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Function of Municipal Bodies
In Trinidad, Local Government authorities are responsible for:
- Collection and disposal of garbage
- Cleaning of cesspits and septic tanks
- Construction and maintenance of roads (other than main roads and highways) including the provision and maintenance of the related drains, bridges, side-walks, and street-signs
- Street-lighting
- Provision and maintenance of minor water courses
- Provision, maintenance and control of public cemeteries and cremation facilities
- Provision, maintenance and control of public recreation grounds, parks, and squares
- Provision and maintenance and regulation of public retail markets and slaughter-houses
- Inspection of buildings and building sites
- Approval of building and housing-development plans
- Cleaning of public spaces
- Insect vector, rodent and canine control
- Disaster management
- Distribution of truck-borne water, in the dry season, to areas without pipelines
- Assessment and collection of land and building taxes (in cities and boroughs at present)
- Establishing municipal Bye-laws and policies to regulate their functions
- Enforcing municipal Bye-laws through the Municipal police
Each municipal corporation is required to have a Municipal Police Service, members of which are given precepts to:
- Enforce the bye-laws and other regulations of the Municipal Corporation
- Monitor and carry out general surveillance of the Corporation's property, assets and personnel
- Provide escort services, as well as, security at Council meetings, official functions and special events
- Detect and prevent socially deviant behaviour such as illegal street vending, vandalism, and erection of illegal structures
- Maintain domestic peace and tranquility and prevent crime in the municipality in collaboration with the central police service
- Undertake community policing and related social services pertaining to poverty eradication, youth training and development, counseling and family rehabilitation
- Arrest, execute warrants, detain, and formally charge offenders of the law
- Gather intelligence to prevent and detect crime, and to formulate security policies for the Municipal Corporation.
It is to be noted, however, that the Regional Corporations do not have a full complement of municipal police officers, and efforts are currently being made to make the necessary appointments.
Apart from the above, Municipal Corporations in the cities and boroughs also provide the following services:
- Collection of dues and charges (Market and abattoir dues)
- Issuing of food badges and Vending licenses
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