Monumental mistakes

WE DON’T mean to seem like Scrooge, but it’s a good thing the Christmas decorations around the statue of Capt Arthur Andrew Cipriani at Independence Square, Port of Spain, were taken down on Sunday.

As cheerful as the gingerbread house and imported foliage installed by authorities may have seemed to some, the fact that the statue was completely hidden was an instance of callousness that must lead one to question the judgment of all involved.

Trade unionists complained the decorations were disrespectful, a charge officials should have been able to foresee. Indeed, given all the challenges faced by the labour sector, it was hard not to regard the now-removed decorations as being deliberately symbolic.

But there is no evidence of any ill will or grimly satirical intent on the part of authorities in this regard. On the contrary, it seems all concerned were acting out of warmer impulses.

The issue was really one of design. There is no reason why decorations tastefully integrating the statue could not have been conceptualised by the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott), one of the agencies responsible for the scheme. As its name suggests, Udecott is meant to be the State’s specialist in the urban landscape.

It is a basic principle of architecture that structures work within a specific physical and social context. It is baffling, therefore, that no attempt was seemingly made to creatively integrate the statue within the overall decoration of the promenade. (The designers of a see-through “tree” placed at the same spot in 2019 seemed slightly more heedful of this.)

How the decorations were approved, too, is a matter of concern. Though many will appreciate efforts to boost the mood, it is not ideal for policymakers to be encouraging public gathering at present by putting up spectacles that invite you to stop and stare.

While good sense has prevailed in this instance, the incident raises questions about whether policymakers pay adequate attention to our public monuments and artworks, many of which are neglected or cumbersomely treated.

The debate over the boxing in of the Cipriani statue inevitably brings to mind the issue of monuments as a whole. There has been increased attention – locally and internationally – to the importance of such monuments and the values they signal.

The Cipriani statue is clearly appreciated, but the Port of Spain City Corporation is yet to tell us its long-term plans when it comes to some of the unloved monuments in the capital, such as the statue of Christopher Columbus, as well as calls for a review of various street names and squares.

Port of Spain mayor Joel Martinez and his team acted swiftly in this instance. Similar alacrity and resolve in determining the fate of other monuments would be an even better reason for good cheer.