Helena) and with bookmobiles serving the distant communities in the
Northern Range and Blanchisseuse. The provision of internet access and information
services generally will form part of the Library and Information Services.
SOC-5: Security
Policing
There has been some recent upgrade of the Tunapuna Police Station, possibly adequate
to its being at the apex of the Municipality. In the context of dispersed development,
there is already some sense of a distribution of the other Police Stations in the respective
districts. However, there are gaps that must be closed by the establishment of police
posts in some communities.
The TPRC will work closely with the Police Authorities to guarantee that the machinery
of Police Post be institutionalised to allow for some level of policing in communities
where there are no police stations.
There is not much required in terms of space allocation for these posts, even though
their presence is critical to crime prevention and detection in certain communities.
The Corporation will encourage investment in an upgrade infrastructure and networks
built on an electronic platform allowing for closed circuit and wide vision systems
across the entire Municipality. Most public areas of the Municipality will be visible in
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real time at all times of day or night. The policing of the Municipality can no longer
remain innocent of new technology.
The new Municipal Corporation Act will lead to the establishment of a Municipal Police
Service in each Municipality for service in connection with the duties of the Corporation
with due regard for the relationship between the Municipal Police and the wider Police
Service. Space will be provided for the Municipal Police and where possible, officers
will be based in the same compound as the regular Police Service operating in the area.
Consideration will be given to the establishment of a strong community policy arm
within the Municipal Police Service.
Promoting an Environment of Security
It is important to develop secure environments through the promotion of natural
surveillance within the public realm, public walkways and open spaces by encouraging
supervised people-centred activities in these areas, supplemented by increased use of
targeted lighting and CCTV cameras. An environment of natural surveillance will also
be encouraged in newly planned areas through high quality and sensitive urban design.
The establishment of Joint Policing Committees will enable closer co-operation between
communities, policing services and the Corporation to identify safety and security issues
in communities and develop appropriate interventions.
Fire-fighting
The Piarco Station has to remain dedicated to serving the international airport. There is
need for a fire station to service the eastern area of the Municipality, especially in the
light of the expansion of the population to the east, and the presence of far more
industrial and commercial activity in the area.
This facility will be located in Wallerfield to service the eastern portion of the Region
including the Tamana InTech Park, Valencia, San Rafael, Brazil, and adjacent areas. The
remote Northern Range and North Coast communities will be served by a volunteer
system that has to be developed given the challenge of their being reached even with a
better allocation of Fire Stations in the Municipality.
SOC-6: Entertainment/Civic Occasions
There is general agreement within the Municipality that there is insufficient wholesome
entertainment and entertainment facilities in most of the Municipality, to the
disadvantage of the young in particular. Further, the decline in security and safety is
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contributing to a reduction in the demand for entertainment by the more mature
population.
An appropriate location for siting of a major Cultural Centre for the Arts will be secured
for staging performances and for the hosting of public fora that require the seating of
large audiences. A facility comparable to Queens Hall seems appropriate for the largest
Municipality in the country.
Consideration will also be given to the development of entertainment facilities geared
toward university students and young professionals, given the demographics of the
Municipality.
SOC-7: Cemeteries and Cremation Sites
As cemetery space is in short supply in the Region, like elsewhere in the county, and
given the competition for land for more productive purposes, more use would need to
be made of crematorium facilities. The TPRC will invest in such a facility to serve the
Municipality. The utilisation of this disposal option would require a cultural shift on the
part of the population.
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4.5
Housing
PREAMBLE
The expansion of housing units is a major challenge in
the Municipality. The massive increase in housing
construction that has taken place in the past is likely to
continue in the period of the SDP. The tendency in the
more recent past has been to utilise „available‟ land, with
the single family unit being the predominant type. This
model will need to be substantially revised in the years
ahead. The „available‟ land is mainly land with potential
for agriculture and transfer to housing exacerbates the
problem of food security for the nation. The other
„available‟ land is comprised of the expanses in the
valleys and on the spurs of the Northern Range. The
allocation of such land to housing risks serious
environmental consequences.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The Housing objective for the Tunapuna/Piarco SDP
is to facilitate the development of quality welldesigned housing of appropriate sizes, types and
tenures that meet the needs of burgesses in the
Municipality and to improve infrastructure and
amenities that will lead to sustainable residences and
communities.
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POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
HOU-1: Policy of Densification
The Municipality will develop a policy on densification and to ensure that it is faithfully
implemented. The SDP recognises the diversity of the clientele which extends from those
who can manage on their own (the higher income groups in the Municipality), to middle
income and lower income groups. The varying needs of workers and students seeking
temporary residence are part of the requirements to be satisfied.
To this end, the Municipal Corporation will collaborate with the agencies of the Central
Government and with statutory agencies involved in the provision of housing as well as
with private developers, and the TCPD to:

Encourage densification of housing as a principle, rather than through lateral expansion
with single family residences;

Plan for integration of support services in all new communities, to ensure that with
densification, there is an infrastructure of supporting social and community development
services to build communities among diverse groups.
Information is not available with respect to the quantity of housing units erected since
2000. It is known, however, through a comparison of land use information for 2000 and
2007 that most of this would have been developed to the east of the Tunapuna
community.
Based on estimates of a 2008 population of around 275,000, and assuming that the
population growth between 2000 and 2008 has been adequately accommodated,
provision will need to be made for up to 65,000 persons, in slightly over 17,000 housing
units, between 2010 and 2020 for all groups, including families with children, young
professionals, and tertiary level students.
The demand will be met by:

Development of a significant amount of housing on greenfield sites in the Wallerfield area
where the projected additional population can be accommodated on land of less than
prime quality;

The further implementation of the Trincity Millennium Vision Development where the
24 hectares of multi-family development proposed by the HCL can yield between 1,000
and 2,000 units assuming densities of between 40 and 80 units per hectare. These plots
were sold at extremely high prices which would mean that the housing would be targeted
to the higher end of the market;

Development of an expanse of vacant land north of the CRH and east of Mausica Road
and extending east to the Borough of Arima and as far north as Cleaver Heights. This
~ 146 ~
large tract of mostly vacant land, some of which is owned by the State, can be developed
with a substantial amount of high density housing including six-storey apartment
buildings.

Densification of residential development in the older communities, particularly those
with easy access to major transportation routes, viz., the CRH, PBR, and the EMR, for
example, at Curepe, St. Joseph, St. Augustine, Tunapuna, El Dorado, Tacarigua,
Kandahar, Cane Farm, Five Rivers, Red Hill, Mausica, Arouca, D’Abadie, Sherwood
Park, Cleaver Road, and Olton Road.

Intensification by subdivision of land or by multi-family development in communities
such as Valsayn North and South where the plots, most of which are around 2,000 square
metres, are sufficiently large to be divided while yet allowing for reasonable sized
buildings and adequate setbacks from the property boundaries, or to fit denser forms of
development such as townhouses and apartments.

Consolidation and compaction by infilling of vacant land in, or adjacent to, the
communities to the south of the CRH with the exception of the settlements in the airport
clear zone; and in the Northern Range and Valley communities.
Current land use planning policy as applied by the TCPD already allows two to three
dwelling units on each of the 465 square metres plots that make up almost all of the
older settlements. Developments that take place based on the higher of these densities
almost as a rule create problems that stem from inadequate setbacks from property
boundaries and generate parking that cannot be accommodated on-site. The policy will
continue to apply in all of these areas, but standards need to be devised to ensure
adequate space for light and ventilation, for the containment of storm water on the site,
and to prevent the spread of fire from one property to another, and hence to maintain
satisfactory living environments.
The objective of attaining sustainable communities would constrain intensification of the
newer developments – including Real Spring, Macoya, Trincity, Dinsley,
Dinsley/Trincity, and the Bon Air Developments – which contain plots ranging in the
main between 280 square metres and 390 square metres. These would not allow for
either horizontal or vertical expansion without compromising space and living
standards. The policy of restricting development of these sites to single-family use will therefore
hold. There is also little opportunity for densification of the planned high density
developments of Maloney and La Horquetta aside from the expansion of the latter
which is already taking place.
A minimal amount of new development will come from vacant plots in approved
developments throughout the Municipality. Attention will be given to the retrofitting of
infrastructure to match the increased densities.
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Housing will be developed by the public sector through the HDC and the LSA, the latter
mainly through upgrading squatter regularised settlements at a number of locations
including creation of infill housing sites. The SDP recommends that, in order to increase
the stock of all-round good quality housing and develop truly sustainable communities
in the Municipality, plans for settlement upgrading must include the provision of social
facilities, such as health centres, children‟s health care facilities, educational facilities,
and recreational facilities located in sympathetic relationship to residential communities.
The LSA must address the imperative for the relocation of squatters from sensitive land
such as steep hillsides and flood prone land. The agency should also give priority to the
relocation of the „Bangladesh‟ population from land which has been earmarked for
institutional use as a COSTAATT site.
It is expected, however, that most housing would be provided by the private sector
through large agencies such as HCL and by individual property owners.
Limited funding resources require that the State explore forms of housing provision
other than packaged housing, including core housing and Sites and Services projects.
Improvement in the condition of housing through provision of water piped to the
dwelling or yard, water-borne toilet facilities, and assistance for home improvement
would effectively increase the stock of good quality housing without recourse to the
costly construction of brand new buildings.
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4.6
Infrastructure and Public Utitilies
PREAMBLE
Vision 2020 calls for the development and application of
sound infrastructure for the benefit of all residents of
Trinidad and Tobago. The provision and development
of sound infrastructure by 2020 requires for the most
part, planning for, and the evaluation of the adequacy of
existing infrastructure to meet present and future
demand in the Municipality, and the design and
development of new physical infrastructure and the
upgrade of existing facilities, as deemed necessary. The
densification of the East-West Corridor has meant that
infrastructural development has lagged behind other
development activities in the Municipality, particularly
in respect of storm water management and flood
control, the provisioning of high-quality potable water,
and the disposal of solid and effluent wastes. There is
need therefore to deliver improved infrastructure and
utility services that would cater for residential,
industrial and commercial requirements and facilitate
the continued growth of the Region. Priority must be
given to certain specific areas where problems are acute
and in need of immediate attention.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Infrastructure and Public Utilities
Priority Area is to facilitate the provisioning and
equitable distribution of physical infrastructure and
public utility services to serve the Municipal
population in support of balanced social and economic
development of Tunapuna/Piarco.
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POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
INF-1: Water Supply
Demand and Supply
The objective here is to secure adequate and safe supply of potable water for residents of
the Municipality through the development and improvement of water supply systems.
Potable water provisioning is mainly the responsibility of WASA. The Municipal
Corporation responsibility in respect of potable water provisioning is the delivery of
truck-borne water supply to non-WASA customers. However as part of its responsibility
of securing its burgesses (individuals, corporate and institutional), the TPRC will play a
pro-active role and collaborate with the Authority in meeting present demand and
anticipating future needs. The municipal water demand for Tunapuna/Piarco by 2020
varies with the successful implementation of its development agenda which includes a
number of initiatives to increase safe water production and reduce water demand,
including:

