Lee Sing defends traffic plan: Residents missing the big picture

Port-of-Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing has scolded Woodbrook residents for being short-sighted and not seeing the big picture of the traffic management plan for their community. He was speaking at a traffic consultation meeting hosted by the Woodbrook Community Association, at the Indoor Court Facility, Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo, on Thursday. Lee Sing was made to listen to a litany of complaints from disaffected residents. Among them were:

• Loud music emanating from Carnival fetes
• Confusing traffic signs
• Traffic lights at Ana Street and Ariapita Avenue causing traffic congestion
• Indiscriminate wrecking of cars
• Drivers blocking the gates of residents
• Double-parking
• Garbage pile-ups causing a health hazard
• Inadequate bus stop signage
• Illegal parking of cars and containers along Wrightson Road. 

In response, Lee Singh was scathing in his comments. “I truly believe that the people in Woodbrook and St James are being rather short-sighted on both the issue of parking and traffic in their areas and I have to say it as I see it and I will not comment on that.

“I don’t think the debate today is whether the traffic plan worked, whether people were able to pass through Woodbrook or St James faster. The debate all along is that the people in Woodbrook and St James felt aggrieved that some of them had to take a little longer to get to their doors. “I think that is a legitimate grouse and you feel that ultimately you want to live with it. I merely want to say to you that the day will come soon when you will not be able to come out your driveway.”

When Lee Sing announced that the proposed one-way traffic route on Ariapita Avenue would have facilitated a faster and smoother traffic flow, it was met with a loud, resounding disapproval from the animated audience. He emphasised that the traffic plan was not his. However, he said his suggestions and input went into it and he still truly believed that it was the best plan in the present situation.

Lee Sing said the $20 billion that was spent to bail out Clico could have been better spent on a mass transportation system instead. He said as a consequence the country will continue to suffer congestion and traffic jams. Lee Sing said when the parking meter system is implemented, he believes Ariapita Avenue will have the highest metered rate in all of Port-of-Spain.