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Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath has criticised the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM), among other state agencies, for their responsiveness in the face of disasters.

But ODPM CEO Ret'd Maj Gen Rodney Smart believes Padarath was misguided on the role of the organisation when he criticised it.

Speaking at the TT Meteorological Service's (TTMS) National Climate Outlook Forum at the TT Civil Aviation Authority's Piarco headquarters on May 21, Padarath said, “Over the years I have not been satisfied, nor have I been happy, with the response of some of these critical stakeholders and one of those has been the ODPM.”