Disappearing world

Little did I know when I posted yeterday’s entry ( on my globewriter.com site) that it would elicit a flurry of thought provoking responses. Sometimes I get a whole different insight into the topic when I see what the comments say. Generally, though I must say the comments are quite reasonable as would be expected when someone actually bothers to read a blog on such a topic. As regards the difference between “preference’ and “orientation” as explained by Bruce I think it is an important distinction. There is a world of difference between preferring one thing over another and having no choice in the matter. That being said let’s move right along to the topic at hand.

All this recent talk about the Boissiere House and the constantly changing face of Port of Spain reminds me of how little respect Trinis have for their built environment. The Government and some sectors of the community seem to think that anything old is best torn down and replaced with something bland and concrete so that we seem “modern” ( whatever that means). The other night I was spending a few moments at Alvin’s lounge and glanced over at downtown to discover that it was suddenly sporting taller buildings and, for reasons that escape me, some sort of strange colour changing light display on one structure. Either the builders were nostalgic for Shanghai or someone had a serious fixation on Las Vegas. The display is so completely un-Trinidadian and so blandly representative of thousands of buildings around the world it almost made me want to cry. Port of Spain was never the prettiest capital in the world, even a browse through the Harpers Monthly archive will turn up some disparaging comments about the city dating back over 150 years, but it had a certain disorganized Caribbean charm.

Today, as I drive around the Savannah and environs I am shocked at the state of some of our classic architecture. Stollmeyers Castle ( aka Killarney) is in complete disrepair largely as a result of the PM’s office using the grounds as a car park.  Whitehall is looking ok but the PM has indicated that he wants something different and is planning , last we heard, to  move into the parliament building once he finds a convenient place to move that pesky democratic institution. Millefleurs is looking like a shabby tramp despite it being a heritage building. Roomor, that brilliant bit of ironwork is rusting slowly away as the family living there seems unable to maintain it as their ancestors did. The only three buildings that are bucking the trend are the Archbishop’s house which is kept in perfect condition, Queen’s Royal College which is still in use and is being renovated as we speak and Knowsley which is home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and which still looks pristine. At least there are some gems that have been kept for future generations to see we once had some style and grace. Otherwise they might be forgiven for thinking we were a bunch of brain dead Philistines who didn’t appreciate what we had. I shudder to think after virtually destroying the Queen’s Park Hotel ( a deco gem) , razing Bagshot House ( still nothing built on the site) and turning the George Brown house into an appendage to an office building, that one day parents will point to the Hyatt and tell their kids that it is the pinnacle of Caribbean architectural excellence.

There are other bits of Trinidad that used to define the place that are also disappearing or have all but vanished already.Civility and hospitality are still around but becoming increasingly rare. They still pop up occasionally when they are least expected but they are becoming the exception rather than the norm. Street vendors selling tonka beans and plum chow have been replaced by pirate music and DVD vendors. There is still the odd oysterman around Trinidad but they are certainly not as ubiquitous as they used to be. The once common sight of dapper older gentlemen in suits oblivious to the tropical heat wandering the pavements has been replaced by swaggering thugs and inconsiderate drivers. The Trinidad of old is vanishing fast and I suppose such change is an inevitable part of development but I cannot help but think we are tossing away some of the best things about life on these little

islands in exchange for a golden future that is , in fact, rotten at the core.