N'aw-lins

We ran away for a couple days to the Crescent City. It reminds me a lot of our own Port of Spain. A huge mix of culture, some parts a little grimy, homeless people, nice quiet streets, fabulous food, art, music, laid back. When I see what they have done to attract tourists which in turn creates an economy   employment and opportunities for young people, I realise Port of Spain has all the ingredients.
 The Crescent City is at the edge of a huge wetland, suffered the worst hurricane in modern history and yet still what is shown to the public is something very different. Port of Spain could actually set out a plan to rebuild itself creating one of the best cities this side of New Orleans.
I have already spoken about my 'City Project' which would actually be a rebuilding of not only Port of Spain but San Fernando and Arima. Our cities are dumps. We have allowed mediocrity and laziness to creep in to our psyche and the result is a broken city, badly maintained, zero finesse in any attempted repair. A statue of Lord Harris was destroyed decades ago in one of our parks and nothing has been done since then. Just about every historic building is on the verge of being demolished. The pavements, drainage, fences, replanting of trees, painting of public buildings basically any and everything is done in such a laissez faire attitude if at all that the city is not a pretty sight.
 Port of Spain must be made whole again and it can be done!

'If there was no New Orleans, America would just be a bunch of people dying of boredom'
Judy Deck

The recent events in our capital city are worrisome. The breakdown of law and order across the country is cause for real alarm. I am reading now of persons who should know better, they are the MP's of the area of concern, making the most ludicrous statements about it is 'only handful of people,' 'if we had the Gang Legislation enacted then the delinquents could be arrested.' What dotishness is this? If only a hand full then what is the problem and then what does rioting have to do with Gang Legislation? If we do not stop this lawlessness now the only thing that will happen is that it will spread to other parts and become uncontrollable. Young armed youth is not a situation you want because those same MP's will not be allowed to go into their constituencies, that is of course if that situation does not exist already.

The housing issue is a what issue? The Government has said that they will not be backing down on the construction of 500 housing units on the country's last remaining grade 'A' soil at Curepe known as the St Augustine Nurseries. The HDC is claiming that there is a major shortage of available housing units and therefore the project is a go. What about the unfinished 3500 housing units which still have to come onto the market? What about the land that was cleared at South Quay years ago for the purpose of building housing units, the then existing commercial buildings were demolished and construction should have started under the Manning Administration. These lands are vacant with no signs of any development.
The history of the St Augustine Nurseries dates back to 1850 with a proposal submitted by one Louis Antoine Aime Gaston De Verteuil M.D.P to the then Governor General Lord Harris. The proposal spoke to the establishment of model farms with a school of agriculture attached which would 'confer incalculable benefits on the community. Moreover, as juvenile depravity is on the increase, and the number of youthful criminals augmenting to an alarming extent, such an establishment might be rendered subservient as a penitentiary for that class of offenders, where they could receive primary instruction, religious teaching, and industrial training' LAAG De Verteuil, 1858.
So the plan is to destroy a perfectly good agricultural operation, sure it needs work, and build public housing. I can only assume that based on the statements being made by officialdom that the St Augustine Nurseries is the only parcel of land left in this country on which to build housing. Is that a fact? If that is so then what about South Quay?

The confusion these days in the Government is another cause for serious concern. Nothing is going right. The world of the Rock seems to be falling around the PMOTT. A Midas touch he does not have. Whether it is the failing economy, extreme levels of crime, rising levels of unemployment, constant screw ups by his Cabinet, a newly purchased ferry that somehow cannot leave the dock, the sexual shenanigans by some of his colleagues, a failed Legislative agenda, glaring examples of voter padding, a Justice system on the ropes, the first signs of a population being extremely frustrated, poor guy! It cannot be easy, but who can one blame? After 29 months of being in office this is his problem.  He opted to take it over in 2015 claiming that he had the solutions and that his team was 'ready'. The electorate obviously feels different.

Glad to back in the land of the living, coming through Piarco today was a breeze. You see, it can work!

Good night people of the Rock and good luck! Oh, and by the way, its 'N'aw-lins'.