M uch gnashing of teeth is taking place over the destruction of our national and historic buildings but it makes me smile a little amidst great hurt because this is exactly the pattern we have become used to.

Take the case of Mayaro: there are two historic buildings that may soon disappear simply because we do nothing amidst cries for help until the buildings are no more.

Both buildings are in great danger. The first I shall refer to is the Old Mayaro Post Office, on Post Office Hill, Pierreville, Mayaro. The National Trust and Government conservators know about this building. What is being done?

So where do we go from here? The old historic Mayaro Post Office was on the point of being demolished when fervent representations were made by your humble servant and the UNC government, to its great credit, stopped the demolition plan and gave the building to a hurriedly-formed Mayaro Historical Society in 2000.

They promised it would be renovated for us, for it was in very bad repair, and indeed an effort was made, for the then curator of the National Museum, who was apparently in charge, made an attempt at restoration, which was not very successful—it did not get very far—then the building was left alone. It has deteriorated badly and the Restoration Unit keeps on promising to renovate and restore it, but nothing is being done, which begs the saying that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. That old and historic and beautiful building is now on the point of collapse, and also it is one of the greatest health threats to residents around, for it is a breeding house for corbeaux. Not too long ago young corbeauxs which could not even fly yet were seen on the building.

Not only the National Trust and the Government Conservators are waiting, but the Health Department at Rio Claro is doing nothing in response to complaints from people near to this old building, where small children live. They are forever promising to visit the building and spray it, but no one has ever turned up.

This is a good moment to consider this crass neglect. The golden anniversary of Independence! Let us see if this historic Mayaro building, built in 1921, and responsible for Mayaro's demographical, physical, and social "shape" today, would be allowed to tumble down so as to allow for more gnashing of teeth!

The expected demolition of the Mayaro RC Church (first built on the site in 1690 as a mission church in the Arawak village of Mayaro will await another letter.

Michael Anthony