It was in December of 2008 that the then government of Trinidad & Tobago spoke of issuing City status to the Borough of Arima, my home town since birth. A statement that Arimians certainly welcome.City status is, however, more than just a change of name or the construction of new buildings. While the main thoroughfare areas are experiencing an upsurge in construction, one crucial aspect that must be addressed is the "new city's" ability to facilitate its' senior citizens and disabled residents.
Even as new commercial buildings are being erected, there are clear signs that some foresight is lacking.In order to understand the difficulties and inconveniences a disabled person has to endure while trying to make his/her way around Arima, I decided to try it in a wheelchair, loaned from Memisa Home, for one day.My day started with leaving my Malabar home during the morning rush hour and attempting to get on a PTSC bus. After a three-hour wait and several buses bypassing me as though I didn't exist, a PH taxi driver decided to pick me up.
I disembarked at Woodford Street, where a man, also in a wheelchair, off loaded his problems on me.He described his trials as one of "disgust and frustration." He said, "I would roll my chair from Valencia, (some six miles east of the Borough) to Arima so that I can come to the area and get money."He said his main challenges were the unwillingness of maxi and taxi drivers to transport him, and the unavailability of public transport vehicles to facilitate his disability.
I subsequently visited two of the three banks located on Hollis Avenue. There was a ramp from the car park of one of the banks into the building. However, the spaces between the road and the bank's entrance that made it difficult to manoeuvre.Once that challenge was overcome and I managed to get into the building, a female security guard alerted staff of my presence, and I was promptly served.
Getting to the other financial institution was a lot more difficult. The sharp drops, large gaps and lack of slopes on the sidewalk made this task almost impossible. Had it not been for the kindness of a few passers by, most of whom knew me and thought I had been in an accident, it would have been impossible to get around in a timely manner.
Especially since I was a neophyte at using a wheelchair.There was no ramp on the sidewalk at the entrance of the second bank, and the one leading into the building was extremely steep.By the time I entered the building my hands were blistered and shoulders swollen. Getting to the tellers requires that customers "walk" down steps. There was no way for me, in my wheelchair, to get to them.Angry and in pain, with beads of perspiration running down my face, I attempt to roll the wheelchair down the steps.
A security guard disusaded me from doing so. The little commotion had by then attracted the floor manager, who eventually came over to where we were.One bank worker offered, "I dreamt about this last night," while another said, "Don't worry God will take care of you," but never offered to help. It probably never crossed his mind that God uses people to take care of people with disabilities. Boy did he fail the heavenly test.
For most of the journey through the Borough, I was forced to roll the chair through the middle of the streets because there were too many cracks and bumps on the pavements. It was either that, or continually call on passers by for help.What a sad case of total disregard, disrespect and outright unconcern for people with disabilities.After that day, I could not help but conclude that both private and public sector institutes in Arima need to up the ante to facilitate the disabled before the Borough is to attain City status.