News
Adriana Salandy
Visitors are troubled concerning the bad condition of Chaguaramas boardwalk and are appealing to the relevant authorities in two letters written to Newsday in October.
In a single letter, C Alexander asked, “What is occurring with Chaguaramas boardwalk? Has the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) been asleep for the past eight years?” In the opposite, J Ali asked the Minister of Tourism, “When last have you ever visited the boardwalk? It looks horrible and run-down.”
The CDA built the boardwalk to supply visitors with a usable space for commerce and recreation. Former chairman of the CDA Danny Solomon said in an interview in 2012, “It’s our mission to make Chaguaramas a clean, eco-friendly environment.”
He said the CDA’s mandate was “to make Chaguaramas a world-class eco-tourism destination, entertainment and business centre.”
The boardwalk, positioned on the Western Most important Road along a part of the ocean front of the northwest peninsula, was in-built two phases and price $40 million. The primary phase of the boardwalk was opened in 2012. The second phase, a 1,300-foot extension of the primary, opened in December 2014.
Solomon said the boardwalk – particularly the second phase, which included recreational facilities equivalent to gazebos, rock-climbing, cooking areas and more – was the CDA’s plan to construct family life in a healthy, protected and fun environment.
When Newsday visited, it was covered with sand and litter and its solar-powered lights were broken. Several boards were lifting, and a few were missing or broken, making it dangerous for visitors to walk on.
Surrounding benches have grow to be severely dilapidated. There have been half-full bins and abandoned, dilapidated lifeguard booths. Stalls that were once occupied by food vendors at the moment are closed and empty.
The seashore is visibly polluted and the ocean dirty, frothy, brown and stuffed with debris, regardless that the CDA launched CEPEP Marine in 2012, which was intended to wash up the coastline in the realm.
The pond, positioned near the gazebos, is now moss-filled, green, surrounded with overgrown bush, and is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
The restrooms were locked. There have been six foot-taps in front of the restroom but only two were working.
One woman there said she visits daily to wash. When Newsday asked what she considered the state of the boardwalk, she said, “It’s disgusting and dangerous.
Where is the upkeep people for here (the boardwalk)? Every government facility is imagined to have constant maintenance.”
David Rampersad, one other regular visitor to the boardwalk, commented on the restrooms, “Could you imagine, there are toilets here they usually don’t even open it for people to make use of? Every Saturday people would come to wash the toilets, then lock them again once they leave.”
CDA Corporate Communications manager, Karen Clarke-Rowley, told Newsday that e-mail was her preferred technique of communication for comments but an e-mail sent to her received no response up to now.
Chairman of the CDA Gupte Lutchmedial and the road minister for the CDA, Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles, couldn’t be reached for comment.
(With reporting by Nicholas Maraj.)
