On July 22, Tourism and Culture Minister Randal Mitchell proposed a plan to transform Ariapita Avenue into an entertainment epicentre hub. Though this isn’t the first time the government announced plans to make the area a focal point for entertainment, residents, business and other stakeholders still have mixed views on this proposal.
Speaking at Tribe Family of Bands’ SUNSETWKN (Sunset Weekend) launch along Ariapita Avenue, where soca king Machel Montano was given the key to the city; Mitchell said he wants to convert the avenue into a party strip. This he said will allow for an entire month of weekend-long band launches which will attract regional and international tourists outside of the Carnival while capturing the essence of Carnival and the culture of TT. Soon after Mitchell made the announcement, disgruntled residents called on the authorities for more consultations or to rethink this decision.
"Let him take that stupidness downtown Fredrick Street, don't bring that here," 75-year-old Vernon Narine of O'Connor Street said when Newsday visited the area last Wednesday to talk to residents. "I'm not for the Carnival partying every other day. I find that is impossible. Woodbrook was never like this. It was half resident, half commercial. "When I came to live here 60 years ago there was one in everything, now there is a full street of just bars.
"They (government) just spending money in the wrong place at the wrong time. The country is plagued with issues and look at their focus, Carnival and party. Take the money, fix the road and pavement, and give us a better water system...We get enough of Carnival on Carnival day."Stephan Warwick, 27, doesn’t agree with his neighbor. “We need to embrace the change. It will happen whether we like it or not. Young people need this kind of life and commerce in the community, we are the future, and it will benefit us.”
He said once proper consultation is done to ensure safety and security, the country will benefit from what Woodbrook has to offer. Xianyou Mei, of Petra Street Woodbrook, said his only issue is traffic congestion and illegal parking. He said, "For people not living in this street they would have problems because they don't know there's a dead end."
[caption id="attachment_967851" align="alignnone" width="864"] Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts senator Randall Mitchell. Photo by Jeff K Mayers[/caption]
Since he spends most of his time at another home in Arima the weekend events do not bother him. Former Port of Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing told Sunday Newsday on Friday night this proposal must be defined. In a text message he explained, “As always with those who have little to offer, we get what can best be described as "an idea", with no clearly defined plans and we sooner or later find ourselves between a rock and a hard place - forever groping in the darkness.”
He asked, “On what basis is the mayor, who is now famous for his Astro Turf King George V Park initiative, chosen to turn a major thoroughfare into a carnival / liming centre? In pri
