Break the rules and get ahead

For instance, I’m connected to a small manufacturing business that is in the process of expanding its operations through the construction of a new warehouse. Located in a quiet section of Cocorite, our building plans were rejected by the authorities for nine months because they demanded we show in and out parking for all cars. In other words, no reversing into the street.

Now, this is very noble and fine and it necessitated us cutting back on the size of an already small building to achieve the objective, which we did.

However, 80 percent of the businesses on the busiest streets in the West, including Saddle Road, Maraval, all of Woodbrook, Diego Martin Main Road, St Lucien Road and Western Main Road, Chaguaramas, all have customer parking that simply reverses into the main road.

That situation applies to so many other areas of life, like paying taxes and following the law. You do the right thing and everyone else gets ahead of you. Our nation’s roads are great examples of this.

Look at the Uber people, getting pressure on insurance, licensing details etc yet “PH taxis”, often driven by off-duty policemen, continue to thrive, while carrying no proper insurance and paying no licensing fees or taxes whatsoever.

In the final analysis, if we do not find a way to adequately reward those who follow the rules and seriously punish those who do not, our children and grandchildren’s future is simply even more disorder, pain and suffering.

Gregory Wight Maraval