Let Laventille positives shine

THE EDITOR: “Laventille, Oh! Laventille,” words made famous by David Michael Rudder.

The community of Laventille has recently been in the news again, and may I ask, “Is there anything good to come out of Laventille?”

When there is a crime or any type of criminal activity in Port-of-Spain, Laventille seems to always make the headlines.

Twenty-five percent of crime for the year 2002 was reported from the Laventille community, how sad! 25 percent is a large percentage or one-quarter of all crime committed.

Have the authorities failed Laventille? Why has Laventille been neglected by past and present administrations? Can the authorities do something quickly?

How far is Laventille from the city, within minutes, and why has the situation been left unchecked? Does anybody really care? Laventille has produced prominent citizens, and has produced two of the best steelband orchestras in the land, added to the North/West Cultural Committee leaders and champions in the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy competition.

So even amidst all the negativity that prevails, there are also some positives, but the negativity overshadows what is positive.

Each time a citizen mentions the fact he is from Laventille usually there is a stigma attached to the person, and the community he comes from.

I am sure there are decent, upright, honest, hardworking citizens who come from Laventille, but they are hardly heard about. There are school children who have come from Laventille and have made excellent grades at school. So where does the problem lie? Is there any hope for Laventille at all?

KEN SMITH
Woodbrook