It is truly sad to continue to experience the current horrible infrastructural state of our island’s affairs. Worse, it is ridiculous to see among others the quick road patchworks here and there, randomly executed, especially during elections and right after, works are halted due to lack of structural maintenance funds. Apparently, our collective tolerance capacity to accept this type of behaviour over and over again from our highly paid elected and appointed officials is enormous. How much longer?
Our island has regressed tremendously in its infrastructure over the years. Hurricane Irma exposed our vulnerability in this regard even more, in spite of the repairs and reconstruction efforts. Deplorable social housing conditions (election time 1,000 promises being made) dilapidated state of our city centre Philipsburg, (administration building an eyesore) with filthy allies, poor streetlights, unsanitary garbage collection, sewage water still running in Cole-bay and Dutch Quarter.
The Causeway bridge, Simpson Bay bridge still lacking adequate lighting for years. Promises often made by people who are or have been a member of the executive branch of government, as commissioners of public works or ministers of public works for years, barely fullfilled.
Very troubling remains the drainage issue on Billy Folly road. Thousands of tourists, hundreds of employees, taxi drivers and residents are at their wits end looking towards government for a structural solution to this ridiculous situation. As a resident and as a political leader I publicly addressed this issue and offered solutions to fix this embarrassing and dangerous issue several times. Including July 2017, in yet another press release (becomes letter to the editor) we called for immediate action to flood-prone areas.
In 2018, a short YouTube video was made wherein we highlighted the condition of this main road yet again. Apart from stop-gap measures taken, to date no (infra) structural steps were taken to permanently solve this drainage issue once and for all. December 2019, another Holiday Season with the same recurring horror scenarios of pedestrians running for their lives, walking on the edges of a planter, drivers aggressively menacing each other has become the order of the day.
Unacceptable
Will the New Year 2020 going forward bring more of the same? Will our island finally experience real change with persons elected to office who truly have no other agenda than that of the wellbeing of our people and of our valued visitors? It is time to have an open dialogue in a public/private partnership setting where a final structural solution is found including the financial implications, timing of the repair works to be carried out to minimize temporary repair-inconvenience to residents and visitors alike.
Transparency and accountability in governments decision-making process supported by a stronger oversight role of Parliament in this process is key to bringing a halt to ad-hoc solutions that cost us more in the long-term.
We can do this!
Gracita Arrindell
Leader, People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA)