Universal
metering so that
water
billing
will now reflect
consumption;
Water Demand for 2020
Sector
No. of
Unmodified
Users in
Rate
2020
(litres /day)
Domestic
Light
commercial
Light industrial
Institutional
High users
Total
340,000
10,000
466
3,840
Volume
(million
litres/
day)
158.44
38.40
Modified
Rate
(litres
/day)
375
3,072
Volume
(million
litres/day)
1.73
5.37
6.00
209.94
7,104
14,320
800,00
4.26
4.30
4.80
171.56
127.50
30.70

Infrastructure
600
2,880
300
17,900
development
6
1,000,000
and retrofitting
- laying of new
Source: WASA
pipelines in an
effort to reduce unaccounted-for-water (UFW);

Development of wells in Wallerfield, Cumuto, El Socorro, Lopinot, and
Tacarigua as part of the Water Sector Modernisation Programme (WSMP),
etecetera;

Development of desalination plant capacity; and

Increased public education.
The SDP supports the management demand with a view to reducing per capita
consumption of water and therefore will work with the Authority and will make Water
Use, Management and Conservation, one of the key areas in their Natural Tunapuna/
Piarco Programme. The TPRC will promote the adoption of improved rainwater
harvesting as a water source in areas with water supply challenges. Now considered
green technology, rainwater harvesting is becoming increasing important in many
151
developed countries as a potable water source but also important for stormwater
management.
INF-2: Wastewater
Given the need to improve wastewater management and treatment in the Municipality,
the SDP recognises plans for developing, retrofitting and upgrading wastewater
facilities and services in the Draft Water and Wastewater Master Plan (WWMP). The
WWMP calls for the development of centralised/regionalised treatment systems across
Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad will be divided into 25 catchment areas for which
detailed wastewater systems will be designed in accordance with good health and water
quality engineering practices. Tunapuna/Piarco falls within the East-West Corridor
Catchment.
The need for short term and medium term solutions to the wastewater problems in the
Municipality makes it imperative that the TPRC work with WASA and/or partner
agencies in improving the current problems associated with wastewater management in
the Municipality. The corrective actions required:

All existing sewerage system and waste water treatment plants to be appraised
and refurbished and brought into effective use;

All existing and new housing developments and large institutions such as
schools and hospitals need to be sewered and the wastewater treated in
wastewater treatment plants;

All pit latrines to be replaced by septic tanks and seepage pits;

All industries are responsible for the proper treatment and disposal of effluent
and toxic waste. Any discharges into region‟s receiving waters must meet Water
Pollution Rules and other relevant standards;

Safely treated wastewater to be recycled for use in agriculture, aquifer recharge,
industry and construction;

Public awareness and social marketing programme relating to the effects of
littering, solid-waste disposal etc and their effect on the environment;

WASA needs to adopt all existing WWTP‟s and maintain effectively;

The Caroni Basin be protected from pollution the main causes being
o
Untreated sewage;
o
Solid waste and litter;
152
o
Fertiliser and pesticide runoff;
o
Sediment from quarrying and cutting off the hills; and
o
Industrial and toxic waste.

Establishing an effective monitoring system to minimise the impact of septic tank
and soakway systems and other municipal pollution sources not included in the
Water Pollution Rules;

When the East-West corridor system comes into being, all existing wastewater
systems to be integrated into it; and

Appropriate and affordable sewerage facilities would be developed in isolated
communities such as Blanchisseuse and the other Northern Range and Valley
settlements. In this regard, consideration will be given to the installation of
composting toilets.
INF-3: Drainage
The SDP recognises that increases in population with the consequent increase in
residential buildings and businesses affect negatively drainage patterns and stormwater
runoff. Flooding is a major problem and a main cause of distress for burgesses in
vulnerable areas. Over the years the MOWT/Drainage Division and the Corporation
have done maintenance works on the main river systems. However, because of the
number of local flooding events it is now necessary to take a holistic look at the entire
river basin system, and design solutions which will effectively control stormwater flows
and flooding, and safeguard the lands below the foothills especially south of the CRH.
As part of its Comprehensive National Drainage Study, Drainage Division will
undertake a Flood Mitigation and Integrated Watershed Study for Caroni River Basin
which will to develop short term to long term flood mitigation interventions and best
management practices for those watersheds, including the construction of retention
ponds.
In the short- and medium-term, the TPRC will endeavour to undertake the following
measures necessary to mitigate the many negative effects of flooding.

Monitor human settlements and watersheds in respect of the cutting of hills and
new settlement locations;

Support infrastructure designs which allow for free flow of water along
waterways, for example, appropriate drain sizing, bridge decks high enough so
that bamboo and cuttings can flow through, etcetera;
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
Educate the populace with regard to solid waste disposal and management;

Restrict human activity on flood plains where there is a high frequency of
flooding;

Promote and support green designs that reduce stormwater runoff from hillsides
– introduction of rainwater harvesting as a means of controlling rapid
stormwater flows;

Support insurance and government subsidies for people and businesses affected
by flooding;

Levees can be used to make land available, safe human settlements;

Use engineering (gabion baskets and Maccaferri mattress) and biological
measures to protect riverbanks, bends and bridges abutments from erosion and
failure.
The TPRC will work with TCPD, Drainage Division and neighbouring municipal
corporations and other partners to develop and upgrade both inter-lot and main drains.
INF-4: Power
T&TEC indicated that it can meet the country‟s present and future electricity demand.
Sub-stations have been built and upgraded in a number of areas including St. Joseph,
Macoya, and Wallerfield. T&TEC‟s Planning Unit, aware of the proposed areas of
growth, are developing and upgrading new stations to handle the increased demand.
The SDP is mindful of the agency development thrust to strengthen the entire national
grid in the following:


Generation
o
New installation of a 64MV dual fuel generating plant in Tobago.
o
Plans to increase the generating capacity in Trinidad from 1600MW to
3000MW.
Distribution and Transmission
o
Substations are being expanded at Macoya, Piarco, Wallerfield and
Tamana region.
o
New meters with automatic reading are installed in the country for all
customers.
o
New pylons and high voltage lines are being put up across the country.
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The TPRC will work with T&TEC to target areas that require infrastructural
improvement, including the reduction in the number of unsightly overhead wires; safer
and more reliable fittings and fixtures; and maintenance of poles, transformers, high
voltage pylons, and switch gear equipment.
INF-5: Telecommunications
Tunapuna/Piarco is reasonably well served in all aspects of telecommunication, that is,
telephone, cable television, internet and radio services, etcetera. However, some services
to rural communities will have to be upgraded. It is expected that the industry should be
able to meet the demand generated by the projected growth and will be upgraded to
standards consistent with Vision 2020 objectives.
155
156
4.7
Transportation
PREAMBLE
Tunapuna has become a dormitory suburb of Port of
Spain, and there is, therefore, a tendency to see the
solution to the transportation problems of the Region as
simply the provision of easier access to Port of Spain.
During the period 2004 to 2009, peak hour traffic
between Tunapuna and Port of Spain has more than
doubled. Moreover, the modal split has changed, with a
drop in the observed ratio of maxi-taxis to private cars.
There is anecdotal evidence of corresponding decreases
in vehicle occupancy, but there are no available reliable
studies on the subject.
Other problems include the congestion and confusion
witnessed during working hours; the difficulties in
obtaining public transport, and the conditions in which
passengers and operators work; and a lack of loading
bays and spaces for stores and groceries causing
congestion on some of the main access roads.
If the Dispersed Concentration scenario is to be
developed, there must be greater connectivity between
the communities. This network has to be a
transportation network, not simply a network of roads
for cars.
~ 157 ~
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The Transportation objective of the SDP is to develop an improved and integrated
transport infrastructure and system which will support sustainable socioeconomic
development and travel to and from and within the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality.
POLICIES
The Transportation objective of the SDP is to develop an improved and integrated
transport infrastructure and system which will support sustainable socioeconomic
development and travel to and from and within the Tunapuna/Piarco Municipality.
POLICIES
Sustainable transportation solutions needed within the Municipality will require a close
and continuous working relationship and collaboration between TPRC and all key
partner agencies with responsibility for transportation and travel, including Ministry of
Works and Transport (Highways Division, Traffic Management, PURE), MALMR, the
Airport Authority, CISL, RDC, PTSC, neighbouring Municipal Corporations, taxi and
maxi taxi associations. Also key to these improvements will be proposed Transportation
Authority which in the future is expected to have major responsibility for transportation.
A number of improvements will to be implemented:






Road connectivity between centres;
Public transport including provision of facilities for taxis and maxi-taxis (and their
passengers) in selected areas and collection and maintenance of information on
transportation demand and supply;
Parking;
Traffic regulation, and enforcement;
Assessment and mitigation of impacts caused by businesses; and
Pedestrianisation and parking facilities.
TRN-1: Baseline Improvements
Traffic management measures will be implemented to treat with identified problem
areas to include improved enforcement, the relocation of unofficial taxis stands, creation
of lay byes for taxi and maxi-taxi stops, channelisation, restriction on turning
movements, traffic signalisation and other intersection improvements. The key areas to
be targeted are as follows:
1. The EMR, in particular intersections at the following are to be upgraded:
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a. Abercromby Street (Maracas Royal Road) St. Joseph;
b. Southern Main Road, Curepe;
c. Pasea Main Road, Tunapuna; and
d. Lopinot Road, Arouca;
2. Southern Main Road, between the EMR and the CRH;
3. Pasea Main Road, Tunapuna; and
4. Mausica Road.
The SDP recognises that most of the intersections along the CRH from the UBH
interchange to Demerara Road already exhibit significant delays and congestion during
peak morning period. In response, upgrades will be undertaken, which may range from
widening approach lanes and recalibration of traffic signals to grade separation options.
TRN-2: Improving Public Transport
The current population and anticipated increases will require that more sustainable
transportation solutions go beyond these baseline improvements. The SDP recognises
that there should be a movement away from the reliance on private modes of transport
towards a greater reliance on public transport. The Municipality, therefore, will begin to
address the need for major improvements in public transport as quickly as possible,
given that the alternative is for people to purchase additional cars. Improving public
transportation system in the Municipality area is seen as a pre-requisite to the successful
implementation of the SDP.
The future and timing of the proposed Trinidad Rapid Rail Project (TRRP) is unclear at
this stage. It can be expected that such an extensive investment in transport
infrastructure and services will have a profound effect on travel patterns both within the
Municipality and to the major centres to the west.
The TRRP proposes the development and operation of a rapid rail transit system in the
two major urban corridors of Trinidad, namely the East/West and North/South
Corridors. The proposed alignment will be south of the CRH with two-three stops
within the Municipality. Phase I of the system will extend from City Gate in Port-ofSpain to Chaguanas South, with one of the five stations (UWI) to be located in St
Augustine South. The location of these stops will generate commuter traffic along the
North/South linkages between the dormitory settlements along the EMR and the
railway stations. The proposed design capacity of the system is 14,000 passengers per
hour per peak direction. The TPRC will monitor the progress of this critical initiative in
159
light of significant impacts it will have on transportation and socioeconomic
development in the Municipality.
The PTSC has also indicated plans to extend and improve bus network into other areas
and the bus transport system, subject to demand and resources.
TRN-3: Improving Road Connectivity between Centres
The TPRC in conjunction with MOWT and other partners will implement the following
measures as part of the effort to improve connectivity between centres within the
Municipality and with other regions:

One divide that causes congestion is that between El Dorado and Tacarigua, at
the Tacarigua River. The TPRC recognises that the construction of a bridge
further north supplementing the present two crossings: one on the CRH, and the
other at the EMR will ease congestion through the removal of the necessity for
traffic to return to the EMR. Care will be taken not to turn streets into roads, that
is, to route traffic through residential areas, as has been done south of the CRH,
160
opposite UWI. One approach to the requisite traffic calming is, in fact, to increase
the number of roads (build more than one bridge), so that no one residential
street becomes too cluttered.

