Trinidad Express'We're not taking any traffic plan'
Businesses firing workers; taxi-drivers, residents slam new routes
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
The Port of Spain West traffic plan must be scrapped immediately.
Just one week into the implementation of the new traffic plan for west Port of Spain, there are numerous calls for its immediate removal, among them business owners, who say they are enduring heavy financial losses and have no choice but to send home workers.
Emotions ran high during a public meeting at the St James Amphitheatre on Monday night where persons from all walks of life, from taxi-drivers to business owners, complained that the traffic plan was negatively affecting their livelihoods.
Scores of people voiced their concerns, saying the free flow of traffic makes it easier for bandits to attack, pedestrians are suffering because they cannot access taxis and everyone, including young children and the elderly, is at risk from having to cross four lanes of traffic on major roadways.
The traffic plan, which was developed by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and supported by the Port of Spain City Corporation, went into effect on July 16.
Traffic on major roadways such as Ariapita Avenue, Western Main Road and Tragarete Road changed direction to accommodate the one-way traffic in the plan.
This, in effect, created a faster flow of traffic on these routes, but residents and business owners say these new "highways" are making their lives hell.
Grant Chin, owner of Jacqueline's bakery on Ariapita Avenue, said he was now forced to fire five employees because his business was suffering.
"These five ladies are very good workers, but for the survivability of Jacqueline's, I have to do it because I cannot last for three months. I am now selling bread on a freeway," he said.
He said he was losing six hours of business a day as there was no parking on the Avenue from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
In addition, he said permanent no parking signs which have now been installed affect business during other hours of the day.
Waldron Louison, owner of West Classy Food in St James, said it appeared there was a deliberate plan by the People's Partnership Government to destroy businesses.
"I am not happy with what I saw on my cash register yesterday...as a matter of fact, I am seriously considering sending home three young ladies tomorrow," said Louison.
"Hold on! Hold on!" shouted members of the audience.
Louison said another business colleague informed him that losses were so great in his own business that earnings slipped from $17,000 to $964 in one week.
This person, he said, was also faced with having to send home five employees.
"He (colleague) believes that the plan is to rid the St James and Ariapita Avenue of us and allow part of the cabal to buy out our business and buy out the real estate at dog cheap price," said Louison.Melissa Dalloo, owner of Ali's Veggie Mart in St James, said not only was her business suffering, her life was also at risk as she disclosed that last Wednesday, she was robbed in broad daylight, at 11.30 a.m., by two bandits.
Dalloo said two men, armed with guns, exited a yellow-band maxi and entered her business and demanded that she hand over her gold bracelet and necklace.
She said if it weren't for one of her employees, she would have been dead.
"If my worker didn't stand up for me, they might have shot me and kill me. I have four little children; Lee Sing needs to change that highway into a two-way. Lee Sing make that a freeway for bandit to jump out and rob businesspeople; that is wrong," she said.
James Ceasar, owner of Hioasis in St James, said a political game was being played, and people must not be trampled on.
The owner of Asha's Variety Store in St James told the Express that she, too, now has to fire employees as the new traffic plan had crippled business.
Natasha Ferrera, another businesswoman, said she can no longer sell breakfast on mornings.
She said her income had also taken a blow, which affected her from giving charity to the Living Waters Community each month to help battered children.
She also said young women were now being put at risk because they were getting into taxis and were not sure as to what routes they were going to be taking.
"Yes, we need to change and make things better, but human beings must not suffer for progress," she said.
A number of residents of the affected areas complained of difficulty in getting taxis and the fact that they now have to walk from Tragarete Road to Ariapita Avenue to get taxis to head into Port of Spain.
Resident Lorraine Simon expressed concern as to what will happen to hundreds of schoolchildren who have to travel home when school re-opens.
Many expressed fear that some child may get knocked down by speeding cars when trying to cross the roads.
Ivy Forde, 88, made an appeal for the traffic plan to be abandoned, saying her life was at risk.
She said she was nearly blind, having had two eye surgeries, and had extreme difficulty crossing the roads with her grandchildren.
"I don't know who planning this, but to me, this is definitely a waste of time...everybody loves the old people, everybody love the children, but when it comes to that, who love we? Nobody loves us; politicians are not the Government, the people are the Government. They are there to seek our welfare but is the people suffering, and we are not going to stick for that in St James," said Forde.
Chairman of the Woodbrook Residents Committee Lynette Dolly said she wrote to Port of Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing on behalf of the residents, complaining there were too many dangers in the new system and the plan must be revisited.
Several taxi-drivers said they, too, were facing the pinch.
Culbert Alexis said he puts $80 in gas a day in his vehicle and goes home with $90.
He said people did not know where to get taxis and women were scared to travel.
He recalled an incident where he had to look after a female passenger who was forced to walk from Tragarete Road to Ariapita Avenue and looked as though she wanted to faint as she was just told by the doctor that she was experiencing menopause symptoms.
Alexis said he now goes home early because the roads were unsafe and passengers were nowhere to be found as the plan did not make any accommodation for pedestrians.
Another taxi-driver said people were now at risk because they were walking in search of transport and were now prey for bandits and rapists.
Poll