When TT is booming

Few commercial entities or service providers in T can say that business is booming at present. Perhaps makers of sanitisation products are the ones who are benefiting most from the effects of the pandemic.

Most other businesses are struggling at best or, at worst, sending home lots of staff and/or closing down.

Contrary to this seemingly persistent trend, there were several periods during 2020 when Trinidad in particular experienced skyrocketing sales resulting in widespread booms. Specific dates included August 30 and November 14, with guaranteed repeats of such activity expected in the days leading up to and beyond Christmas and Old Year's.

Unfortunately these booms are not of the desired economic kind. They are the unwanted booms of fireworks.

Citizens have been injured, houses have been burned down, people and animals have been emotionally and mentally traumatised or have died as a result of celebratory explosives; anti-fireworks petitions have been signed by thousands and concerned groups have consistently sent relevant letters to our "leaders"...yet fireworks are still allowed to take centre stage in communities throughout Trinidad on occasions of national celebration.

I make reference to Trinidad not because there are no fireworks in Tobago, but they are minimal here in comparison to what happens in Trinidad's "war zone" (as one San Ferdando-based friend described Divali night, November 14).

The day after the explosive festivities, the roads of Trinidad were reportedly littered with carcasses of dogs and cats, and social media accounts were flooded with posts featuring lost pets and horror stories of dogs that were badly injured or, in some cases, killed, when they broke through glass doors or got tragically stuck in small spaces when trying to escape from the relentless noise.

If the constant barrage of fireworks is akin to the sound of bombs to the average human ear, one cringes to think of what the sonic onslaught must be to the highly sensitive ears of animals, as well as to babies, the elderly, the mentally challenged and those suffering from brain trauma.

After Divali this year, a long-standing animal advocate, distressed by the widespread catastrophic effects of firework use, reached out to me with the following message: “What I fail to understand is how those with the power to bring about change are not moved by our pleas for change/help. Do they have no heart? How is it that those in power are so insular and uncaring? Does it require a certain type of individual to want to get into politics? One has to wonder. It is like we are talking to the wind. What is going on? I have supported PNM since I came here 42 years ago but I would change in a heartbeat if Kamla will run with this and help make it a national conversation.”

A statement submitted to me by the Fireworks Action Coalition of NGOs echoes her frustration: “For several years now thousands of citizens, NGO's and other private-sector interest groups have lobbied the Government for protection from the unlawful, indiscriminate and uncontrolled discharge of fireworks.

"To date the calls by these citizens have gone unheeded and no substantive action has been taken by the executive arm of the state to protect its citizens from the harm caused by fireworks.

"Submissions by the Fireworks Action Coalition of NGOs to the Prime Minister, Attorney General, Minister of National Security and Environmental Management Authority have brought only promises of attention to the matter. The Attorney General during a debate in the Senate on May 19, 2020 made a commitment to TT to treat with fireworks. The Fifth Report of the Joint Select Committee on Social Services and Public Administration submitted recommendations (June 2018) for the control of fireworks. The EMA reported recommendations (September 2020) for the use of only "noiseless" fireworks. The Prime Minister forwarded to the Minister of National Security for attention.

"Yet nothing has been done.

"It is the responsibility of the Government to make laws for the peace, order and good government of TT. To do otherwise will be a misuse of public authority.”

This article might preach only to the choir. Those who have read to the end are likely those who already support the call for fireworks to be controlled. We are most likely considered more of an irritant than fireworks by those who claim such explosives are an important "part of our culture," essential to national celebrations.