The utopian city

THE EDITOR: This is a letter to Patrick Manning outlining the steps he needs to take to make Port-of-Spain a Utopia for his supporters: (1) Put up a 30 foot concrete wall around several blocks in the vicinity of Frederick Street. Construct a roof over the settlement to keep the Carnival Music inside so as not to disturb other peace-loving residents outside the "utopia." (2) Make sure the Royal Jail is part of the utopian community.

Please use some of your petro-dollars to extend the jail to accommodate thousands of inmates. (3) In keeping with your propensity to erect large structures, erect a multi-storied cemetery to accommodate your deceased supporters (gang members, URP and CEPEP personnel) I deliberately did not call them "workers" because they collect "welfare," they do not "work." (4) Construct a hospital with a large mortuary. (5) Make sure that there are several fast food restaurants, and clothing outlets to be financed and run by government entities. (Free food and clothes for all). (6) Erect several "scheme" houses about 50 stories tall. The elevators will cease to work after a couple years, but the residents will stay healthy by having to climb the stairs. (7) Hire and pay for several bands to hold fetes every weekend. Free rum and roti.( 8) Give your people every Friday off to shop and lime, and every Monday off to rest and recuperate after feting all weekend. I am sure that I could think of other things for your "utopian" society but this could be a start. Although some of my ideas may seem somewhat far-fetched and outrageous, my proposed "utopian" community is nothing more than a microcosm of the current society in Trinidad.