Driving in Trinidad and Tobago is barbaric and inhumane...

As a recent visitor "Trini" expat, to the beautiful isle of my birth, I relished and delighted in the utopia of tropical warmth, bounteous every greens in flora and fauna, the tempting warm soothing beaches, the varieties of cuisine so tasteful and succulent, the wonders of new enterprise, in the rich architecture in commercial buildings and new  residential  designs and the splendor of culture, colorful in peopling of every creed and race... and  I experienced the lunacy of driving in Trinidad and Tobago.

The body count of road fatalities and the incidents of mindless, savage, traffic accidents are horrific and shocking.  I quickly came to my senses as I weighed in on my options.   If choices were presented to reside in Trinidad or continue living as an American citizen, in Maryland, USA,  I would,  in the blink of an eye, choose the latter.

My conclusion .... No Way!!. could I live in a society, that allows drivers to rampantly kill, and there not be quick and responsive justice.. I have grown accustomed to a civilized society where rules are mandated and driver education and awareness are stringently enforced for the safety and security of all road travelers.

In the States, numerous motor vehicle incidents and accidents occur.  There are horrible deaths from vehicular tragedies.  There are unfortunate incidents  that rank under the titles "road rage" "over policing" "vehicular manslaughter".  But arbitrary and indiscriminate endangerment of the public on the roadways, highways, and city provenances are just not as out of control, as it seems to be on the roads of  Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad is 143 km (89 mi) from North to South and 61 km (38 mi) from East to West. Tobago lies 31 km (19 mi) northeast of Trinidad and has a length of 42 km (26 mi) Northeast to Southwest, and an average width of 12 km (7.5 mi) Northwest to Southeast. Sixteen small islands are found off the coasts.

http://www.caribsurf.net/trinbago/factstrinbago.html.Facts about Trinidad and TobagoBy third world standards, Trinidad is among the smaller islands.  Travel between local towns by car is within an average of a 5 mile radius.  One could travel from North to South, barring traffic, at  45 miles per hour, in less than two hours.

The ordeal of a day in traffic between Diego Martin North to Aranguez, approximately 7 miles at 3p on a Friday afternoon, was both my traffic in Trinidad hell-baptism by fire, and my personal epiphany.  I knew that after almost 3 1/2 hours, of stop and go, around the Lady Young Road shortcut, with two lane driving becoming road tests in driver maneuvers at passing and swerving, creating four lanes using the  roads' outskirts and inside lanes as thoroughfare,   and dodging the disaster of an oncoming vehicle overtaking with the potential impact of a headon crash, before intercepting the regular traffic to regain control;  that the craft of driving in Trinidad was not a feat that I was capable of handling.

The headline news on the daily newspapers have been plagued with fatalities as though this is the common norm.  "Road Carnage", the headline for 6 road deaths in less than 6 hours over the first week end of November 2013.

The carnage began at 1 a.m. yesterday with the death of 21-year-old Andrew Edwards in Guapo.According to reports, Edward was driving his vehicle, PBU 671, in an easterly direction along Southern Main Road, Guapo, when he was struck head-on by an oncoming vehicle near a sawmill. Ten minutes later, the first of two double road fatalities was recorded.According to police reports, around 1.10 a.m., William was driving his Mazda, PBS 5694, west along Western Main Road when he was given a “bad drive” near International School in Westmoorings.William lost control of his car, which struck a Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) pipeline, flipped and plunged into the Diego Martin river.The car landed upside-down in the swollen river.The cousins were trapped inside.


Less than an hour after the death of the cousins, another road fatality was recorded, this time in Central Trinidad.According to reports, around 2 a.m., Sookhan, of Manahambre Road, Princes Town, was struck by a vehicle on the southbound carriage-way in the vicinity of Chaguanas.Sookhan was standing at the roadside after he exited his vehicle which was in the centre highway median after being involved in an accident.Anoop Gajadhar, who was a passenger in Sookhan’s car, said he (Sookhan) had just gotten off the phone with his mother.Sookhan called to tell his mother he was involved in an accident but was safe.He was standing at the roadside when he was struck by a black van, The van did not stop.Sookhan died at the scene.


The last of yesterday’s four fatal accidents occurred around 6.20 a.m.Dead are Amit Sooknanan, 24, and Jamie Stockin, 26.Alvin Rennie sustained two broken legs in the accident.The crash occurred along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway between the Maritime Roundabout overpass and the Suzuki showroom in Barataria.According to reports, Rennie parked his Toyota Hilux on the shoulder of the highway and was standing outside when tragedy struck.A gold-coloured Nissan Cefiro, belonging to Stockin but driven by Sooknanan, struck the rear of Rennie’s van.The van moved forward as a result of the impact and Rennie was struck. The Cefiro ended its collision course in a ditch.Sooknanan and Stockin died at the scene as a result of their injuries.Road CarnageIn a tragedy that could have been avoided, less than a  week  later on November 12 2013,   a mother is killed because improperly placed and  unsecured steel rods impales her as the rods roll off  a moving truck and crashes through the windshield into her  private vehicle. FLYING-STEEL-KILLS-WOMAN-

Road fatalities on the roads of Trinidad and Tobago have been inexcusably too much, too often and too devastating to family, friends and loved ones.  The country's 'Arrive Alive' campaign needs aggressive and vigilant policing.  In a speech given by Sharon Inglefield, President of Arrive Alive, she presents these frightening statistics:

