Point Fortin Borough Corporation

The Office of the Chief Executive Officer

The Chief Executive Officer provides strategic leadership in the  Corporation. The Chief Executive Officer is recognized as the “Accounting Officer” and has responsibilities under the law for the adherence to financial procedures.  The Office of the Chief Executive Officer has overall responsibility for the following:

• Day to day operations of the Corporation and relies on delegation to Heads of Units.
• Provides leadership for the strategic management process in ensuring  implementation of the strategic direction of the Corporation;
• Is responsible for executing all decisions of Council; must also be key in promoting and facilitating “change”;
• Provision  of  the link between Administration and Political arms
• Provision  of the link with the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local  Government and other Ministries
• Ensures the provision of general administration for the Corporation to include:-
• Corporate Services
• Advertising Control
• Freedom of Information requests
• Library Services
• Office Management
• Official overseas travel arrangements
• Protocol duties
• Tenders
• Telephone/Telecommunications/Networking Services
• Records Management
• Legal Services
• Licensing
• Public Relations
• Asset Management
• Promotion of civic and citizen participation in Local   Governance
• Security Services
• Local Health Authority

Accounting Department

The Accounts Section of the Point Fortin Corporation is charged with all matters of finance and accounts of the Corporation, duties undertaken include:

• Maintenance of all records and accounts for all monies received and paid out  on behalf of the Point Fortin Corporation.
• Attendance at   all meeting of the Finance Committee of the Council.
• Preparation of monthly and annual financial statements.
• Maintenance of all  stores records.
• Record and maintain a system of accounting for the assets and liabilities of the Corporation.
• Preparation of draft estimates of revenue and expenditure.
• Safe keeping of all accounting records.
• Maintenance of  the accounts of the Mayors Charity Fund.

Assessment Department          

The main function of the Assessment Department is to bring all Rateable Properties within the House Rate Books as stated in the Municipal Corporation’s Act No. 21 of 1990.

The Assessment Department is part of the Real Property Subsystem and is charged with the responsibility of determining the rateable value of all properties within the jurisdiction of the Corporation and property taxes annually on them in proportion to their value. The Department commenced operations in 1995 but the position of Town Assessor was filled and scheduled in 2002. Its core functions therefore are:

• Assessment of properties;
• Dispatching of assessment notices annually;
• Reassessment of improved structures;
• Assessment of new structures;
• Valuation of Corporation land leases;
• Recording mergers and sub divisions of properties;
• Numbering and renumbering of properties;
• Performing insurance valuation for Corporation properties;
• Handling Objections;
• Preparation of Return of Ownership.

Engineering Department          

The Engineering Department is currently made up of a number of sub-units: Transport, Works, Roads and Buildings. The Department has overall responsibility for maintaining the physical infrastructure and transportation fleet of the Borough. Functions include:

• Construction and upkeep of roads and drains;
• The physical upkeep of the Point Fortin Market;
• The maintenance of all Corporation vehicles;
• Beautification and upkeep of the Borough;
• Physical upkeep of the Town Hall;
• Purchasing and issue of stock

Disaster Management Unit      

In accordance with the Local Government mandate as the First Responder, the Disaster Management Unit has the primary responsibility based on its proximity to the disaster event to respond to level one (1) emergency such as flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and fires at the local level. The recovery and relief efforts at the local level are in response to the severity of the natural, technological or manmade event and are directly dependent on the classification level of the incident.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and coordinates activities within the Municipal Corporation’s Emergency Operation Centre.
• Advises the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Disaster Management Coordinator on the activities related to all phases of disaster management.
• The implementation of the Disaster Management Policy of the Ministry of Local Government.
• Liaise with Ministry of Local Government and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) in the implementation of the National Disaster Management Plan for Trinidad.
• Participate in research, coordination and evaluation of policies, strategies, programmes and plans relevant to disaster management within the Ministry of Local Government in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer and other stakeholder organizations.
• Compile, analyze and evaluate data for decision making relevant to disaster management and media releases.
• Work collaboratively with organizations to review design plans for managing emergencies in the municipal community.
• Designs and submits recommendations and proposals for the implementation and development of response and recovery plans.
• Develop a policy on the provision, management, operations and access by users for the ambulance and omnibus service.
• Facilitates the institutional strengthening of the Municipal Corporation to undertake development control activities.

