Headed down the islands for a day trip today. Family and friends, some visiting from the UK, were camping out on Monos and we had a great day. Grandchildren with accompanying grannies made for a wonderful day. The heavens opened at some time and there was a mighty squall. Reminiscent of last Sunday's deluge.
We obviously picked a good day because there was no traffic in or out of the peninsula. Of course, I had on my spy glasses looking at everything on the way. It is amazing what you see if you want to see.
Let me back up a bit because there are three locations that I had the pleasure of visiting over the past five days and I can only say what a dump we have become.
National Stadium: Driving to a function at the carpark of the Hasley Crawford Stadium one can only be embarrassed over what was once the pride and joy of the Rock. The carpark is a potholed, unpaved, treeless barren landscape. Looking at both stadia one wonders if there is anyone in charge. The facilities are in a dilapidated condition, in need of a complete makeover. What is left of the paint on the buildings is all peeling and faded. There is material of different sorts strewn across the floor area, the courts on the Jean Pierre are nonexistent, no markings for any type of sport other than a large truck tire placed on the court. The carpark is now a storage area for numerous sundry items. Grass growing in every crack as though the facility is abandoned. Sad indeed that there is nothing this country can maintain. Nothing!
Piarco Airport: This is the Piarco International Airport I speak about, not the abandoned grass strip at Galera Point, Toco. Paint, a weed wacker, and somebody to turn the lights on at the Arrival Hall would make a world of difference. OK, it is not O'Hare, we know this, but at least show that there is a maintenance schedule. The uncut grass is a definite sign that the maintenance is sadly lacking. We cannot keep the grass maintained but we can install car park sensors to detect empty spaces, why? When are we going to get a multistoried carpark so we can actually get to and from the terminal building without getting soaked in the rain? It rains for nine months of the year. The security personnel monitoring the parking at both the arrival and departure areas seem to jump into action only when things get bad, as happened on Sunday. Why are you allowing people to park in these areas? People park and leave their vehicles which then creates double parking which I had to do whilst loading luggage. Love how we still have porters to move your bags literally 50 feet.
How about the Airports Authority not knowing who abandoned an aircraft on their property and making a public statement that they are going to donate the plane to the Chaguaramas Military Museum? Again, who is in charge here? No executive from the Authority walks the airport facility to view first hand the poor condition of the premises?
An airport is the first thing visitors experience when arriving in a country. Between the badly maintained facility and the 2 hr wait to be processed by Immigration and then Customs maybe the people who own the abandoned aircraft headed back home by sea.
The Chaguaramas Peninsula: Dump, dump, and more dump! Dr. Williams would be 'tweeting' the POTUS to retake the area if he could. Does the CEO and or the Chairman see the condition of the place? It is overgrown, the road surfaces are in a mess, junk everywhere, unfinished structures, what was once lovely open spaces are now fenced off from the general public. It looks like a cheap Mexican Circus yard.
That is the story of our lives. There is not a single public structure, park or play area under the management of a state corporation or entity that is maintained to an acceptable level.
The Minister with responsibility for flooding states that a camera was placed in one of the storm drains in the capital city and it picked up a building's foundation cast into the drain blocking the drain. One of the reasons for the flooding and therefore not the fact that there was heavy rainfall. Who is responsible for the blocking of the storm drain, we will probably never know but we charge a garbage truck driver for discharging the load onto the streets after he was threatened by thugs in the area.
We can hire a PMOTT but we cannot hire a suitable Commissioner of Police.
I am afraid that the Rock is heading in the wrong direction. If we cannot cut grass, put on lights at six o'clock in the evening, pave carparks, appoint a Commissioner of Police then why are we wasting our time trying to fix our economy, deal with a runaway crime spree, and show why our young people should stay. We are in trouble!
Good night people of the Rock and good luck, we will need it!
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