THE EDITOR: I am really disappointed that the budget debate was used to raise the issue of toilet user fees at the PTSC transit hub, as there must be some threshold which an issue must meet to qualify as serious enough to be discussed in Parliament.
So here we have the often superficial Ravi Ratiram struggling to sling something at the Minister of Works and could only find the nuisance of a $2 fee for people to use the toilet. It would have been most useful to raise the issue of millions being wasted on an additional road lane to Chaguanas, which would just mean more cars running into the flyover and the continued engineering wonder of two million-dollar obsolete flyovers and a dismal Endeavour Road.
So for the record, members of the House and the Senate, I am a pensioner, near 70. I have paid to use the toilets at the Chaguanas Market, on the Brian Lara Promenade, the PTSC bus shed, at Las Cuevas and elsewhere. I am gratified that on each occasion I saw evidence of the fee being properly used as the toilets were well serviced and clean - and there was disinfectant.
What you don't want to use are the toilets you don't pay for; these are just plain nasty. You would think it was the wickedest, most degenerate beasts from the jungle using them, throwing anything you can imagine into them, including pieces of wood, PNM/UNC paraphernalia. People are even stealing parts and breaking the fixtures. I mean, who steals a soiled seat for a souvenir?
Mr MP, when you charge, you ensure that the same old people that you are trying to save a $2 for them to have money to buy rum and cigarettes have a decent facility.
Come on, we must draw the line. Old people want too much: they want free bus pass, free travel to Tobago, free admission to Pigeon Point, and now free toilet.
Ratiram, you can do better. Minister, please audit regional corporations. If you say money is being given to buy hot/cold mix, bitumen and asphalt, then where are they? Don't worry about nonsense toilet fees.
LINDA CAPILDEO
St James
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