Maracas has become filthman’s bay

THE EDITOR: Mere moments after returning from a sun-kissed afternoon at Maracas Bay, I learnt of the incredible filth camouflaged in blue waters in which I had revelled. Like many others, I have been aware of a pollution problem at the popular bay but never envisioned the severity of the situation as recently reported. Appalled, I read of the large volumes of sewerage that is channelled into Maracas River and flows out to sea, contaminating the water that we swim in, eat fish from and inadvertently swallow. This is taking place everyday at one of the nation’s most popular beaches — a tourist spot and “must see” destination.

Unless plans are afoot to promote Maracas Bay as “Filthman’s Bay — Come experience the North Coast waste,” TIDCO has once again been caught with its proverbial dirty pants down — sleeping on the job as usual. In my estimation, vendors on the Bay were extremely patient, and should have long since protested the unhealthy and unsightly dilemmas procured by TIDCO’s utter neglect to maintain and improve a major tourist resort. I go to Maracas Bay regularly and can attest to flooding, murky drains and dilapidated changing/rest room facilities. These conditions are not limited to the beach as heavy rainfall mixes with water from the main rest room building in the car park area. This is also where eager bake and shark connoisseurs splash each other’s feet with the unsavoury condiment of brown germ-infested water.

Logic would assume that money should be spent on at least maintaining any area billed as a tourist destination. Reason also dictates that knowledge of a potential health hazard would expedite a resolve even if the equation involves a lethargic and reactive organisation. Well, not so with TIDCO. Imminent risk of disease outbreaks was clearly not enough to wrest nonchalance from within that company. Is this the way we expect to attract tourism to TT.  As much as I enjoy bathing at Maracas Bay, I would be hard-pressed to return until the “big stink” is addressed. Unfortunately, the same would now hold for others who view this scenario as yet another paradigm of seeming contempt and negligence meted out to tax-payers. It means too that poor people are likely to suffer even more before seeing brighter days. Interestingly, TIDCO has since vowed to remedy the vendors’ plight whose livelihoods depend on the Bay. Since the problems were known for sometime, why was protesting necessary to obtain action — to cease procrastination? TIDCO, you must know that prevention is better than cure. Why is this wise lesson so often ignored?

DEXTER J RIGSBY
Mt Lambert