In Trinidad &Tobago (from 2007-2011) there were 173,000 reported road traffic collisions. This equates to 34,600 collisions per annum with as many as 200 fatalities. Over 11,000 persons were reported injured. Persons aged 15 yrs – 35 yrs accounted for 45% of the fatalities. 83% of which are young males! And 43% pedestrians! Every 16.8 minutes a collision occurs on our nation’s roads! Every hour spent on our roads means there is a 25% chance of a collision and therefore a 25% chance of serious injury or fatality. For 2012 - 163 lives have been lost on our roadways – a 3% increase over last year (159 lives lost). Young people you are most vulnerable! Campaign Slogan Arrive Alive Trinidad and Tobago

Citizens of Trinidad and Tobago Arrive Alive!!!  The death tolls are climbing and it requires urgency and immediacy to take the actions to Care and Respect our lives and those of all citizens of our cherished land
The government leaders, policy makers, shareholders of Trinidad and Tobago must  be accountable to society.   Revenue streams for our big dollar intake, Tourism,  will be further diminished and corroded if our nation does not actively and vigorously impose strict consequences  and enforce rigid law  policies.

A Driver's license is not a permit to kill.  It is a responsibility to uphold civic duty and respect for everyone we share our roadways, our highways, our byways and our pathways with.

Trinidad and Tobago..... is this the pride and joy we also want to celebrate for world acclaim ??... The nation where Road Kill has become a national sport..?

With all the newest model cars, with more multiple car families, with a growing population of under 30 year olds,  we continue to have too much to revel in and spread joy.  For every one who loses a family member due to these senseless barbaric and inhumane road tragedies, we owe them not just our sympathies and comforting words, we owe them a lifetime debt which we can never repay.  We could never bring their loved ones back:  Gone too soon...!!!

My Tobago trip, too Short, too Sweet, and the Toilet on the Seas

Store Bay Tobago... those lovely boats to Buccoo Reef and The Nylon Pool Oct2213 gcw

So far the St Theresa Intermediate Class of 72 Reunion in Trinidad and Tobago has been the vacation of a lifetime of memories.. there is so much to be told, and mere words are not enough to describe.

But, the trip to Tobago, aboard the Spirit inter island cruise ship from Port of Spain is the lasting memory that I will archive with highest record.

One of the best deals anywhere in the world, a 3 hour cruise from Port of Spain to Tobago at a mere $50 TT dollars or the equivalent of $8 US.  With my niece Lisa, buddy Rod, and me, we embarked on our excursion aboard the Spirit Cruise Line of Trinidad and Tobago.  Luckily, and because I wanted to savor the many hours of Tobago for one day, we purchased airline tickets for our return trip.  Again, another wonder of Caribbean bests,  a $24 US Caribbean Airlines flight, 20 mins travel between the islands.  Travel times were as late as 10:30 pm.  I imagined a full day of Tobago activities.

We boarded the Spirit 10:30a and set sail.  With the local cuisine on board, I couldn't wait.  I had to have bake and salt fish buljol with coffee.  There was even a movie playing, Godzilla or something.  The first hour I remember the beauty of the waters and was delightedly struck by the island inlets that seemed to be so close by.

Lisa, reminded me to take a pill for motion sickness as I was suggesting that we should go upfront to the bow of the boat to look at the view.  Somewhere at the point where Lisa was drawing a map on her Samsung Note pad of the route that the boat was taking, to indicate that we were near Macqueripe, my personal Godzilla encounter began.

With an unsteady walk I headed to the closest ladies toilet. There was a lady barfing in the sink. In that stall I began my agony in the garden with every element of body fluid finding passage from mouth and backside in simultaneous symphony.

I did manuevres between sitting on the stool to bending over with my face as close to the toilet water all in one movement.   I then somehow thankfully found the trash bin would work better as the vomit holder, while the toilet bowl captured the remains of the bake and buljol.

I prayed louder than I have ever prayed in years.  All my denials of faith and worship became loud screaming confessions.  I was bawling without shame... Lord  Lord help meh.!!!..  all my lost family members names were called on... Mammy, Daddy, Didi,  Michael, Brian,,, ah go dead!!! my body was wreaking in cold sweat, chills, heat all at the same time.  At some point I wanted to just lie prostrate on that floor and pray to wake up feeling somewhat relieved.

Thanks to some mental vanity.... I just couldn't see me arriving in Tobago, smelling and looking like shit with a smile of faint welcome.

Then with the help of some lovely attendant, and my niece Lisa, I emerged from my vaporous dungeon as the boat docked.  Two hours after.

I was still light headed and I barely remember the taxi driver who took us to Store Bay.  But I felt he was looking at me in the back seat and praying that his taxi was not going to be part of my exit strategy for any remnants of sea sickness.

Store Bay was the answer.. After getting up enough energy to get into that beautiful calming soothing and refreshingly healing salt water... I began to breathe life again.  Did you think that I was going to be enthusiastic, when the Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool tour guide came along and suggested a boat ride????  My absolute biggest missed opportunity.  I begged him please don't ask.

With as many pictures that I have taken to capture moments of my visit to Trinidad and Tobago... would you believe, there are only 4....pics of my Robinson Crusoe Isle of Tobago visit in over 20 years.

No worries... I am not Cruise ship material... I know for sure.  For my Tobago,  I have the undulating memory ....steeped in the Toilet on the Seas.

feeling better after ginger beer at Kariwak Village Restaurant