Improving the Arima Old Road between Arouca and Arima to reduce congestion
near Arima.
In both of these areas, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be
undertaken. The proposal of a road along the foothills of the Northern Range
will be carefully studied for its impact, especially on deforestation and
subsequent flooding.

Provision of alternative roads – One road to be targeted will be the by-pass from
the CRH at Pasea Road to join the Caroni Savannah Road, and thence the SMR.

Improvements will be made to the junction of the SMR and the CRH at Curepe,
and the widening of the two dangerously-narrow culverts along the section of
road south of the junction. This will ease driving to this junction, and relieve
some of the stress on the residential streets.

Upgrades will be undertaken to improve connectivity within the valleys and
between the North and South flanks of the Northern Range:
o
A massive upgrade of the Arima Blanchisseuse Road;
161
o
Upgrading of the road to Lopinot; and
o
Development of an all weather road linking Lopinot and Blanchisseuse.

A southern link will be established from the south of La Horquetta to Centeno
and St. Helena.

The TPRC, in partnership with the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation and the
MOWT, will address the matter of a link road from Blanchisseuse to Matelot, but
this require an exacting study to assess the impact on the environment.
The SDP endorses plans to widen the bridge on the Caparo Road.
TRN-4: Providing Facilities for Para-Transit
The SDP notes that the area around the intersection of the Old SMR and the EMR at
Curepe, as the start of the North/South Corridor, is a major para-transit hub. However,
there is limited signage and toilet facilities and a lack of proper traffic controls at this
important intersection. Although, there is no general policy in Trinidad and Tobago on
para-transit, at each of the many hubs in the Region, it is a TPRC policy that there
should be the following:

Proper public facilities for use by operators and the travelling public;

Street furniture;

Pleasant and safe approaches to the area in recognition of the fact that walking is
a major part of public transport, and the walk itself must as aesthetically
appealing as possible;

Signs indicating the various destinations; and

Police controls for the general safety of passengers and civilizing of the whole
operation.
Efforts will be made by the TPRC to work with operators to develop the necessary
facilities and amenities at these hubs.
TRN-5: Collection and Management of Information
The TPRC will work with the Traffic Management Branch (TMB) to monitor and
improve traffic and transportation situations in the Municipality. At present, that liaison
exists, but it is recognised that the TMB would require the assistance of the Municipal
162
Corporations to carry out its traffic mandate. The TPRC will take the lead in the
identification of problems and traffic issues within the Municipality. This requires more
than police identifying congestion, but in reporting, for example, on the difficulties
residents have in obtaining public transport from strategic areas. The Corporation will
organise a system for the collection of the information which can be used by the TMB for
traffic management and others.
TRN-6: Parking and Pedestrianisation
The SDF recognises that there is no easy way to pedestrianise any of the population
concentrations in the Municipality, especially commercial sections of Tunapuna. Given
that the proposal is to expand the Administrative Complex, consideration will be given
to make it into a “town square” with street furniture, thus expanding on the form of the
existing building.
The provision of parking and facilities for para-transit in Tunapuna will require careful
study. Many other areas, such as St Helena, are growing, and consideration will be
given to the allocation and preservation of space for these activities.
TRN-7: Improve Traffic Regulation, and Enforce Traffic Rules
The responsibility for traffic regulation and enforcement rests with the Trinidad and
Tobago Police Services (TTPS). The new municipal corporation legislation will result in
the establishment of a Municipal Police Service and the establishment of traffic wardens.
The Region will re-examine the role of the Municipal Police Service and its new
functions with a view to improving traffic management.
TRN-8: Improve Assessment and Mitigation of Impacts Caused by Businesses
The SDP recognises that a great deal of congestion is caused by the operations of some
businesses (such as gasoline service stations, hardware stores and groceries) along the
EMR and along the main access roads like Pasea Road. The TPRC will take a more
proactive role in monitoring and regulating these businesses.
The TPRC will, in collaboration with the TCPD and the TMB, update its assessment
rules and methodologies. The location of exits, provision of adequate parking, and in the
163
case of large malls, even the internal circulation, will all be considered before Planning
Permission is granted to build.
TRN-9: Transportation Improvements for Specific Development Proposals
Housing Development Proposals
Most of the increased housing demand will be met by development of a significant
amount of housing on greenfield sites in the Wallerfield area and by densification of
residential development in the older communities, particularly those with easy access to
major transportation routes. The improvements outlined in previous policies will be
necessary to cater for these increases. The development south of the CRH will require
improvements in respect of the widening of and sidewalk construction to some of the
access roads leading into these communities. Consideration must be given to these
elements in the development of detailed local development proposals.
Educational, Social and Recreational Development Proposals
The proposed expansion of Educational, Social and Recreational facilities is not expected
to have a profound effect on the requirement for improved transportation infrastructure.
In particular, the placement of ECCECs within the neighbourhoods should not require
increased road or regional public transportation development. However, their
development will require some additional sidewalk construction and improved local
traffic management. Consideration should be given to the operation of a local school bus
service by the Corporation.
Tunapuna Town Centre
The SDP anticipates that the expansion of the Tunapuna Administrative Complex will
present some challenges. Tunapuna has not expanded from being a “one-street” town:
the market is still on the main shopping street, and there are no parallel streets with
shopping. Thus the complex will be on the only real thoroughfare through the town.
Tunapuna will have to find space for parking and will probably have to resort to a
multi-storey parking mall. The area around the market will require strict parking
controls and enforcement. Furthermore, the market needs to be expanded on the site to
prevent “market activities” from spilling onto and across the Priority Bus Route. The
TPRC will explore the creation of a northern bye pass for the town centre – an upgraded
Green Street is one possibility.
University Town (St Joseph-St Augustine)
It is recognised that all of the expansion proposed for the St Joseph to St Augustine area
as well as for the Tunapuna Town Centre have a “one road” constraint and can create a
164
lot of congestion unless some parallel route can be created. The TPRC will work with the
MOWT in the creation of efficient north-south links to the CRH.
Northern Range and Valley Communities (Caura, Lopinot, Blanchisseuse)
Along with the improvements in the valley roads and connections north and south of
the Northern Range, the TPRC will work with the PTSC and taxi associations in
improving public transport in Northern Range and valley communities, including the
development of para-transit facilities and exploring the establishment of special maxitaxis in areas where PTSC are unable to provide services.
Expansion/Establishment of Industrial Estates.
The proposed expansion and establishment of industrial estates at Frederick Settlement
and Wallerfield should be adequately accommodated on the proposed improved road
network. Some provision will be made for increased para-transit services to these
locations from the major population centres which could vary from taxi-stands to fullfledged transit hubs.
Development of Wallerfield, Caura and Lopinot
Consideration will be given to transportation improvements with the proposed
development of Wallerfield, Caura and Lopinot and these will include the
improvements to the main and secondary roads which serve as primary access to these
areas. The road improvements required will include:
1. Widening of the carriageway;
2. Bridge improvement works;
3. Provision of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities;
4. Improvements to the pavement structure; and
5. Development and provision of para-transit and transit services to encourage
more sustainable forms of transport (the use of high occupancy vehicles).
TRN-10: Road Safety
Road safety and the occurrence of vehicular accidents have become an increasing critical
development issue in Trinidad and Tobago. The TPRC in conjunction with TTPS,
MOWT and other relevant partners will develop and implement a Municipal Road
Safety Plan in line with national road safety policies to promote and encourage road
safety. The main aim of the plan will be to reduce the risks and occurrence of collisions
and to minimise potential conflict among road users.
165
TRN-11: Accessibility and Inclusiveness with Transportation Improvements
Ensuring access to all population groups is vital in achieving the Municipal‟s principle
of social inclusiveness and for the success implementation of the various measures
under the SDP. The SDP therefore will support and facilitate the development of
suitable access for persons with disabilities (PWDs), the elderly and children, including
improvements to buildings, pavements, streets and public spaces. Consideration must
be given to PWDs when designing all facilities for pedestrians and the passengers.
The TPRC in approving development plans will consider design elements which
support accessibility and inclusiveness, including the design of the new Corporation
building and other public buildings in the Municipality. The Municipal Corporation will
work closely with PWD interest groups and other partners to respond to issues and
complaints about poor accessibility. Accessibility audits will be carried in the pedestrian
network of the town centres with a view to developing solutions to make them more
accessible.
166
167
4.8
Institutional Development
PREAMBLE
There are a number of areas where the purposes of land
use planning are better served not so much by actual
physical plans but rather by the institutional
arrangements that are put in place to ensure crosscutting issues are constantly being addressed.
The Municipality extends over some of the most
sensitive eco-systems in this small island state. There
has been considerable scientific study of the Northern
Range and the impact of illegal or improper quarrying,
deforestation, slash and burn agriculture on the
hillsides, and squatting, for example, on the increase in
flooding, and on the supply of water to aquifers etcetera.
Given the widely available information on the negative
implications of these social practices, the frequent
episodes
of
flooding,
landslides
and
other
environmental disasters are partly people-made and
constitute institutional failure.
There is need to address certain institutional
requirements as a part of spatial planning and
development. Firstly, environmental monitoring and
evaluation has to be shored up by legislation and strong
enforcement. This means that as an aspect of public
policy, an agency like the EMA must be vested not only
with the authority, but also with the resources to
intervene in the public interest where there is a threat to
the wider public from actions or lack thereof in respect
of the use of space by anyone. The Municipality might
be deemed to be a conjoined or interested party in that
regard.
168
More particularly, there must be close collaboration between the Municipality and the
EMA and other agencies with statutory responsibility for natural resource management.
Community participation remains a major imperative in ensuring sustainable natural
resource and environmental management.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Institutional Development Priority is to strengthen the
institutional framework under which this SDP will be implemented.
POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
INS-1: Legislative Review
The updating of TCP legislation to more properly deal with environmental matters, and
the revision of environmental management legislation to effectively link development
planning and environmental management through the CEC process are among
legislative changes that are critical to the realisation of environmental protection goals.
The delisting, from the CEC (Designated Activities) Order, of quarries on less than 60
hectares of land needs to be re-visited in view of the major conflicts and impact which
such activity have on the natural resource base, for example, in areas adjacent to the Asa
Wright Nature Reserve. The cumulative negative impacts of having a number of
quarries in one location also make it imperative that this Order be revised. In addition,
forestry and water resources management legislation would also need to be urgently
addressed.
INS-2: Community Participation
Experience has demonstrated that effective environmental management involves
community participation. A population that is aware of environmental threats and is
committed to the protection of its space will act as responsible stewards, whether or not
there are sanctions for infractions. Brasso Seco is a good example where there is a
general awareness and commitment of residents to community based tourism and ecotourism. The inculcating of the appropriate values among the population will be a major
factor in environmental management and monitoring of spatial development.
Community development agencies will be critical in the development of the community
spirit. The TPRC will collaborate and work closely with frontline Government agencies
in the management of natural resources within the boundaries of the Municipality.
~ 169 ~
INS-3: Enforcement
There is also the matter of the application of sanctions. Squatter settlements on hillsides
and hillside farmers have to be removed in the public interest. Moral suasion may not be
adequate, and there may be need for sensitively applied pressure to ensure the
protection of the hillsides and in arresting such unfortunate practices like illegal
dumping and burning of garbage.
INS-4: Interagency Coordination and Collaboration
The SDP recognises that the issue of inter-agency coordination that must be
institutionalised in the management of information and in the implementation of action
with respect to all aspects of the Plan, in particular the operation of major infrastructural
facilities. Attention will be paid to the following:
1. Northern Range Environmental Monitoring;
2. Stormwater and Flood Control; and
3. Institutionalisation of facilitation at the level of the Municipality for trade,
industry and economic development.
Northern Range Environmental Monitoring
The TPRC will collaborate with neighbouring municipalities in the development with
the scientific community, an agency that would be involved in documentation of
information on the flora and fauna of the Northern Range and assessing human impact
and the establishing the state of health of the Range.
Stormwater and Flood Control
Drainage Division will continue to undertake work on the major water courses and
drainage channels as part of its Improvement Works Development programmes.
Attention will be paid to the following water courses and drainage channels in the
Region:

