‘Change the bad stigma of Nelson Street ’

Early 20th century, former Mayor of Port-of-Spain, Captain Arthur Andrew Cipriani, who completed the Dry River Improvement Scheme in 1934, now East Dry River, Port-of-Spain, is probably turning in his grave, knowing the violence which has now overtaken the surrounding areas of Nelson Street, Gonzales, Laventille Road and John John. In the book, The History of Port-of-Spain by Michael Anthony, Mayor Cipriani is quoted as saying: “Future generations will not know the menace to health of the city that the Dry River was, but all could now appreciate the value and importance of the work.”

The East Dry River is a continuation of  the St Ann’s River from the vicinity of the Trinidad Hilton at the foot of the Lady Young Road and runs through Belmont and East Port-of-Spain, with the mouth of the river going around Nelson and George Streets, into the sea. In the days of the Spaniards before Trinidad was captured by the British, Nelson Street was named, Calle del Pincipe and George Street, Calle de Mercado or market street, as it still is today. Duncan, Nelson and George Streets, were the main streets of Port-of-Spain and were a bustle of activities since it was the mecca for trading. The health menace to which Cipriani referred, would have been mosquitoes, dirty water and the disease that lives in such breeding grounds. The health menace is just as threatening- death at the hands of gangs of gunmen who have turned the area into killing fields. Before it was paved and became the Dry River, it was a trench of mud, grime and stagnant waters and a haven for diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

The Improvement Scheme, changed it to the East Dry River, and it became a landmark for the residents of Port-of-Spain. Some of the residents on Nelson Street, who know something of the history of the River, are trying to keep up the pride of their forefathers, but they are struggling against the stigma of the “bad name” of which Nelson Street, Port-of-Spain has become. Last week, Newsday reported that four men were killed within the space of a week in what police believed was an all-out gang war for the control of turf, arms, work-gangs and women in the Nelson Street and Plaisance Terrace/John John area. The killing of Ako Maloney, 26, again on Nelson Street, shot the figure up to five murders within the same period. The killings have been going on since last year.

Residents on Nelson Street who spoke with Sunday Newsday, are upset about the spread of violence, especially the “bad name” this has made on their area, despite the improvements being made to uplift the community. One resident and active community worker, Kern Reyes, who is attached to the Nelson and George Street Community Improvement Committee, said the residents are aware of what is happening and are taking the necessary steps to change it. “We are trying to find out from the people of the community, especially the youths, what they want and try to give them the support which is not necessarily there at this point in time,” he said. Reyes, while upset over the “bad stigma”, felt it was the “bad stigma”  which has attracted the gangs to filter down to the lower, eastern part of Port-of-Spain. “Young people, for want of the peer pressure, to prove themselves into manhood, come down to Nelson Street as if it is an Olympic competition, to win their gold medal and say, ‘I used to lime on Nelson Street’, which gives them a certain sense of bravado and respect among their peers,” he said.

However, he appealed to the youths to change that pattern of thought and attitudes. “My mother always told me, not because you live in a pig-sty you have to behave like a pig and it is the same that applies to Nelson Street,” said Reyes. “There is nothing in Nelson Street that says there is an attitude that has to go with the residents. People choose that lifestyle, and if they were exposed and socialised differently, things could be different. But if they are made to feel that they are the scum of the earth, how else are they going to behave?”he asked. He pointed to the painted benches behind the walls of the housing schemes, saying that the Committee was really trying hard to change the negative stigma and felt hurt that the national community was not noticing these things. Nelson Street old-timer, Ricardo Hinkson, who has been living there for the past 39 years, is not pleased with the gloomy changes over the past years.

“Strangers are coming in and giving the place a ‘bad name’. Nelson Street was not what it used to be; it was so peaceful and there was more community spirit. The community has to get together to get rid of the violence taking place here now,” he said. Fitzroy Barker, another resident, felt that nothing could be done, except live and bear with the situation. “I just have to keep to myself. I feel unsafe but I have to keep to myself because I am not involved in what is taking place on this street with turf war going on,” he said. One resident told Sunday Newsday that police were patrolling the area and felt that they were doing the best they could. There were some residents who were afraid to talk to the press, some shying away from us, others avoiding the camera and the tape-recorder. There was a general sense of fear among most of them. Another old-timer, 69, who did not want to reveal his name, said:“Nelson Street was beautiful in my time. Everyone used to be united, everyone used to share love. But we don’t have that now,” he said.

With his grey, ruffled beard lowered to the ground as he sat on a bench on the street, he added: “There is no comparison from what it is now to what it was back then. There is no more love.” Port-of-Spain Mayor, Murchison Brown, is also disturbed by the growing violence in the area. Speaking with Sunday Newsday, he said: “No one could feel comfortable with what is happening there now. It is a sad thing but I am even more concerned about the number of guns which are getting in the hands of the youths. It seems as though the young people have no more value for life,” he added. Mayor Brown suggested that as a way to improve the situation, the community needed to come together and work out possible solutions.