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Arima Mayor Balliram Maharaj at a Christmas event on December 14 in the borough. - Arima Mayor Balliram Maharaj said he sees nothing wrong with his appearance at the UNC’s fundraising Christmas dinner on December 13 at the Dennis P Ramdhan Complex, Couva.
He said his loneliness following his wife's death is what led him to attend the dinner as a guest of his nephew.
The prominent Arima businessman was sworn in on September 2023 on a PNM ticket, but was photographed posing with the Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Phillip Alexander, at the dinner. The picture has since been making the rounds on social media.
In an interview with Newsday on December 15, Maharaj said he attended the event with his relative, who had tickets and who had been checking up on him since his wife’s passing.
“I in a big house alone. He’s the only one does carry me out,” he said.
“In fact, anywhere I go he does take me out. I have a house in Tobago and he takes me there. He’s like a son to me. He looks after me. Wherever he goes, I go.”
He said he only realised it was a UNC event after arriving, but was impressed by the function and commended the organisers. While there, from about 8.30 pm to 10.30 pm, he said he knew his presence raised eyebrows as he could hear people asking why he attended, given his political affiliation, and anticipated that some people might label him a traitor. However, he said it was time the country outgrew such politics.
“I feel it is time to stop this hate politics. Not because you belong to a certain party...and I have family and friends there, politics should not divide us and it is time for us to build a nation after 63 years of Independence. Every creed and race have an equal place.”
He added: “It’s my dream to see after 63 years, Trinidad has become one nation, one people, one love, where everybody could enjoy the wealth of culture, religion, sports, entertainment as a big family.”
He said the picture was Alexander’s idea, which he obliged.
“I’m not a fan of him but I waved my hand to him (and said), ‘Good evening,’ and he say yes he knows who I am and he came back again after I talk to him and said, ‘Let’s take a picture nah.’”
Maharaj said he is contemplating stepping down as mayor to spend more time with his family.
Maharaj said he has been lonely since his wife, Leela, died almost five years ago, leaving him living by himself as his children have migrated. He said he had promised himself that by the time he turns 85 next month, he would make up his mind whether to hang up his hat.
He explained that he was asked by former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley to throw his hat into the political ring for the 2023 local government election. Though reluctant at first, he agreed to do it after consulting with friends and family, seeing it as a way to continue giving back to Arima, but never intended to stay on for the full four-year term.
“When I accepted it, I told Dr Rowley I’d only go for two years, but after losing the election, I thought it would be unethical to withdraw myself. The man in the street would say, ‘He loss and he gone.’
"I tried to protect Dr Rowley. I stayed on. I make two years and four months, 28 months.”
His term is set to expire in 2027 when the next local government election is due. He said there are several key items he still wishes to see for Arima within the next six months or he will leave the post.
These include a completed Town Hall building, the opening of the new Social Welfare office, an Inland Revenue office, a new Election and Boundaries Commission (EBC) office, a new administration building, and an indoor sporting complex started on O’Meara Road.
One of the easiest to accomplish, he said, was to move some of the required services into an existing four-storey building.
“The business part of that is you’d have one set of security, one set of telephone operator, one set of cleaners. You could put Revenue there, you could put the ID card (EBC) office there and Social Welfare.”
Maharaj hosted some 2,000 children at the Arima Velodrome on December 14 for the Borough Corporation's annual Christmas party, a release said.
It said children received free gifts and treats, enjoyed bouncy castles, face painting, and interacted with costumed children’s characters throughout the venue. Complimentary barbering services were also provided, while the TT Police Service hosted an interactive booth where children and parents were able to view police gear and equipment in an engaging and educational environment.
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