Blackman Ravine;

Maracas/St. Joseph River;

Tunapuna River;

Tacarigua/Caura River;

Lopinot/Arouca River;

Mausica River; and
170

Arima River.
A new infrastructure feature is likely to be the creation of retention ponds, from the
western boundary of the Municipality to Arouca. This entire area has witnessed, in most
recent years, episodes of flooding, previously unknown to the area. These are tell-tale
signs of the human infringement on the Northern Range. Close coordination among a
number of agencies will be a pre-requisite in the successful management of this new and
existing infrastructure. The Municipal Corporation, as a key player in this process, will
be proactive in ensuring management of these new resources. Stormwater management
required a coordinated approach to addressing the many problems that have arisen over
the years. Consideration will be given to the establishment of a Special Municipal
Committee to look at deal with Stormwater Management and Control.
Facilitating Industrial and Economic Development
In the past, industry facilitation has been entirely outside the purview of Municipal
Corporations. In the new paradigm, Municipal Corporations will have a vested interest,
even if not formally invested with the authority for facilitating industry within the
Municipality. The recognition of economic clusters may come much sooner at the level
of the Municipality than at the level of Central Government.
Coordinating the Provision of Social and Community Development Services
There is also the issue of social and community development services that must be well
distributed across districts and communities to build communities and to ensure the
socialisation of disparate groups that find themselves put together in concentrated
spaces as the population expands rapidly in the Municipality. The TPRC will ensure the
collaboration across a host of agencies in this regard.
Coordinating Spatial Planning
Spatial planning challenges in a small space have to be resolved, in the final analysis, by
a people centred approach to the management of space. There is need for close
coordination among a number of agencies. In this regard a Coordinating Committee
comprised of representatives of the TPRC, MPHE, EMA, WASA, MALMR, HDC, LSA,
and the MOWT should be established.
INS-5: Establishment of a Municipal Court
Consideration will be given to the establishment of a Municipal Court for
Tunapuna/Piarco to deal with a well-defined set of illegal activities undertaken within
the Region and to dispense justice for infractions of the Municipality‟s Ordinances. High
on the list are acts such as littering, illegal dumping of garbage and non-maintenance of
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abandoned property. Penalties in the form of fines levied by the court and fees imposed
by Municipal Corporations for specific services rendered to burgesses will be paid to the
court for onward transmission to the Corporation.
INS-6: Public Involvement in the Municipal Development Process
This SDP planning process carries with it, a number of lessons which will be applied to
improve the participatory response to the development of Tunapuna/Piarco. Given the
size of the Municipality, its complexity and dynamics, it will be important to improve
communication between the TPRC and its burgesses. The planning process revealed that
many residents did not know the boundaries of the Municipality or the communities
within its borders. A mechanism will be developed to ensure continued communication
and interaction and for developing sense of pride for living in Tunapuna/Piarco.
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4.9
Municipal Management
PREAMBLE
The planned Local Government Reform programme
requires the TPRC to exercise greater powers in the
management of the Municipality than it currently does,
and to do so effectively.
At the administrative level this would require an
improved complement of qualified staff including Land
Use Planning professional and technical staff who
would guide the Corporation in the implementation of
the SDP mainly through development control,
monitoring, and enforcement; in the updating of the
plan as necessary; and in the preparation of Local Area
and Special Area Plans. The control over development
would need to be exercised in collaboration with the
TCPD which should also improve its staff complement.
Stakeholders at the Visioning Exercise have articulated
the need for the Corporation to be “more responsive and
user friendly to its burgesses” and suggested a number
of means through which this can be achieved.
POLICY OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Municipal Management Policies
and Proposals is to improve management of
Municipality by the TPRC.
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POLICIES AND PROPOSALS
Consideration will be given to the following proposals in order to strengthen municipal
management of Tunapuna/Piarco:

The conduct of an annual participatory exercise to review and revise the SDP
and to gain consensus on regional projects going for annual financing. The
review will include the key stakeholder interest groups and institutions
operating in the Municipality and must be conducted prior to the end of the
budgetary cycle.

The restructuring of the Corporation to include representation of stakeholder
groups on the top decision-making committees;

The creation of a Regional Planning Committee, comprised of representatives of
all stakeholders, which would operate at both regional and community levels to,
inter alia, identify needs, formulate plans, prepare budgets, and locate resources
for the development of the communities;

The grant to the Corporation of greater autonomy in the discharge of their
functions through establishment of a strong Regional Planning Body,
incorporating all stakeholder groups, and functioning as an integral part of the
Corporation, and having the authority to challenge decisions handed down by
Central Government without adequate consultation with the Corporation; and

Establishment of a Municipal Court to deal with infractions of the law such as
littering, illegal dumping of garbage, and non-maintenance of abandoned
property.
MUN-1: Decentralisation of the TPRC
Decentralisation of the TPRC activities will bring the Corporation closer to the people. In
this regard, the Municipality will be divided into sub-regions within which an office
would operate to treat with public health related issues, in particular, and from which
staff can become familiar with situations before they reach crisis proportion. There
should certainly be a presence, at least one day each fortnight, in the more isolated
communities including the Northern Range communities.
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MUN-2: Strengthening Coordination and Collaboration
The new local government dispensation would require the TPRC to strengthen
coordination and collaboration, and to have proper working relationships, with Central
Government, Statutory and Special Service Companies – service providers including
WASA, the MOWT, and CISL in the provision and maintenance of public utilities,
infrastructure, and other relevant services. There would be the need, as well for
collaboration with agencies such as CEPEP in order to more effectively serve the
Municipality particularly in isolated and distant communities such as Blanchisseuse and
the other Northern Range communities.
It is critical that the Corporation work closely with the TCPD to manage and monitor the
development process. In this regard, the Coordinating Committees that previously
operated would need to be re-established and include agencies involved in land
development, including the TCPD and the WASA. The Committee should meet on a
frequent basis to consider major development proposals and ensure that infrastructure
and services can be provided to match the proposed levels of development, and in order
that their own planning can be informed by an appreciation of current deficiencies and
an understanding of future demand. The Committee should keep the Plan continuously
under review. Increased co-ordination will take place with the Arima Borough
Corporation relating to cross-boundary issues, and in light of imminent boundary
changes.
MUN-3: Improving Service Delivery
Critical to the success of these proposals and of efforts to improve the level of service
delivery to the burgesses is increased funding and well-managed systems. In this regard,
the Corporation should be allowed to retain all rates, taxes, fees, and fines collected from
its burgesses – residential and corporate – and other persons, including the usual rates
and taxes, new user fees to be levied for services such as entry to the Caura Valley
Recreation Park and other attractions, and fines collected by a Municipal Court.
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Area Policies and Proposals
5.1
5
INTRODUCTION
This Chapter details policies and proposals for each of four sub-regions into which the
Municipality has been subdivided.
The proposals incorporate those contained in a number of plans that have already been
prepared, including one for the Wallerfield Tamana InTech Park – the TPCDP that was
prepared by APDSL for e TecK; and another for the settlement of St. Helena – the St.
Helena Local Area Plan, that was completed by the TCPD within the recent past. The
first is referenced with the permission of e TecK and APDSL, and the second with the
approval of the TCPD.
The following policies are common to all of the four areas:

The natural heritage of the region will be preserved or protected to the fullest
extent;

The cultural heritage of the area will be preserved or protected to the fullest
extent;

Population growth and dynamics will be managed in a manner that supports
sustainable development;

Encroachment of built development and agricultural
environmentally sensitive areas will be discouraged;

A compact form of built development will be promoted in order to prevent
urban sprawl and protect natural resources;

Economic and social development will be promoted within a framework of
environmental sustainability;

The natural resource base will be utilised for social, economic, environmental,
and cultural benefit;

Provision will be made for a level, range, and spatial distribution of facilities and
services that will promote social advancement, community cohesion, and human
development;
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activity
into

Higher residential densities will be promoted in existing and proposed built-up
areas;

Housing will be developed within the context of sustainable communities and
concurrent with the necessary social and physical infrastructure;

Physical infrastructure facilities and services will be provided or upgraded in a
timely and cost effective manner;

A transportation system that will be complementary to the land use system and
offer safe, convenient, and efficient access to and within the region will be
established

Provision will be made for efficient spatial relationships and connectivity among
the various communities in the region;

Optimum use will be made of areas of high landscape and amenity value; and

A coherent landscape framework will be established.
Some community facilities including social, public, and protective services that will be
provided throughout the region are ECCECs, homes and day care accommodation for
the elderly. Sports and recreation grounds of varying sizes will be either set up or
improved in all settlements to help build community cohesion. Police Stations or police
posts will be placed in communities based on standards to be determined by the
Ministry of National Security.
Full use will be made of existing facilities, particularly schools and community centres
where they exist, to multi-function for various purposes, for example, as the base for
some public services including as libraries, and internet and information centres.
Facilities will be grouped for economy and to create a physical focal point at which the
community would be able to meet and develop relationships.
Attention will be given to the entire range of public utilities, infrastructure, and
transportation proposals. Improvements will be made to effect the following:

