Commonsense came then left

Feb 29, 2012 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

What a country! We are primitive! And when we do move, we go so slowly the modern world leaves us behind. Three times within the past 10 years on this page, I urged the relevant authorities to convert into one-way tracks the six streets that go east to west or west to east (whichever you prefer) in Alberttown.
Actually, I once wrote an editorial for this newspaper, five years ago, calling for this change.
Ten years after my advocacy, those six streets are now one-way pathways. Is it not agonizing how slowly this country moves? Commonsense came to Alberttown then left. Those same six streets continue into Queenstown where they acquire other names. Commonsense should dictate that to allow for a smooth flow of traffic, the one-way facility should continue into Queenstown. But no, instead we have confusion.
Those six streets in Queenstown have been randomly made into one-way tracks. Here is how the confusion works. Let us say you are going east on Fifth Street Alberttown. When you reach Queenstown, Fifth Street (I’m using a general example, not specifically Fifth Street) does not continue in the same vein. That road may be one-way in the opposite direction to what it is in Alberttown. Please go and check it for yourself; you will see that the six streets in Alberttown that are now designated one-way lanes do not follow the same pattern in Queenstown. If this is logical then the ancient Greeks who invented logic were fools.
When you want to see how primitive this country is, check the latest one-way designs. Albert Street is a two way road from North Road to Lamaha Street. This same Albert Street is a one-way from Regent Street to South Road going south only in order to facilitate the GRA’s VAT office.
Instead of reverting back to two-way after 17. 00 hours when the VAT rush is over, it is a permanent one-way. Now brace yourself for the Albert Street confusion and the death of common sense. This very Albert Street is two-way going south between Robb and Regent. This very Albert is a one-way going in the opposite direction from Robb Street to North Road going north only.
If you cannot follow this logic I am suggesting to the media that they check it out. It is complete imbecility. This is Guyana in the 21st century. Let me describe again the Albert Street insanity. If you are turning from Lamaha Street into Albert Street, you can do so because it is a two-way road between Lamaha Street and North Road. You cannot turn south on Albert Street to go to Bakewell if you are on North Road because between Robb Street and North Road, Albert Street is a one-way going north only. This very Albert Street is a two-way lane between Robb and Regent Streets where it becomes one-way going south only between Regent Street and South Road. Don’t accept this column’s description, check it out for yourself.
Years ago, on this page, I suggested that residents and businesses stop erecting concrete poles on their parapets because of three grave mistakes. One is that the resident literally owns the parapet outside their building because it cannot be for public use. Secondly, it is a security risk for the police, fire service and ambulance.
Let us say that the police car is chasing a vehicle and wants to overtake it, it cannot if the parapets have encumbrances. Thirdly, if you erect plant pots and steel structures on the parapets then where are your guests and customers suppose to park?
The answer is that they will barefacedly park on other people’s parapets. Go to Brickdam and see what GT&T has done. It has ringed its parapets with concrete poles. I went to buy a cell phone from GT&T last year and though I was a customer of GT&T, I found parking way up Brickdam outside someone’s residence. The Georgetown Club on Camp Street has done the same.
So if you are attending a function at the Georgetown Club, you have to look elsewhere on Camp Street to park but not on the western parapet of the Georgetown Club. Huge concrete poles are in the ground. Of course all of that will change ten years from now when an ambulance trying to get out of the way, hits one of these encumbrances and a tragedy is the result.
Finally, in Guyana, women are not allowed to enter many public buildings with sleeveless dresses. And our women folk accept this. What is wrong with a sleeveless dress? I guess we have to ask the Naipaulian characters that govern this country.

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Commonsense came then left

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