Fete clampdown

THE PRIME MINISTER missed a golden opportunity to show the country the kind of leadership it has been sorely lacking given the odd and ill-timed way she announced a fete clampdown at state facilities in Tarouba.

As if by vaps, Ms Persad-Bissessar revealed on November 10 that she had “instructed that all fetes at the Brian Lara Stadium be stopped.” Never mind officials in her own administration had a week prior launched Carnival – a socially important national festival – with nary a peep to say on the issue; never mind the season is already in progress; and never mind the months of planning fetes require.

The UNC leader on July 7, at a party event in which she announced a crackdown on gambling, alcohol and marijuana abuse, had signalled her resolve to bring legislation to tackle noise. Further back, while on the campaign trail, she had promised to usher in changes to tackle disturbances emanating from “homes and fetes and bars and clubs.” However, at no point did she give an explicit timeline, which would have allowed the private sector, whom the government needs to collaborate with if it is serious about economic renewal, to prepare.

In fact, in July, Ms Persad-Bissessar said, “There’ll be some exemptions for national festivals” and promised “there’ll be specific days and periods” when noise would be allowed. Those qualifications have overnight vanished. Said the PM on November 12 to this newspaper, “The decision stands and will not be reversed.”

While the leader of the Cabinet this week couched her directive in terms of dealing with noise, there is something telling about the way she has frequently lumped this issue with the need to curb gambling, drugs and drinking.

Further muddying the coherence of Ms Persad-Bissessar’s move is the manner in which Udecott officials have justified it by citing the need to protect sporting facilities from physical damage. Meanwhile, exactly one week ago, the government unveiled a national development blueprint that promises unspecified “upgrades” to the Queen’s Park Savannah. Who knows what those are.

The government has yet again botched its messaging.

Worse, it has needlessly antagonised the population when it should be trying to win the country over on what is a legitimate issue: noise pollution is a genuine public health matter. The proposed ban of fireworks is commendable.

But if the government is shooting itself in the foot, so, too, is the TT Promoters Association with its hyperbolic “death knell” for the entertainment industry claim.

A simple conversation between the stakeholders might have obviated the need for all of this week’s rancour. Instead, we must deal with a very public, and very noisy, shouting match between leaders and officials who all know better.