Water supply infrastructure to provide safe pipeborne water to all homes;

Sewerage infrastructure appropriate to protect the health, safety, and welfare of
the residents, and to prevent pollution of the aquatic environment;

Drainage infrastructure including retention ponds as proposed in the TCPD plan
for St. Helena, for example, to accommodate storm water runoff and prevent
flooding;

A reliable supply of electricity;
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
Telecommunications infrastructure adequate to meet the needs of residential and
business activities;

Collection and disposal arrangements and facilities for domestic, commercial,
industrial, and agricultural solid waste;

The general condition of roads; and

An efficient system of public transportation.
Some of the incremental residential development necessary to accommodate population
growth will take place on greenfield land mainly in the Wallerfield area. Most, however,
will be effected through intensification of existing built development in the East-West
Corridor in particular.
5.2
EAST-WEST CORRIDOR
This is the most urbanised part of the Municipality. It stretches along the entire midsection of the Municipality incorporating the following localities on which the earlier
analysis was based:
1. West of Tunapuna, El Dorado;
2. Tunapuna and El Dorado; and
3. East of Tunapuna and El Dorado.
The north-western sections of the CRH South as well as La Horquetta are also included,
as these settlements closely resemble those to the north of the highway in terms of their
level of urbanisation and their socio-economic characteristics. Excluded from this new
area are the Maracas Valley communities, St. John‟s Village, and Mount St. Benedict
which have been grouped with the Northern Range Communities.
5.2.1 Area Specific Policies
The specific policies for this sub-region are as follows:

An increase will be effected in housing choices in terms of location, type, cost,
and environment; and

Intensification of residential development will be promoted in existing built-up
areas.
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5.2.2 Main Economic Activities
The key economic activities for this sub-region will be:

Tertiary Education and Training Infrastructure;

Tertiary Health Care and Medical Tourism;

Heritage Tourism;

Business Tourism and Conferencing;

Merchandising, Commerce, and Distribution;

Financial Services;

Manufacturing/Industrial Development; and

Public Services and Public Administration.
5.2.3 Dominant Land Uses
The dominant land uses will be Built Development
Trade/Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional purposes.
for
Housing,
Office,
5.2.4 Proposals for Built Development
A University Town will be formally established in the St. Joseph to St. Augustine area
based upon a sub-regional plan to be prepared for the East-West Corridor area of the
Municipality. The land use will comprise a variety of types of high-density student
housing and support services including shopping, entertainment, and recreation
facilities. The development of a COSTAATT campus on the 16-hectare „Bangladesh‟ site
is also proposed as expansion of the EWMSC-UWI institutional area. Attention must be
paid to transportation in this sub-region, including the provisions for walking and
cycling and for para-transit facilities. In addition, drainage and stormwater management
must be addressed in greater detail at this level. Security of the University Town and the
sub-region as a whole will be another important issue under consideration at this
planning stage.
Other incremental East-West Corridor population is to be accommodated through
development of the land as set out in Housing Section (of Chapter 4). Much of the new
population will fit into existing developments that would be more densely developed
based upon proposals contained in this plan. New land is allocated for high density
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housing in the area north of the CRH and east of Mausica Road and extending almost to
the western boundary of the Borough of Arima.
A number of small hotels, guest houses, and bed and breakfast establishments will be set
up in the Mount Hope to Tunapuna area, but will be allowed to spill out to areas further
east, to accommodate foreign guests requiring medical care services. These facilities will
also support a Heritage Tourism sector which will require the continued conservation of
the St. Joseph Mosque, and the St. Mary‟s Anglican Church as well as the establishment
of a Historic District in St. Joseph in which buildings of historic significance will be
conserved.
Conferencing facilities to cater to the Business Tourism and Conferencing sector will be
accommodated in the area designated as the Business District in the Trincity Millennium
Vision development or another appropriate location therein.
Merchandising, Commerce, and Distribution; and Financial Services including banking,
insurance and real estate, will continue to take place in the existing commercial areas
including the three major shopping malls. The proposed Trincity Millennium Vision
development will also accommodate many of these activities. Policy and enforcement
mechanisms will be applied to keep these activities out of residential areas and other
locations at which they cause traffic congestion.
The Trincity and Macoya Industrial Estates will be retained on their current sites, as will
the large industrial concerns such as the Nestle factory. The aforementioned subregional plan will treat with the difficult issue of locating sites for small industrial
estates that will accommodate population oriented service industry as well as food
processing. Where these activities are to be considered in residential areas the plots
would need to be large enough to provide adequate space on site for parking and
circulation of motor vehicles, and to buffer activities from adjacent properties,
The town of Tunapuna will continue in its role as Regional Centre to include an
expanded Tunapuna Administrative Complex covering the entire block bounded by the
EMR, PBR, Pasea Road, and Centenary Street, and to accommodate Central Government
public services offices and services such as a modern library. The TPRC is making plans
for the re-location of its Offices to a site in the Trincity central area. The SDP supports
this proposal as it would move some of the activity that generates congestion from the
Tunapuna central area to an area where there is adequate space for parking and other
requirements. This, along with the other activities proposed for the Trincity central area
will have the effect of shifting some of the focus from the Tunapuna town centre to
Trincity. In this eventuality the Corporation should retain a presence in the Tunapuna
town centre by means of a sub-office in order to facilitate persons who might experience
difficulty getting to the Trincity office.
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The town centre will be improved, as indicated in Urban Design Section of Chapter 4, to
make optimum use of the limited land space. Redevelopment of vacant sites and
refurbishment of poor quality buildings will be encouraged.
Artist Impression of Downtown Tunapuna
The Trincity Central Area will function as one of the two Sub-Regional Centres for the
Municipality (the other to be established in Wallerfield). The space available at this
location would allow for the plan proposals to be implemented in accordance with
standards that allow for a high quality of development with the requisite on-site
parking, landscaping, and other amenities.
The Regional and Sub-Regional Centres, as well as the District Centres at Curepe, St.
Augustine, and Arouca will be developed based on more detailed sub-regional and/or
local area planning that will attempt to resolve problems identified with respect to traffic
congestion, parking, and the lack of facilities for pedestrians and persons with
disabilities. The same treatment will be afforded the smaller centres that provide lowerorder goods and services to a local area.
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Artist Impression of Tunapuna Market
5.2.5 Community Services and Facilities
Proposals for the provision of additional or improved social, public, and protective
services to the burgesses of Tunapuna/Piarco include the following which will be
contained in the East-West Corridor zone:
1. Expansion of health centres at St. Joseph, Tunapuna, Tacarigua, Arouca, La
Horquetta, and Maloney;
2. Refurbishment of the Caura Chest Hospital and the construction of a building to
house Senior Citizens;
3. Extension and conversion of the Tacarigua Health Centre into a small hospital;
4. Establishment of facilities for vocational and adult education programmes at
strategic locations throughout the area;
5. Upgrading of recreation grounds including the Eddy Hart Grounds and
Constantine Park;
6. Development by the TPRC of two new parks in D‟Abadie – Sitka Park and
Galaxy Gardens in D‟Abadie;
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7. Establishment of police stations or police posts in communities based on
standards to be advised by the Ministry of National Security (MNS);
8. Relocation of the Tunapuna Fire Station to front onto the PBR end of the block as
part of proposals for an Administrative Complex on its current site, and upgrade
of the facilities and equipment to accommodate the additional population and
allow for the handling of fires and other emergencies in multi-storey buildings;
9. Vertical extension of the Tunapuna Market and its conversion to a modern urban
facility;
10. Establishment of homes and day care accommodation facilities for the elderly at
strategic locations throughout the area as advised by the Ministry of Social
Development – a new facility on the Caura Chest Hospital compound or on the
site of the Tacarigua Health Centre is a possibility; and
11. Refurbishment of the St. Mary‟s Children‟s Home in Tacarigua and its expansion
or re-arrangement to include accommodation for the elderly.
Community facilities will be developed as part of complexes as at La Horquetta that
include a park, health facility, Day Care Centre, library, police station, Senior Citizen
Centre, community centre, post office, Family Transformation Facility, and MultiPurpose hall.
Burgesses in the eastern end of the Municipality will have access to facilities in the
Borough of Arima including the Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar Basketball Court,
Arima Velodrome, and Princess Royal Park. The North-East Regional Complex and the
Damanie Recreation ground are also within relatively easy reach.
5.3
NORTHERN RANGE AND VALLEY COMMUNITIES
The Northern Range and Valley Communities have been expanded to take in the
communities further to the west. The group that is covered in this plan formulation
stage includes Caura, St. John‟s Village, Mount St. Benedict, and the Maracas Valley
settlements (La Mango Village, La Baja, La Seiva Village, Valley View, Maracas-St.
Joseph, and Acono Village). These fit more closely with the easterly communities in
terms of the broad land use proposals than they do with the East-West Corridor
although they are more sociologically and economically linked with the latter.
The other settlements in this new group are Lopinot including Surrey Village and La
Pastora, Heights of Aripo, Arima Heights/Temple Village, Lalaja, Brasso Seco, Morne
La Croix, and Heights of Guanapo. These have been projected to increase their share of
the municipal population, from 2.2 percent to 3.0 percent. This will require deliberate
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efforts to expand the economies based upon the natural resources with which they are
endowed and to address any factors that might be operating to push people to the more
developed parts of the Region.
5.3.1 Area Specific Policies
The specific policies for this sub-region are as follows:

All forestry resources in the Northern Range will be conserved for watershed
management and protection, amenity, recreation, carbon sequestration, and to
protect biological diversity;

Degraded forest land will be rehabilitated;

Vulnerable hillside land will be protected from activities that may cause erosion
and landslips and lead to downstream flooding;

Key environmental tourism assets will be protected;

Good quality agricultural land will be protected from encroachment by other
users;

Provision will be made for the expansion of traditional economic activities and
the emergence of new growth sectors including nature and cultural tourism; and

Disaster prevention will be promoted through regulating development and
providing appropriate infrastructure on hillsides.
5.3.2 Main Economic Activities
The key economic activities for this sub-region will be:

Eco-tourism;

Resort Tourism;

Heritage Tourism;

Forestry/silviculture;

Agri-business;