Personnel Department  

The Personnel Department assumes the responsibilities of Employee Relations, Training and Development and the maintenance of approved and adequate levels of Human Resources. Duties and responsibilities include:

Employee Relations:

• Implements and ensures adherence to Government’s Human Resource Policies, Procedures and Industrial Agreements.
• Labour Management Relations
• Employee Assistant Programme (E.A.P)
• Benefits Management
• Pension and Gratuities
• Loans
• Separation – Retirement and Resignation

Training and Development:

• Orientation and Induction
• On The Job Training
• Performance Management
• Training Administration

Maintaining approved/adequate level of Human Resource:

• Budgeting for Human Resource – Draft Estimates
• Recruitment, Selection and Promotion of Daily Rated Employees
• Making recommendations for the filling of vacancies on the Monthly Paid and Daily Rated Establishment
• Maintaining systems for employment and leave records

Public Health Department

Duties and responsibilities

Environmental Health Law Enforcement:

• Serving Notices and ensuring compliance.
• Functioning as a Litter Warden.
• Being instrumental in Court proceedings brought against persons in non-compliance of notice.

Water Quality Control:

• Water Sampling.
• Public Swimming Pool - Approval/Inspection.

Food Safety:

• Food Service Establishment - Approval/Inspection.
• Inspection of Mobile Vendors and Units.
• Market & Abattoir Inspection.
• Meat/Fish Inspection.
• Food Sampling/Inspection.
• Health Education - H.A.C.A.P., Food Lectures, Food Sanitation.

Solid & Liquid Waste Management & Disposal.

Land Development/Housing Control:

• Site Visit, Drainage & Environmental Health Impact Assessment.
• Pre and Post Construction Approval and Inspection of Building Structures.

Farm Inspection:

• Location and Animal Waste Control.

Port Health/Inspection:

• Inspection of Vessels and Containers.

Vector Control Services:

• Mosquito/Insect Pest Control, Rodent Control, Canine Control.

School Inspections, Institutions and Public Buildings

Infectious Disease Control/Investigation, Epidemiological Work.

District Services:

• Private Premises Routine Inspection.
• Abatement of Nuisance.
• Investigation of Complaints.
• Health Education.
• Inspection of Park, Playgrounds and Cemeteries.

Disaster Sanitation:

• Pre-disaster planning and post disaster action.

Public Cleansing Operations:

• Drain cleaning.
• Cutting of overgrowth etc.
• Maintenance of verges and open spaces.

General Health Education:

• Personal Hygiene.
• Environment Sanitation.
• Safety.

Office Duties:

• Data Collection, Assessing, Evaluating and Record Keeping/Filing.
• Development of Environmental Health Projects and Programmes.
• Attending Meetings.
• Interviewing Members of the Public.
• Issuing Food Badges
• Report Writing.

Internal Audit Department      

The Internal Audit Section of the Point Fortin Corporation plays a critical role in ensuring that the financial systems in operation are properly safe guarded and public funds are spent with economy, strict accountability and value for moneys in accordance with the Financial Management System and according to the legal provisions of the Exchequer and Audit Act Chapter 69:01, and the constitution of Trinidad and Tobago.

Municipal Police  

• To facilitate the maintenance of law and order within the Municipality.
• To provide security at Corporation Meetings and ensure the safety and protection of staff and individuals as well as the Corporation’s property and assets.
• To adequately enforce the Municipal Bye-Laws, Regulations and Orders made by Council.
• To facilitate the prevention of crime and infraction against the law in collaboration with the Central Police.
• To ensure public safety, law and order by creating and maintaining a secure community environment of increased public safety.
• To facilitate the regulation and control of local traffic within communities.
• To deliver fair, impartial and effective policing to communities.
• To implement strategies for reducing the incidence of robberies, gang violence, drug use, domestic violence and juvenile delinquency in communities.
• To promote strategies and programmes for public safety and solving neighborhood problems.
• To carry out regular patrols’ in order to reduce the incidence of infractions against the law/bye laws regulations including vandalism and destruction of property as well as detect, arrest and charge offenders.
• To facilitate the prosecution of offenders of the law in the court.
• To carry out investigations with a view to determining infractions against the law and charging offenders.