CDA must do better

THE EDITOR: Over the weekend, I was reduced to a state of utter disgust and disappointment, having experienced first-hand, the barring of eco-tourism enthusiasts from enjoying the wonderful beauty of the western peninsula at the Bamboo Cathedral by the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA).

To the surprise of hundreds who have become accustomed to weekly outings at the popular trail, parking for families at the entrance and at the side of the roadway has been prohibited by the CDA and people were instructed to park about one kilometre away, at the Macqueripe Beach Facility car park, at a cost of $20 per carload.

This requires people to then walk at the side of the road to and from the carpark and the "cathedral," a totally unnecessary risk, especially for the many children who visit the location.

Over the years, families would park on the open area at the front of the cathedral’s entrance and on the grass at the side of the road with little to no obstruction to traffic.

It should also be noted that the entrance fee for the carpark facility in no way prevents one’s vehicle from being damaged or stolen as the disclaimer states, especially with no patrols and security by the charging party, the CDA. It begs the question as to what exactly is the difference between the old and the new.

Nevertheless, this is why many were left dumbfounded as to what would have influenced the authority’s decision to prohibit this practice and leading many to feel as though the new measure is punitive, inimical, biased and unjust.

Furthermore, parking at the Macqueripe Beach facility further exacerbates the issue of the overcrowding problem there, which the CDA has failed to address and remedy over the years, especially on weekends.

Families go to the cathedral to escape the hustle and bustle, especially the party-like atmosphere – contrary to Government’s covid19 regulations – which often brews at Macqueripe Beach.

Additionally, it was also amazing to see the CDA dispatch an entire unit to enforce this new parking arrangement, when the said authority fails to adequately police the beach and trails alike.

It is on this premise that we encourage this deployment of manpower and resources to actually police blatant illicit activities, such as narco-selling and using, especially in the open public areas along the beach. By the same token, we encourage the CDA to patrol the trail and give a sense of safety and security to the hundreds of women, children and men who use it weekly.

In these tough pandemic times in which parents are trying their best to find reasonable activities for their children and themselves for mental and physical health, to boost local eco-tourism and to encourage holistic learning, our state agencies should not be the ones barring the people from it. We demand better!

RYAN NANTON

Via e-mail