T&T why are youtreating your people so

Trinidad and Tobago Why You Treating Your People So

I jumped on a plane to go to visit T&T.
Could not wait to walk the streets

First stop was Belmont, where I was born
I hesitated, because people say too much crime in that town

I decided to view some scenes from a maxi taxi
What I saw had me very sad indeed
Not much was changed structurally
Same old houses in need of much TLC

The roads and pavements had so many pot holes
Someone could break some body parts or loose some shoe soles

Most of the street signs were erased
Some were even pointing the opposite way!

The smell of pee stung my nose
Vagrants sleeping on cardboard
Some made their homes in any hole

I went to the market place and saw meat, fish and chicken sitting or hanging from poles
Not fit for human consumption, forming bacteria, a scent of rotten meat hit my nose!

Vendors blasting music from their black market cds calling out come and buy honey!
People buying cds and dvds not caring for the artist’s money

No room to walk on pavements so slanted I thought I was falling off ! What a travesty!
A few times my heel got caught in a hole, so I stepped down to walk in the street
Forgetting I had to judge the distance between pavement and street.
Too many times I jerked my knees!

Getting into a maxi taxi was a particular feat
I had to bend my body and constrict my knees
When my stop came, my body was cramped
I could hardly walk because my foot fell asleep

As I tried to crawl out of the maxi I had to step over bodies with a precision that was very neat
I did not want to get cussed out by anybody

Forget air condition that’s not for maxis
I tried to tell myself that sweating is good for weight loss, so no air conditioned maxis is good for me

Next, I went to the Calypso tents
Now there I found many Calypsoes with great content

Some were poetry in sweet prose’
Some were prophetic messages sent down to give some manner of hope
Some yet again, will cause an individual to move their bodies in vulgarity and seek out dope

As I sat in the tents I felt at home looking at the sea of people from all ethnic race
I thought why the Calypsonians have to put on the shows in that moldy old place

I thought they are the ones people are coming to hear in T&T
They are the ones that boost the economy
They should be getting the royal treatment and paid very highly!

My next stop was the pan yards to listen to the latest pan tune
Here again, I am thinking why is it they do not have their own buildings to practice in?
Where is the money they are generating?

Such diligence when every night off to the pan yard they go practicing
They should be paid just for showing
Here is another revenue making

T&T your people are not treated fairly
These are just some of the many things I saw going wrong in this country
People are just not being treated and cared for adequately

There is a lake of pitch please use it to fix your pavements and roads
Give the people work and lighten the crime load

Remember people perish without a vision in sight
Lift the heavy clouds of darkness over this country and bring in some light
Stop the murders, stealing, struggles and strife

Next time I return to T&T
I pray that I will see some recommended changes in this sweet country
This land that boasts of unity and liberty

Written by: Marcia Balthazar
2/29/2010

This story is inappropriate and should be flagged for moderation. Please choose from one of the following options:

You have indicated this comment should be removed.

Close

The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .

babalooo says ... on Friday, Oct 26 at 6:25 PM

what about the garbage strewn all over the country it is very disgusting just looking at it.

104910761
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

zaak says ... on Thursday, May 31 at 8:43 PM

TRUTH IS TRINIS DONT CARE ABOUT THE HOMELESS,POTHOLE,OR ANYTHING YOU MENTIONED.ALL TRINIS CARE ABOUT IS WINE-ING THEIR PRIVATE PARTS.HAVE YOU SEEN THE NEW ACADAMY OF ARTS IS WONDERFUL TO WINE IN AND EXPENSIVE AND DIRECTLY OPPOSITE THE STINK HOSPITAL

92407746
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

trinigalforso says ... on Tuesday, May 29 at 6:14 PM

We all have a voice and we have to use it. Sooner or later it will be heard by the right parties. Meanwhile, we must do whatever we can with our time and talents to make this world a better place. Don't you think? One love!

92162633
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Bagogal says ... on Saturday, Apr 14 at 9:20 AM

People must take responsibility for their communities, use a trash bin! Don't depend on government to do what you can do as a responsible citizen. Imagine 6 am and Caribbean streets in the US is littered with trash. Same thing back home.....mentality

87557244
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Bagogal says ... on Saturday, Apr 14 at 9:10 AM

Gabby,you must have been to Brooklyn. I have been to several places in the US, and I can always tell when I am in the area where Caribbean people live...Garbage in the street, stinky pee smelling corners, pee in the subway steps, spitting any where.

87556554
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Bagogal says ... on Saturday, Apr 14 at 9:02 AM

Yes, the English and the American do bash their country in their own forum, just that you do not know about it. More than that they take action when needed. If their representative not doing a great job for the community he or she will be VOTED out.

87555864
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Anonymous says ... on Saturday, Mar 17 at 1:06 AM

Things cannot change when the government only drinking and traveling and not forcusing on the country Remember it is an indo trinidad now all that is happen the indian trying to send all the children to America, Canda and England now

84742905
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

cathybw53 says ... on Monday, Mar 5 at 8:20 PM

Stop bashing your country you never hear the English or the American nor the Canadian belitting their country they too have rundown and neglected areas.Never dam the bridge you cross.

83126844
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Gabby says ... on Friday, Apr 29 at 8:35 AM

I am from Belmont-- in fact I live in Belmont actually and the area is not as bad as you are describing it. Every where has its good and its bad. I remember four years ago travelling to Manhattan and the whole place smelling like a backed up drain.

66043497
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Dominique says ... on Wednesday, Mar 9 at 6:44 PM

trinigalforso...YOUr definately right. Its hard and depressing to see trinidad like this. I remember when I went 2 trinidad in 2000 or 2001 and some years after. it was peaceful and i felt free. I cried on my plane ride back home.Change need 2 occur

62362507
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

one love says ... on Wednesday, Jan 26 at 1:01 AM

trinigalforso I do my part in life you dont worry . I have nuff blessings to receive the father is watching over I my children and grand children Trinidad need lots of prays start prayin One heart one aim one destiny love ya trinigalforso

59500377
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

trinigalforso says ... on Friday, Jan 14 at 3:43 PM

We all have a voice and we have to use it. Sooner or later it will be heard by the right parties. Meanwhile, we must do whatever we can with our time and talents to make this world a better place. Don't you think? One love!

58898702
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Susan says ... on Friday, Jan 14 at 2:30 PM

Change comes only when our people become more aware, aware that a government is lead by it's people. We need to know that we can make a difference by acting and not being a passive bystander accepting these baseless and non-sense political shake down

58893957
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Krishna Mahabir says ... on Thursday, Jan 13 at 12:41 PM

I was born in Spring Village Caroni, ,I visited my birth place of Spring Village and I didnt see much changes. the road the same, the drain stinks the people the same there was a lot drugs available though.I know thing will change with this new party

58814509
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 250 Characters Left

Trinidad Express Newspaper and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.