Bouts with touts

Nov 28, 2008 Features / Columnists

The Parrot is pleased; pleased to see stringent efforts being made by the police to help ease the pain commuters feel as a result of the minibus “Kulture”.
Yes, I squawked about this many times before, but it seems that these squawks and the cries of many others haven’t become “victims” of the hearing impaired syndrome. It is clear that Semple, the Traffic czar, is not simply taking the situation for granted.
He has acted now that he is confirmed in the position and has the full support of his boss, Henry, who by the way is still acting. This Greene is far more proactive than the other one over at City Hall. Amazing isn’t it? Both men with the same initials and surnames are completely opposites in terms of work ethics.
What? In appearance too? Ah, shut up.
Anyway, having moved against the “boom boom” menace; having moved to intensify campaigns to curb the NASCAR copy-cat syndrome of speeding; having moved against some of the lawlessness that existed at some parks within the Stabroek area, Semple and his outriders have now moved against the touts.
Oh what a move! For years people complained about these menacing looking, dirty clothed, profanity discharging, ladies’ and commuters’ harassers, conductors’ harassers, bag taking touts. Henry, Greene that is, not Jeffrey, added two other adjectives to describe them; lookouts and bandits. If he says so it got to be so.
The Parrot’s only grouse is, why did it take so long? People were complaining for years. But as we say locally, “better late than never”. Many commuters lost belongings “courtesy” of these touts.
Drivers and conductors are threatened daily if they did not comply with some of the touts. The touts demanded monies even if they didn’t “force” a passenger in the bus.
Fearful operators complied. I recall being told a few years ago about the touts at a city park who were allegedly “protected” by a senior officer of the City Constabulary which has an outpost in the vicinity.
Back then, the touts were “taken” by officers into the said office to “show” operators that efforts were being made to curb the menace. But of course it was just that; a show.
It was known that the “raids” were just a reminder to the touts for them to “pay” “royalties” to the “man-in-charge”. It wasn’t a secret. The real protection was provided to the touts!
Operators were forced to live with it since, according to some, their cries landed on deaf ears at City Hall. But then, what can we expect? That Green may not have been in the country? To compound matters then, the real police only showed up for short periods and not necessarily everyday.
To their credit, the real police that is, when they showed up the touts were a no-show.
This is why Semple and Henry, the same being referred to in the context of this squawk, must be commended and supported, for generally, when the police are around, civility returns.
My concern is sustainability. If this can be sustained along with the other campaigns, commuters will continue to breathe sighs of relief. Touts are a menace, so much so making Dennis, not Shap Brawl, tolerable. Given the theory of displacement, one can only hope that their removal from the parks doesn’t result in their appearance outside shopping centres touting to provide parking spots.
I have faith in Semple and his outriders in dealing with this; they will ride around outside the stores and make the touts “kneel” if caught.
Squawk! Squawk!

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Bouts with touts

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