Fishing and Fish Processing; and

Quarrying.
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5.3.3 Dominant Land Use
The dominant land uses will be Conservation Forests in Protected Areas, and Forest
Reserves.
5.3.4 Proposals for Tourism
Resources that form the basis of a viable Eco-tourism industry will be sustainably
exploited in Maracas Valley (waterfall and hiking trails to Mount El Tucuche through
the rain forest); and Asa Wright, La Laja, Brasso Seco, and Morne La Croix which will
be treated together as an Eco-tourism node. Eco-tourism will also be pursued as a
source of income and employment in Aripo, Morne La Croix, and Upper Caura.
Resort Tourism will be developed at Blanchisseuse as part of the North Coast Resort
Development area proposed in the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Master Plan. The
industry will be developed at low intensity in order to not overwhelm the host
community, and to fit with the level of infrastructure that can realistically be provided
over the period of the Plan. Heritage Tourism, based upon sites and buildings of historic
interest will feature in Lopinot (Compte de Lopinot House), and Mount St. Benedict
(Monastery).
There is a possibility that a Business and Convention Hotel could be established in the
Maracas Valley area to fill anticipated demand for this type of accommodation in the
Municipality.
Recreational activities in the Caura Valley Recreation Park (CVRP) will continue to be
significant and will require the upgrade of facilities for day-trippers.
5.3.5 Proposals for Forestry/Silviculture
Forestry/silvicultural activities will be based upon sustainable harvesting of timber,
wildlife, handicraft material, and medicinal plants, which will take place only outside of
Protected Areas and Forest Reserves. There will also be some focus on re-forestation of
degraded land with ecologically compatible species of vegetation.
5.3.6 Proposals for Agri-business, Fishing, and Fish Processing
Agri-business will include agriculture which will continue throughout the area. This will
involve the cultivation of vegetables where supported by soil of high agricultural
capability such as in upper Maracas Valley, Caura Valley, Lopinot Valley and Brasso
Seco. Otherwise the sector will be based on tree crops including cocoa and coffee that
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do not require the clearing of land by any means and that can be combined with
Forestry. Agro processing at cottage industry level to process agricultural output into
food and beverages will be encouraged in all of the communities.
An off-shoot of agriculture that can be explored in all of the settlements is Agro-tourism
which would bring additional visitors to the area and create another source of income
and employment for the people of La Laja and Brasso Seco
The Fishing and Fish Processing industries will be given some support at Blanchisseuse
through the provision of fisheries infrastructure including cold-storage facilities, and
processing space in the village.
5.3.7 Proposals for Quarrying
Quarrying can be continued in Maracas Valley, Lopinot and Guanapo on a limited scale
and subject to consideration of environmental impacts, and including measures to
mitigate any potential adverse impacts on the environment and upon road and drainage
infrastructure.
5.3.8 Proposals for Built Development
New and additional built development throughout this area will be kept at low
density/intensity in order not to overwhelm the social and physical fabric of these small
settlements and adversely impact the eco-system and the limited physical infrastructure
and services. It will comprise:

Mainly new low-density single-family housing as infill development or very
limited village expansion in the communities where land is gentler than the 1:3
gradient stipulated in the TCPD Hillside Policy;

Hillside subdivisions, where the land meets location and gradient criteria, to
produce plots of not less than 1,000m2;

Tourism infrastructure including a Museum as part of the Compte de Lopinot
complex, a Museum and educational/interpretive centre to be established in the
old Caura pump house to include on-going awareness programmes for visitors
to the CVRP;

Small hotels in Blanchisseuse; guest houses, bed and breakfast establishments in
the other settlements as well as in the Borough of Arima; and
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
Beach facilities in Blanchisseuse, and small restaurants and public toilets here
and in the other villages.
Topographical and access constraints will limit densification of settlements in the Santa
Margarita, Mount St. Benedict, and St. John‟s Village areas. The specific allocation of
land in Blanchisseuse to housing and tourism infrastructure will consider the possibility
of storm surge and beach erosion. Development will be set back from the coastline at a
distance adequate to protect property from storm surge and erosion, and will be
arranged so as to retain physical and visual access to the beach.
5.3.9 Community Services and Facilities
The provision to most of this area of even the most basic facilities is affected by the fact
that the settlements do not have the critical mass to support any significant level of
service.
The following community facilities will be established in these communities during the
period of the Plan:

The Blanchisseuse Health Centre will be upgraded to accommodate the projected
increases in the resident and visitor population.

Basic health care facilities, including mobile clinics, will be provided in the
smaller and more isolated settlements, that is, Arima Heights/Temple Village,
Aripo, Brasso Seco, Caura, Heights of Guanapo, Lalaja, Lopinot.

Mobile library/internet/telecentre services will be provided in all of the
settlements in this area.

State Lands have been earmarked for a sporting facility in the Heights of Aripo.
5.3.10 Physical Infrastructure
Critical to the Tourism Resort industry in Blanchisseuse is improvement to water supply
infrastructure to service accommodation facilities as well as day visitors. Appropriate
sewerage disposal facilities also need to be provided in this settlement to prevent the
degradation of the coastal and marine environment as a result of sewage pollution.
Small bore systems or composting toilets should be considered in this regard as advised
by the WASA.
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Road improvements works required to improve links with the remainder of the Region
include:

Upgrade of the Arima-Blanchisseuse Road;

Upgrade of the road to Lopinot; and

Construction of an all weather road linking Lopinot and Blanchisseuse.
Solid waste collection and disposal infrastructure for domestic and agricultural waste
including facilities in Blanchisseuse to deal with fish waste will be developed.
5.4
WALLERFIELD
The Wallerfield community receives the largest population increases, its share projected
to grow from 1.8 percent in 2000 to 4.0 percent in 2020, or by slightly over 10,000
persons. This is as a result of an influx of persons who will be employed at the Tamana
InTech Park, and UTT students who will be residing on campus or in the general area.
The result would be a major transformation of the community from agricultural/rural to
an urban centre of some size.
Development of Wallerfield would present an opportunity to start with a greenfield site
and develop a townscape that is not beset with the problems that affect other built-up
areas. The land is suitable for built development as most of it falls in Classes IV to VII of
the Land Capability Classification, only two small areas of Class III land existing here.
In addition, approximately two-thirds of Wallerfield is comprised of flat land which can
be developed at lower cost and without the negative impacts associated with
development of steep Northern Range land.
There is adequate land in the area to accommodate employment generating activities
that would bring jobs closer to home for the residents of the community and for support
community facilities.
5.4.1 Area Specific Policies
The specific policies for this sub-region are as follows:

Comprehensive development will be undertaken to provide housing,
employment, and the entire range of support facilities and services; and

An increase will be effected in housing choices in terms of location, type, cost,
and environment.
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5.4.2 Main Economic Activities
The key economic activities for this sub-region will be:

Tertiary Education and Training;

Heritage Tourism;

Manufacturing;

Livestock Rearing;

Agri-business;

Public Services and Public Administration; and

Construction.
5.4.3 Dominant land uses
The dominant land uses will be:

Tertiary Education Facilities;

Industry;

Agriculture including Livestock Rearing;

Housing;

Public Services; and

Conservation forests.
5.4.5 Tamana InTech Park including Tertiary Education Facilities
The main feature of the built landscape over the period of the Plan will be the Tamana
InTech Park which will take up around 416.5 hectares of land. Development of the Park
involves the e TecK light industrial estate and the main campus of the UTT which will
have 8,000 students attending in two shifts supported by a staff of 600. The development
will be based upon e TecK‟s TPCDP which proposes the following over a ten year
period:
191

Development of land for housing to include provision for dormitory
accommodation for 1,500 to 2,000 students in high-density high-rise buildings;
and 1.000 and 1,200 housing units and possibly another 400-500 units;

Tamana Place, the community service centre and the operational heart of the
Park which will contain a transit hub, commercial and administrative services
targeted to a population of between 5,000 and 10,000;

The Tamana Linear Park which will contain special visitor facilities such as a
Recreation Centre and Visitor Centre, and which is projected to attract between
250,000 and 350,000 visitors each year; and

Support facilities including a primary school, a recreation centre, and open space
for active and passive recreation.
The proposed vehicular circulation in the Park would allow for the development to be
linked with the CRH and with Antigua Road.
The land use proposals assume the retention of the army camp (Camp Cumuto) to the
north of the proposed Linear Park.
The completely built-out Park is projected to contain a population of around 12,000
persons in addition to a university population of 8,000. Another approximately 2,500 to
3,000 persons are expected to be engaged in providing services to the Park16.
This project is currently on hold, and it is not possible to predict how much, if any, of the
development will actually take place within the period of the SDP.
Development of the Wallerfield community will be based on a plan to be prepared
incorporating the proposals contained in the TPCDP and including details of the
Wallerfield Sub-Regional Centre.
5.4.6 Proposals for Other Industrial Development
Aside from the industrial activity to be undertaken in the Park, allocation is made in the
SDP for an industrial estate for light and service industries and some processing – of
animal products from livestock farms in the area as well as fruit and vegetables grown
in Wallerfield itself and other parts of the wider region. The industrial complex located
on the CRH south of Santa Rosa Heights will be a suitable site for this development.
Tamana InTech Park Community Development Plan and Transportation Report, Volume 1, All-Inclusive Project
Development Services Limited (APDSL).
16
192
Quarrying will continue to take place in the area to exploit the deposits of sand and
gravel needed for the massive construction exercise that will be required to implement
the proposed development of the Park and other development proposed in this SDP.
Quarry operators will be required, as a condition of their leases, to rehabilitate mined
sites so that they can be put to some use when they have been exhausted.
5.4.7 Proposals for Livestock Rearing and Agri-business
There would need to be a shift from livestock rearing in the areas in proximity to the
Tamana InTech Park and to land allocated for housing to avoid the negative impacts
that accompany such activities. Tree crops are an appropriate substitute. More intensive
forms of agriculture can be practised on the small areas of Class III and IV land which
are found in Wallerfield. Consideration can also be given to aquaculture.
Forward linkages can be effected through agro-processing activities that can be
accommodated in an industrial zone as well as through cottage industry.
5.4.8 Proposals for Housing
Given the insignificant amount of housing that has been developed in Wallerfield since
2000, mainly by the HDC at Jacob Hill, the Plan would need to allocate land to
accommodate most of the projected incremental population. For this purpose the SDP
proposes the further extension of the Jacob Hill settlement in an easterly direction to
take in the farms that are situated to the west of the TIP on both sides of Cumuto Road.
The ownership of this land by the State, and its lease in parcels that are upward of 1.6
hectares, some of which appear to be abandoned, should facilitate the amalgamation of
land to obtain a site of around 100 hectares for comprehensive development including
housing.
A major constraint to built development in this zone is the proposed rapid rail
alignment which is to be routed south of the CRH. Development standards would need
to include setback distances from the corridor, and noise suppression devices sufficient
for the attenuation of noise from the trains.
193
5.4.9 Proposals for Public Services and Administration
As a designated Sub-Regional Centre with almost none of the facilities required for this
level of function, provision would need to be made for land for support administrative,
and commercial facilities and for employment generating activities apart from the TIP.
Public – including a sub-office of the TPRC – and private sector offices will be included
in the area earmarked for comprehensive development. Higher-order facilities required
by the occupants of the Tamana Park and residents in the wider Wallerfield
development will be provided in the town of Sangre Grande, particularly if the CRH
Extension is implemented, or in Arima.
5.4.10 Community Services and Facilities
Proposals for the provision of community facilities to service the development,
including provision for all of the social, public, and protective services are indicated in
the following. Some of these will be provided in the TIP, others outside of the Park
within the area designated for comprehensive development.
A health centre with emergency facilities will be provided for the residential population
as well as for tenants on the Park.
ECCECs and a secondary school will be required depending upon the demographics of
the development and of the wider area and based upon the advice of the Ministry of
Education;
A Local library and a community hall/civic centre will be provided.
Provision will be made for a sub-regional recreational sporting facility, and play lots will
be provided in residential developments.
The population will also require a police post in the early phases of the development
and a police station when the UTT and the remainder of the InTech park are operational
and population numbers justify this facility.
A fire station will be constructed to service the eastern portion of the Municipality
including the Tamana InTech Park, UTT, and Valencia and adjacent areas. The facility
will be situated such that response distances meet the criteria established by the MNS.
Heritage Tourism is suggested in the TPCDP based on historic and heritage buildings
such as the military bunkers located in the area and in the Aripo Savannas.
194
5.4.11 Construction
This sector will receive a boost from the major development works which will be
required to implement the various plans.
5.4.12 Physical Infrastructure
The development of Wallerfield would require significant new infrastructure including
provision for water supply; waste water collection, treatment, and disposal; drainage;
electricity; and telecommunications as indicated in section 4.5 on Infrastructure
A waste transfer station to be established in this area by SWMCOL would need to be
sited to the north of the CRH where it would not impact the residential areas and other
built development.
5.5
SOUTH OF THE CHURCHILL ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY
This area is bounded as follows:

