Community Invasion

Community Green Space Gone

Construction of building over Drain

In the midst of the Christmas season, we have been reminded in chilling fashion about why so many are filled with fear and anxiety rather than the merriment which we associate with this time.
With a sense of remorse and vulnerability, we are now aware that the violent criminality terrorising our lives has claimed the second highest annual murder toll in our country’s history, and with 8 days of 2018 still ahead.  
More and more we withdraw from social activity and seek refuge in our homes, our living space.
The phenomenon, labelled Home Invasion renders even our very family abode no safe place. The episodes of powerfully armed intruders inflicting the most horrific brutality on old and young, are too often played out.
There was a time, too, that not only our homes, but, our communities were safe-havens from unsolicited intrusion.
This Christmas, though, our community, the area demarcated as residential on one side of the borderline Trincity Central Road separating our living space from the commercial zone opposite is for again invaded by the business interests.
In an apparent attempt to ‘catch the Christmas sales, the fast food franchise-holders, have hastily attempted to complete construction of a Prestige-ous fast-food complex on the green space adjacent to the roundabout on the Central Road which bore a sign until their advent that read – Health Centre.The merchants of items of questionable health benefit now occupying the very spot on Home Construction Ltd’s plans designated for a health facility.
The space was up to only recently a green space used by residents, taxi drivers of the H or PH variety and most recently even visitors as a place of relaxation, recreation and community interaction.
THE SAGA
Within hours after what was described as a consultation meeting called on an evening which made it difficult for even those who were aware to attend, a galvanised fence was erected around the grassy space.
This was so sudden that even people living on the other side of the Boulevard which borders it were shocked when the fence appeared.
This is the second attempt to usurp that space for commercial purpose. A previous attempt only a couple of years earlier was halted when residents objected during a consultative process which at least appeared genuine.
In this case, those who already own KFC, Pizza Hut, et al in the largest mall in the Caribbean just across the borderline, held a meeting with about 15 people present, 10 of whom were from the franchise-holder outfit on the very green space about 2 weeks before the other mentioned above.
Not only are these fast-food outlets already located in the Trincity Mall, but a second large mall is under construction further up the Central Road, on the spot where a Family Court was proposed.
So, residents, victims of this invasion of our community’s living space, who had earlier objected to the sudden arrival of a caravan of food trucks within the very space, who can we turn to for protection?
Well, the Presige-ous spokesmen made it clear that this drive-through complex, constructed over the major drain preventing flooding in Rowland Avenue and with its exit and entrance less than 100 metres away from a heavily-used roundabout was being erected with approval of the Planning Ministry and Traffic Management.

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So, we, the residents can scarcely complain to our very busy MP who happens to be the Planning Minister.
Nor can we turn to her immediate predecessor who led the campaign against the Family Court, but, is silent when a second huge mall is going up a recreation ground away from the 2 secondary schools in our community.
It may or may not be of significance that this fast-food complex and the other commercial building further North on the residential side borderline Central Road, as well as the second mall opposite it are all owned by those who announced themselves to the world to be ‘the 1%’.
The food trucks were relocated after objection by residents.
But, it appears that the Regional Corporation and the Councillor who also incidentally share party affiliation with the MP, only used the residents conveniently to facilitate the Prestige-ous business interests.
Unlike the victims of home invasion, we cannot call on GG to halt this community invasion which is inflicted upon us, because this incursion carries with it, the veneer of ‘lawfulness’.
 
Clyde Weatherhead
A Citizen Fighting for
Community Right
22 December 2018
 

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