Dear Editor,
Half-Way-Tree Square is becoming less accessible to the progressive motorists as a result of the more frequent usages by special interest groups and their staging of activities and events.
I take it that such activities must be authorised by the office of the mayor of Kingston, through the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation. If that is the case, it now leads me to think that both the mayor and the staff in her office think little of us as taxpayers, as it seems there is little consideration of the impact on the people each time such events are approved to be held in the square.
Where were all these events held before? I can think of so many areas that they could have used that would generate the same volume of people, interest, and media attention to garner the needed visibility to promote their events. Look at areas such as Heroes’ Circle, Mas Camp, the waterfront (downtown), just to name a few, all still in the Corporate Area.
The organisers seem to put little or no effort in alerting the public of the need for detours. I can hardly find someone who heard such an announcement prior to the closure of the square to see proper instalment of barriers at appropriate points. Also, they never seem to have enough police on hand to divert traffic and assist in avoiding gridlock and confusion.
Yes, we are a Third-World country, but a minimal application of common sense will help us to plan and execute with First-World vision.
We, as a society, should demand more from those who plan and authorise such usage of our public places and venues.
To the powers that be, please keep your citizens in mind over the numerous interest groups who are only thinking of their objectives. Your objective is the obligation to keep all citizens in your decision-making and not impede us as we go about earning our daily bread, so as to pay our taxes. We are entitled to a less stressful commute.
Neville Grant
Nevillejamrock@gmail.com
Half-Way-Tree Square is becoming less accessible to the progressive motorists as a result of the more frequent usages by special interest groups and their staging of activities and events.
I take it that such activities must be authorised by the office of the mayor of Kingston, through the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation. If that is the case, it now leads me to think that both the mayor and the staff in her office think little of us as taxpayers, as it seems there is little consideration of the impact on the people each time such events are approved to be held in the square.
Where were all these events held before? I can think of so many areas that they could have used that would generate the same volume of people, interest, and media attention to garner the needed visibility to promote their events. Look at areas such as Heroes’ Circle, Mas Camp, the waterfront (downtown), just to name a few, all still in the Corporate Area.
The organisers seem to put little or no effort in alerting the public of the need for detours. I can hardly find someone who heard such an announcement prior to the closure of the square to see proper instalment of barriers at appropriate points. Also, they never seem to have enough police on hand to divert traffic and assist in avoiding gridlock and confusion.
Yes, we are a Third-World country, but a minimal application of common sense will help us to plan and execute with First-World vision.
We, as a society, should demand more from those who plan and authorise such usage of our public places and venues.
To the powers that be, please keep your citizens in mind over the numerous interest groups who are only thinking of their objectives. Your objective is the obligation to keep all citizens in your decision-making and not impede us as we go about earning our daily bread, so as to pay our taxes. We are entitled to a less stressful commute.
Neville Grant
Nevillejamrock@gmail.com