North by the Tunapuna and Guayabal Rivers in the west, and the CRH farther
east;

South by the southern boundary of the Municipality including the Caroni River
in the east;

East by the western boundaries of the La Horquetta and Peytonville
communities; and

West by the UBH.
5.5.1 Area Specific Policies
The specific policies for this sub-region are as follows:

Disaster prevention will be promoted through regulating development and
providing appropriate infrastructure in flood-prone areas;

Land within the designated airport zone will be retained for agricultural use or
other
airport-compatible activities and to allow for air transportation
infrastructure and the safety of the public;
195

Good quality agricultural land will be protected from encroachment by other
uses and used for economic benefit; and

Urban development will be restricted to existing built up areas.
5.5.2 Main Economic Activities:
The key economic activities for this sub-region will be:

Merchandising, Commerce and Distribution;

Airport and Airport-related activities;

Industrial Development/Warehousing; and

Agri-Business.
5.5.3 Dominant Land Uses:
The dominant land uses will be:

Agriculture;

Airport Development;

Housing; and

Industrial Development (including Frederick Settlement Estate).
5.5.4 Proposals for Agri-Business
Almost all of the approximately 6,600 hectares of undeveloped agricultural land in the
Municipality is located in this area, so that it is important that optimum use is made of
this resource. A significant acreage is to be allocated for an Operations, Maintenance,
and Storage Facility for the rapid rail project.
Agriculture will take the form mainly of intensive cultivation of rice, food crops, and
vegetables crops. Cultivation in Centeno and areas adjacent to the airport should not
involve crops that will produce seeds and grasses that are attractive to birds as this can
result in bird strikes on aircraft.
Agro-industrial activity and cottage industry will receive some priority to secure
forward linkage with agriculture.
196
5.5.5 Proposals for Built Development
The Piarco International Airport development will include a hotel and convention
centre, industrial development, bonded warehousing, shopping facilities, and a taxi hub.
Other built development will take the form of infilling of vacant land within Warren
Village (this area is in proximity to the EMBDC Chin Chin site in the Borough of
Chaguanas which is to be developed to produce 793 residential plots), La Paille Village,
Frederick Settlement, Caroni Village, Kelly Village, St. Helena Village, and Bejucal.
Some limited expansion of these settlements into adjacent lands as proposed, for
example, by the TCPD for St. Helena, as shown in Figure 5.1, will also be permitted.
The yield from La Paille and Caroni Villages will be insignificant as these are hemmed in
between the Caroni River and the Southern Main Road which constrains expansion of
these villages. Some additional development by infilling and consolidation can take
place in Pasea Extension between the Tunapuna and Tacarigua Rivers.
Infill development and settlement expansion could include a limited amount of multifamily development in the form of duplexes or townhouses not more than two storeys
high, as well as subdivision of some of the smaller agricultural plots. Densification
should take place without unduly changing the character of these rural areas. Burgesses
of this part of the Municipality might wish to retain the option to own or lease plots that
are sufficiently large to allow for backyard gardening.
Further development in Oropuna Village/Piarco, Centeno, Carapo is constrained by
airport safety considerations and the need to allow for further long-term development of
the airport. However, the LSA has plans to upgrade the Race Course Lands squatter
settlement, plans which appear to include provision for the creation of housing sites in
undeveloped spots within this community.
The main industrial area will be the Frederick Settlement Industrial Estate which ETeck
proposes to expand onto the remainder of the 30.75-hectare site. The Tunapuna/Piarco
SDP, however, proposes that the site be designated an Area for Comprehensive
Development to include provision for residential development, as well as administrative
services to serve the wider area, in addition to light industrial development. Industrial
uses to be accommodated must be compatible with residential activity given the
proximity of this estate to existing residential development, and in view of the negative
effects which some operations are reported to have had on the health and comfort of
residents within impact range. Consideration needs to be given to re-locating those „badneighbour‟, activities to more suitable sites.
197
Light Industrial activity including factories and warehousing will be permitted in St.
Helena and other settlements based on the TCPD St. Helena Plan and other local area
plans to be prepared subsequently by either the Division or the MLG.
Commercial development will be contained mainly within the two District Centres
proposed for this zone – at Cunupia and St. Helena. The TCPD Plan proposes the
establishment of the St. Helena centre around the existing commercial area and to
contain a range of facilities including trading establishments, new markets, gas station
(re-located from its current site), a police station, health centre, community centre,
school, and library/telecentre/information centre, as well as a transportation hub.
„Bad neighbour‟ uses such as motor vehicular garages should be placed in the
Transportation zone proposed in the St. Helena Plan and in other such zones to be
identified in other settlements.
Lower-order commercial facilities such as mini-marts will continue to service the other
communities.
The only other significant development proposed for this zone is the UWI development
for Faculty Housing and Research Park in the Orange Grove estate.
As indicated for the Wallerfield zone, development standards for this area would need
to be designed to ensure adequate setback distances from the rapid rail corridor, and
appropriate noise suppression devices.
5.5.6 Community Facilities
The SDP proposes the establishment of the following community facilities before the
end of the plan period in 2020:

Extension and upgrading of clinics in Cunupia and St. Helena;

Construction of ECCECs strategically located in relation to catchment areas;

Establishment of facilities for vocational and adult education programmes in
Cunupia and St. Helena;

Establishment of a library in St. Helena as part of a complex proposed by the
TCPD to include a school;

Upgrading of Walker Park to the level of Regional Recreation Park to fill demand
for a higher-level recreational facility to serve the Municipality and the adjacent
region;
198

Establishment of recreation grounds in all communities, including one already
earmarked for Unity Lane in Carapo;

Establishment of police posts in communities;

Establishment of homes and day care accommodation facilities for the elderly in
Cunupia and St. Helena;

Refurbishment of the Frederick Settlement Clinic for use as an activity centre for
seniors and homework centre for children of the area; and

