BAN

The first working day of the year and some are saying the they have a real good feel for 2018. Maybe it was the fact that after the horrendous weather recently the sun was out today with a beautiful Rock day. It may also be the fact that some parts of sunny Florida were getting a dusting and Toronto was actually colder than the Artic. Sometimes I really wish we could wave a magic wand and wish the negativity all away, we could be a near perfect place.

The Minister of Rural Development and Local Government begs citizens to stop the illegal dumping. He rightly claims that the stuff that is thrown away clogs up the drains and watercourses causing flooding. He is so right. I mean it did not take a scientist to figure that one out. It is however going to take the brightest brains from the best Universities across the globe to figure out that if the state does not provide some proper, reliable means of waste disposal then what exactly are people supposed to do with their waste. 

Plastikeep was recently shutdown because of a lack of state funding, ok, the organisation required some tweaking but it proved that the system could work. Why not allow it to continue until there is another organisation in its place or expand the system that already has a proven track record. What exactly are people supposed to do with their waste? Even if people were willing to recycle how is this going to be done? There is no plan hence people do the next best thing available to them, dump it in the road. Do I agree with this, no. The Solid Waste Co was set up to deal with this, what happened. As usual, nothing.

• Sometime ago it was announced that the country now owned a tyre shredding machine. Where is the machine and why is it not functional. What provision was made for the collection of used tyres? 
• What is the situation with the collection of white waste, mattresses, derelict vehicles and computer waste?
• There are private collection operators who do paper, bottles and batteries but how many people know about them?
• I had written the Mayor of Port of Spain suggesting that the City Corporation set up a collection facility at their Mucurapo Rd site, yes the one with the derelict vehicles you can see off the ForeShore, but have not heard anything. 
• It is all well to appeal to citizens to be mindful of their surroundings and as much as we may try our best, the State plays a major role in the education and the physical removal and handling of waste. 
• Question, do commercial businesses, restaurants and supermarkets pay extra? For instance does a downtown merchant pay more for garbage removal than a household?

There are many countries in the world where one does not see garbage anywhere. How come?

Maybe I missed it or maybe it was not said or not even necessary but is there any plan for 2018? Do we have like a country resolution(s) where the government has set out to achieve anything? or the Opposition, other than world peace. Have any of the leaders of the Rock indicated what they intend to do to make our Rock a better place? A commitment to working with each other, stop the crass most base politicking, coming together to deal with the ills of the Rock? I guess we can kiss that idea goodbye.

 The scary part about our leadership is the fact that there is not one iota of vision or hope coming from either one. The only thing we hear is some vague commitment or the usual blaming of the other one. This childlike behaviour is taking us no where. The population is growing very tired of the old worn statements and is simply not buying into it. 

Enough of these people, they have had their time and they cannot take us any further!

Sitting at my computer tonight the demon toys are exploding in the hills disturbing the entire valley.

And so I have two BANS

BAN HUNTING!

BAN FIREWORKS!

People of the Rock all is not lost, it is all about timing!

Good night and good luck!