The Point Fortin Mayor Kennedy Richards Jr. held talks with Heritage CEO Arlene Chow as well as other Heritage officials this morning outside Atlantic LNG, to bring a resolution following the spill from the erupted tank which was undergoing an Engineered Hydrotest to assess the integrity of Tank A failure in the walls of the tank occurred which caused the leak last Sunday evening.

Clean up operations is taking place outside of the affected areas. Contractors employed with Heritage to do clean up operations have agreed to employ some residents within the affected area during the cleanup exercise. Due to the strong smell emanating from the spill, some residents were asked to desist from cooking. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Point Fortin has agreed to supply meals to the persons in the affected area and Heritage has indicated that they will provide hampers to persons in the affected area as well.

A tank owned by Heritage Petroleum Company Limited erupted around 5:00 p.m. Sunday spilling oil and water which affected operations at nearby Atlantic LNG causing panic in the nearby community in Point Fortin. Southsidenewstt understands that the tank was being pressure tested at the time of the eruption.

Southsidenewstt was informed that the tank had a capacity of Six hundred and twenty-two thousands of gallons water and oil mixture. Residents of the area are asking to be evacuated as the stench is becoming unbearable.

A Former Safety Manager attached to Petrotrin, who was at the site, voiced his concerns for the residents. When Southsidenewstt arrived, there were no officials from Heritage at the site. A worried-looking Point Fortin Mayor Kennedy Richards Jr. was on the location trying to assist residents. In a statement late Sunday evening, the Heritage Corporate Communications Manager said that Heritage was conducting an Engineered Hydrotest to assess the integrity of Tank 27, a failure in the walls of the tank caused a leak.

The release stated there were no injuries as a result of this incident and Heritage is continuing to monitor the situation and it’s Incident Command, and HSE Team are on-site and managing the situation however when southsidenewstt left the area shortly before 9:00 p.m. there were no Heritage officials on site.

The Residents of Point Fortin and environs will soon get a new Hospital. The hospital, which is in its final stage of construction, will cost over one billion dollars when completed. Southsidenewstt visited the worksite on Wednesday morning, and workers were seen doing last-minute works on the facility SouthsidenewsTT also understand that the hospital would be open within the next three months.
The hospital will have one hundred and ten-bed capacity. The spanking new state of art general hospital will cater to residents from Point Fortin to Icacos.
The hospital will also have a full outpatient clinic facilities.
People from the area will no longer have travel to San Fernando for much needed medical services. Therefore no longer would the residents see an ambulance racing out of Point Fortin with patients.

There is a report this morning that the screening committee of the People’s National Movement has selected the Mayor of Point Fortin as the candidate for the upcoming General Election.

Southsidenewstt receives information that His Worship Kennedy Richards Jr. got the nod of approval from the committee last night beating his fellow contenders.

Southsidenewstt attempted to reach out to the Mayor however, calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.

We will bring more information as if comes to our newsroom.

Meanwhile, in La Brea, the party has rejected both prospective candidates the incumbent Member of Parliament Nicole Ollivierre and  Party Vice-Chairman Robert Le Hunte who appeared before the screening committee last evening.

Southsidenewstt understands that the screening committee has asked the constituency executive to look for new potential candidates from the community. 

Today the screening committee of the People’s National Movement will meet to decide who will
represent the party in the upcoming General Election for the constituency of La Brea and Point Fortin.
In Point Fortin there are two front runners, Former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Donald Denoon and
current Mayor Councillor, Kennedy Richards Jr. of the Point Fortin Borough Corporation.  
While the constituency executive is fully supporting Mr Denoon, southsidenewstt have been told there are also three other prospective candidates who will face the screening committee this evening to represent the party, they are Attorney at Law – Adel
Acosta, Councillor – Bryanna Fortune-John and Alderman – Leslie Chang Fong.
Meanwhile, in La Brea, the incumbent is heavily challenged by party Vice-Chairman and Former Government Minister – Robert Le Hunte. 
The screening committee will meet at Balisier House at 4:00 p.m.

Construction on the Fanny Village Primary School has restarted. When southsidenewstt visited the site this morning, work was in progress on the school’s construction which was stopped more five years in 2015 due to issues. The first contract was awarded in April 2009 and subsequently terminated in 2012.  A new contract was awarded in April 2015. However, issues continue to plague the Contract. Southsidenewstt understands that these issues have been rectified and the two-story school building is expected to be completed in eighteen (18) months by the new contractor CCCL Company Limited.  The old school was destroyed by fire in April 2015 and classes were held at the Fanny Village, Community Center. Upon completion of the school’s building, it will house about five (500), hundreds. pupils.
Southsidenewstt made several attempts to contact the ministry; however, our efforts were unsuccessful.

The Point Fortin Borough Corporation has embarked on a drive to rid the Borough Streets of illegal vending structures. This morning Public Health Officers, together with Police Officers from the Corporation, removed several unlawful structures. SouthsidenewsTT was told following a consultation held in January this year on the street vending issues by the Corporation; a decision was taken to remove all permanent illegal structures. The vendors were warned on several occasions before this action was taken.

We attempted to reach the Mayor His Worship Kennedy Richards for comments, but our efforts were unsuccessful.

Point Fortin police are investigating the reported rape of a woman in Warden Road, Point Fortin. According to police reports, around 5.30 am Monday the woman told police she was on her way to work when a man accosted her with a firearm. He dragged her into an abandoned house where he allegedly raped her. The woman made her way to the Point Fortin Police Station where she made a report.

This is the second time in three weeks a woman from the same area was raped. Earlier this month a woman told police she was getting ready for work when a man entered her house and raped her. Police said no one has been held in connection with that incident and there is an ongoing investigation into the matter.

Now the residents of the area are wondering if there is a serial rapist in the area and are asking for more Police patrol.