Development of the Caroni cremation site by the construction of a crematorium
and chapel.
St. Helena Local Area Plan
Reproduced with the permission of the TCPD
199
200
Implementation
6
The Plan is to be implemented over the next 10 years,
although some of the programmes and projects will not
be completed during that time frame.
6.1
IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS
Proper development management and adequate and
sustained funding are pre-requisites to implementation
of the Plan. Public-private sector partnerships are made
critical by the magnitude of the task of resolving the
existing issues and forestalling future problems, by the
limits to the capability of Central Government and the
TPRC, and by the extent of private ownership of some
of the resources. The participation of the affected
communities is no less significant if Plan is to have the
support of the burgesses and to make a positive
difference in their lives.
6.2
MANAGEMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
The successful implementation of the development
proposals requires concerted action on the part of both
Central and Local Government, assisted by civil society.
It is, therefore, necessary to build managerial
competence and capacity in all of the relevant public
sector agencies in particular, in planning, finance, and
service provision. The current uncoordinated approach
to planning and implementation of public sector projects
will be replaced by a system which almost mandates
collaboration of the relevant agencies.
201
The establishment of the Coordinating Committee referred to earlier will serve to assist
the management of the entire development process. This Committee should comprise of
persons with the requisite training and with commitment to the task of ensuring
sustainable development of the Municipality. There also has to be a willingness to allow
the participation of civil society, including the land developers, environmentalists,
NGOs and CBOs as co-managers in the process, and an ability to manage partnerships
and resolve conflicts with these groups.
6.3
FUNDING
The PSIP will continue to be a significant source of funding for those programmes and
projects to be undertaken by the TPRC, MLG, or other Central Government agency.
These include the preparation of more detailed or focused plans, a number of large
projects, and the infrastructural programmes and projects – both social and physical.
Some housing will be funded by the HDC with partial cost recovery through the sale or
rental of the properties, and by the LSA as part of squatter regularisation and upgrading
schemes.
The funding situation of the TPRC will be improved if the agency is allowed to
introduce and retain user fees, for example, to enter attractions such as the CVRP
(which would also serve to reduce visitation levels), and fines for infractions of the
legislation.
The considerable resources of the Green Fund can be accessed by community based
groups to undertake reforestation projects on degraded Northern Range land in
collaboration with the Forestry Division.
Public-Private Sector Partnerships will be required for many of the projects. For
example, with respect to the proposals to develop the eco-tourism sector in the lagging
regions, the State would be required to invest in basic infrastructure and services and to
provide incentives to encourage the participation of the private sector in the provision of
tourism accommodation facilities and services. Incentives may also be given to private
land owners to encourage them to engage in reforestation projects or other ecologicallyfriendly forms of cultivation on their holdings.
Fees collected by the EMA in accordance with the „Polluter Pays‟ principle that is
included in the NEP should go to clean up pollution in the aquatic environment in the
Municipality.
~ 202 ~
6.4
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
It will be important for the Corporation to develop a register of NGOs and CBOs
operating in the Municipality. The TPRC will support the participation of groups which
are already engaged in developing their communities in one form or another, by
opening lines of communication with them. This requires a much closer collaboration
with the MCDCGA, more frequent presence of Corporation staff throughout the
Municipality, and particularly in the more isolated areas, and a willingness to take on
board the views of persons who, by and large, are well informed and knowledgeable
about local issues.
The Local Government Reform Programme does, in fact, require greater collaboration
between the Corporation and the communities under its jurisdiction and a greater level
of community participation in the process of planning and decision-making. This can be
achieved through inviting, encouraging and facilitating representation by relevant
stakeholder interests at statutory and other meetings of the Corporation. This can be
assisted if some of the meetings are scheduled within the communities, particularly
where a pressing issue of direct relevance to the community is to be discussed.
As suggested by stakeholders and indicated in Chapter 4, the Corporation will give
consideration to stakeholder groups being represented on committees and or to form
committees that would have an input in the planning and management of their
communities. This would give to burgesses a vehicle for expressing their views, and
would help to ensure „buy-in‟ of development proposals. It would introduce a system of
checks and balances that is generally lacking from the current system of governance.
The groups, however, need to be empowered and assisted with funding to participate in
the various opportunities that might be available, for example, in eco-tourism or
reforestation projects.
6.5
PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
The projects that come out of the SDP are listed in Table 6.1 along with the main
agencies which will collaborate with the TPRC in getting them implemented. The CISL
or other relevant Special Purpose Company will also play a role in the process.
203
6.3
MONITORING AND REVIEW
The Plan will be monitored and kept under continuous review to determine the
effectiveness of the policies and programmes and to make adjustments as necessary. The
Coordinating Committee will be important in this regard. However, less formal
monitoring through the community groups will be just as critical.
It is intended to take the SDP through the approval process set out in Part 2 of the TCP
Act. In this case, the legislation stipulates that at least once in every five years after the
date of approval by Parliament a fresh survey must be carried out and a report on this
together with “proposals for any alterations or additions…that appear to… be
required…” be submitted for approval. Notwithstanding, proposals for alterations or
additions to the Plan can be submitted at any time.
204
Table 6.1:
NO
Action Programme – Major Development Projects
PROJECT
DEVELOPMENT
ORGANISATIONAL
PROJECT
STAGES
RESPONSIBILITY
PRIORITY
2010
2013
2016
Main Implementing
Collaborating
/12
/15
/20
Agency/Agencies
Agency/Agencies
Sub-regional Plans, Local Area Plans,
East-West
Corridor
Sub-Regional
MLG
TCPD
New Wallerfield Development Plan
MLG
TCPD
Tunapuna Local Area Plan
MLG
TCPD
MLG
TCPD
Cunupia Local Area Plan
MLG
TCPD
Frederick Settlement Development
MLG
TCPD
MLG
TCPD
MLG
Water
Plan
University
Town
(St
Joseph-St
Augustine) Local Area Plan
Plan
Northern Range Eco-Tourism Special
Area Plan (including carrying capacity
study)
Maracas/St.
Joseph
Watershed
Management Plan
Resources
Agency, TCPD, IMA,
EMA
Landscape Plan for Tunapuna/Piarco
MLG
TCPD, MALMR
e TecK
Private Sector, MLG
e TecK
Private Sector, MLG
UWI
Private Sector, MLG
Region
Major Development Projects
Tamana InTech Park including UTT
and support facilities based on
TPCDP
Frederick
Settlement
Estate expansion
Industrial
(as part of
comprehensive development)
UWI Development
~ 205 ~
COMMENTS
Piarco
International
Airport
AATT
Development
Trincity
Millennium
Vision
HCL, Private Sector
Development
New TPRC Administrative Complex
MLG
at Trincity involving application of
Green Building technology
Trincity Central Area
17
Sub-Regional
MLG
Tunapuna Administrative Complex
MLG
Centre
extension
Tunapuna Market
(subject
to
Redevelopment
recommendation
MLG
in
Tunapuna Local Area Plan)
Develop
Wallerfield
Sub-Regional
Centre based on New Wallerfield
MLG, eTeck, Private
Sector
Development Plan
Environmental Protection and Management
Establishment of Northern Range
MLG, MPHE, EMA,
Environmental Monitoring body
WASA,
MALMR,
MOWT
Reforestation of selected areas in
Forestry
the Northern Range
National
Division
Reforestation
and
Watershed
Rehabilitation
Project
17
Mapping and designation of Special
Forestry
Protected Areas
EMA
Division,
Green Building technology involves the utilisation of ecologically sensitive materials and design techniques to limit the impact of the development on the environment.
206
Development of guidelines for the
sustainable
management
MALMR
of
agricultural lands to be leased by the
State
Removal of squatters from hillsides
MLG, LSA
Design and conduct of Natural T/P
TPRC
MLG, EMA
TPRC
MLG
Programme
Design
and
Implementation
of
Natural T/P Contractors Compliance
Programme
Conduct of Green Exercise Project
EMA
Development
environmental
EMA, UTT
Preparation of map of Environmental
EMA, MT
of
education website
Assets for the Tourism Industry
Clean up of Maracas, St. Joseph,
EMA,
Caura, and Tacarigua Rivers
Caribbean Network
IMA,
for Integrated Rural
Development
(CNIRD)
Design
and
Implementation
of
Organic Agriculture Pilot Project
Caura Valley Farmers
Association
MNS (Golden Grove
Prison)
Provision of facilities to manage fish
SWMCOL
waste in Blanchisseuse
Economic Development
Development of industrial estate at
MLG, MOTI, eTeck
Santa Rosa South
Development of small industrial
estates
for
population
MLG, MOTI, eTeck
oriented
service activities
207
Provision of tech-packs for farmers in
MALMR
Northern Range Communities
Identification,
mapping
and
MT, National Trust
designation of historical cultural
heritage resources
Development of Heritage resources
at
Lopinot
(including
MT, National Trust
Museum),
Mount St. Benedict, St. Joseph, and
Tacarigua for Tourism
Development
of
Eco-Tourism
in
Northern Range Communities based
MT,
Local
Communities
on Northern Range Eco-Tourism
Special Area Plan
Development of beach facilities in
MLG, MT
Blanchisseuse
Improvement of facilities for day-
Forestry Division, MT
trippers to the CVRP
Upgrade of chilling and cold storage
MALMR
facilities in Blanchisseuse
Community and Social Services and Facilities
Expansion of health centres at St.
Joseph,
Tunapuna,
MLG, MH
Tacarigua,
Arouca, La Horquetta, and Maloney
Refurbishment of the Caura Chest
MLG, MH
Hospital and construction of a
building to house Senior Citizens
Extension and conversion of the
MLG, MH
Tacarigua Health Centre into a small
hospital
Upgrade of Blanchisseuse Health
MLG, MH
Centre
Provision of mobile clinics in isolated
MLG, MH
Northern Range Communities
208
Extension and upgrading of clinics in
MLG, MH
Cunupia and St. Helena
Refurbishment
of
St.
Mary’s
MSD
Children’s Home and addition of
accommodation for the elderly
Upgrading and extension of Walker
MLG, SCOTT
Park
Upgrading of Constantine Park and
MLG, SCOTT
Eddy Hart Grounds
Rehabilitation of existing recreation
MLG
grounds
Development
of
recreational
MLG
complexes at strategic locations to
include indoor facilities
Development of two new parks in
MLG
D’Abadie and one in Carapo
Development of a sporting facility in
MLG
Heights of Aripo
Provision
of
police
posts
in
MNS
communities that are without police
stations
Installation of closed circuit and wide
vision
systems
across
MNS
the
Municipality
Strengthening of the Community
MNS
Policing Programme
Construction
of
Wallerfield
Fire
MNS
Relocation of Tunapuna Fire Station
MNS
Station
and
upgrade
of
facilities
and
equipment
Construction of crematorium and
MLG,
chapel at Caroni cremation site
Construction of ECCECs at strategic
ME
locations
209
Construction of one primary school
ME
at a location to be advised by the ME
Construction
of
one
secondary
ME
school if required as advised by the
ME
Establishment
vocational
and
of
facilities
adult
for
ME??
education
programmes
Construction of COSTATT Campus in
MSTTE
St. Joseph
Provision of mobile library services in
ME, NALIS
isolated communities
Establishment of a library in St.
ME, NALIS
Helena
Construction of community centres
MLG, MCDCGA
in communities that are without
these facilities
Construction of Homes for the Aged
MSD
at strategic locations
Construction
of
Day
Care
MSD
Accommodation Centres for the
elderly
Development of support community
MLG,
facilities in Wallerfield based on New
MCDCGA
ME,
MSD,
Wallerfield Development Plan
HOUSING
Preparation of layout plans and
TCPD, HDC, Private
development of housing in Mausica-
Sector
Arima area
Squatter
upgrading
in
affected
LSA
settlements
Development of housing and support
HDC, Private Sector,
facilities in Wallerfield based on New
MLG,
Wallerfield Development Plan
MCDCGA
ME,
MSD,
210
Physical Infrastructure
Design and Execution of pilot project
WASA
to reuse waste water for agriculture
and industry
Construction of storage reservoirs
WASA
Installation of new wells and water
WASA
lines
Appraisal
and
refurbishment
of
WASA
Corridor
WASA
existing STPs
Establishment
of
EW
centralised sewerage system
Replacement of pit latrines
WASA
Design and Execution of pilot project
WASA
to install composting toilets
Construction
of
specialised
WASA
treatment facility for toxic industrial
and chemical wastes
Construction of drainage retention
MOWT
ponds at strategic locations
Division)
Formulation of action plan for waste
reduction
and
improved
(Drainage
MLG, SWMCOL
waste
collection and disposal
Purchase and operation of a waste
MLG, SWMCOL
processing plant
Design and Execution of pilot project
MLG, SWMCOL
in composting of organic waste
Development of a Waste Transfer
MLG, SWMCOL
Station in Wallerfield
Design and Execution of a project to
MLG, SWMCOL
separate garbage into recyclable
components
Clean-up
and
rehabilitation
of
MLG, SWMCOL
dumpsites
211
Development
of
infrastructural
facilities in Wallerfield based on New
All
infrastructural
agencies
Wallerfield Development Plan
Transportation
Intersection improvements on EMR
Min. Highways
at major north-south roads from St.
Joseph to Arouca
Intersection improvements on SMR
Min. Highways
at EMR and CRH
Upgrade of intersections along the
Min. Highways
CRH from the UBH to Wallerfield
Construction
of
bridge
on
the
Tacarigua River between the EMR
MLG, Min. Highways,
TMB
and CRH
Preparation of a study to determine
MLG, Min. Highways,
public transportation needs
TMB
Relocation of unofficial taxi stands,
MLG, Min. Highways,
creation of lay-byes for taxi stops
TMB
Upgrade and regular maintenance of
MLG, Min. Highways
Arima-Blanchisseuse, Lopinot, and
Arima Old Roads
Construction of all weather road
MLG, Min. Highways
linking Lopinot and Blanchisseuse
Establishment of a southern link
MLG, Min. Highways
from the south of La Horquetta to
Centeno and St. Helena.
Provision
of
public
facilities
at
MLG
Development of airport to mall
MLG
Curepe transit hub
shuttles
Municipal Management
212
Strengthening
of
the
human
MLG
resources of the TPRC
Update of TCP legislation
Revision
of
effectively
planning
management
EM
link
and
MPHE
legislation
to
EMA
development
environmental
through
the
CEC
process
Establishment of a Municipal Court
MLG
213
~ 214 ~