Dear Editor,
Please allow me a space in your paper to address this concern I have on visiting your beautiful island several times.
I am a native of the USA.
Each year my family and I travel to the islands of the Caribbean to enjoy a bit of paradise.
We have visited Antigua on 5 different occasions.
However, on each subsequent visit the experience had become more disappointing.
In 2019, while driving on a main road with family members inside our rented vehicle, we encountered some road workers cutting grass/shrubs along the side of the road using weed whackers.
To our amazement as we approached the workers they continued to use their equipment and debris ( pieces of rocks) were launched at our vehicle; hitting the windscreen and left side of the car.
My wife had narrowly escaped being struck in the face by flying debris.
I thought then it was an unintentional accident, so we drove along and ignored the matter. However, on another visit this year ( March of 2023), once again we encountered the same situation on a different main road.
Road workers were cutting the side of the street and did not stop as vehicles pass near them.
On remembering what had happened on a previous visit, I maneuvered my rental vehicle to the far right of the road to reduce the chance of being struck by flying debris.
I have been to other Caribbean islands, and I observed that it is a practice (especially in Trinidad) that once men are out doing road side grass cutting; there are two (2) persons who would hold a huge canvas on the edge of the road where the cutting is taking place.
This prevents any debris ( rocks, etc) from being launched out to strike passing vehicles and pedestrians.
This measure seems to work beautifully in Trinidad and other islands we have visited. I am not seeing this being practiced in Antigua.
Maybe no one has ever been struck by debris from these road side workers (cutting grass) or no vehicle has ever been damaged.
I do not know. But it is a DANGEROUS PRACTISE that needs to be dealt with ASAP.
On traversing the island, we observed many businesses’ signs erected at the corners of streets. These signs are a serious obstruction to view of the adjacent streets.
On one occasion, we almost collided with a vehicle driving on a main road because there was this sign on the side road that obstructed our view and we had to extend our vehicle out into the main road just so that we could see the traffic.
It is really crazy.
Your island is a beautiful place.
I always tell me friends about it, but I also caution them about the dangerous issue with the roadside grass cutters, the signs that block proper viewing of traffic, the lack of pedestrian walkways on the main roads, and the litter that can be seen in many areas.
If any of your local district authorities do read my letter, please can you address these issues immediately. It is a cheer waste to continue these practices that only brings negative reputation for your island.
Looking forward for improvement on my next visit.
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This letter is an example of constructive criticism. The writer is correct that there are some dangerous practices that endanger road use in Antigua and Barbuda. I have experienced all of the issues raised here and they really need to be fixed. Kudos to the writer for being fair and balanced.
Cut COST
Bigger Lost!!
Things Must not just appear to be Done ..
LET IT BE…!! DONE..
Haste makes Waste.
Cement Droppings
Dust Control!
Bendal plenty Mole!
Weed whack Network
Practice Civics
Ethics…Even-Though
No Pedestrain Path/ Side-Walk
Look in de MIRROR..!!
Mr&Mrs Antigua 🇦🇬 …
…..cc OMBUDSMAN
You are absolutely right.
But, no one does anything.
What should we do then?
@Wash an’ Basin…dis smaddy, nar say nutten new, wey neargah a chat bout fu decades. But, wen r we say, de sane ting, all a r u political lakies(ABLP & UPP) dat haffu Nuff n edge up, say dat, ebrie ting ah bout politics. But mek foreign Neargah cum and say so, innah r u best #tyrone_voice “kudos to the writer.”
Translation from #Garrat…
@Wash an’ Basin…this person he/she/it/they is not saying anything new regarding the state, and some of its ills.
However, whenever we as Antiguans make these comments, political lackies(both ABLP & UPP) like you claim, that we’re being political or what is being said makes no sense.
Commentary’s such as this has being in the media, since the days of The Outlet.
Now, The Workers Voice had a section named, IS IT A FACT…
So, Wash an’ Basin, IS IT A FACT, that allegedly, you’re an ass kisser, of Gaston, according to a #Wharf_Rat, that resides at Booby_Alley?
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Foot #Gsrrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
Chups. He is a weirdo Is he talking about the political billboards?
Who will hold the fabric when the wackers are in use ? When the fabric holder gets hit by the debris, then what?
Pedestrians will walk on the other side of the road and drivers wind up their windows.
Stopping ever6 minute a vehicle passes, means no grass will ever get cut. There are dings in my car paint but such is life. Please protect your eyes and ears!!
I agree with the writer, my vehicle has a dent on the left rear 1/4 panel due to a stone hitting it. The person however agreed to repair same as I already went to his bodyman so it’s just me to get it done. Trinidad does used a plex glass or something else to shield andź protect other road users and passerby.
Road signs need to be addressed and most os all the cars in front of so called mechanic shops that blocks the roads.
There is 1 specific in rhe Golden Grove in a side Road that is ridiculously awful. This shop need to be dealt with urgently. People double park to get their vehicles fixed.
This must be addressed immediately
Looking for positive action
No, this is a typical whiney assed american who wants another country to accommodate them. People like this asshat are all of what’s wrong with america.
Stfu and deal with it…from one american to another
Are you serious? Those weed-wacking crews do need to operate safely. Don’t be stupid. Safety is mandatory. As for lack of sidewalks, we local motorists have that problem too. How can a road like Airport road be constructed with no space for pedestrians? Public Safety gets a fekkin ZERO in 🇦🇬. Instead of calling the author names, your baxide too should be calling for safer roads.
Word up!!!!
True thing. 👍
True thing. 👍 safety FIRST
wow. you are not real. accommodate them? . bitch please
True thing. 👍 safety FIRST
Writer is spot on! Courtesy begins with safety and is an important part Customer Service. Missing in government, Public Works, APUA
Thank you for your constructive criticism writer, our Island is indeed beautiful and would continue to develop, but I must say that our pavements through the Grays Farm main road and streets areas needs proper sidewalk so our School children and Pedestrians can walk safely . Take a look in front of the Police station every morning and see the non sencical Parking on the Road that create only one way traffic , there’s no sign or road painting to restrict those vehicles from parking bad, our kids walk that same road and there’s no pavement for them to walk on, for example the north side of the road where heavy trucks drives , comes very close to those kids who barely can climb on the rough pavement to make it to school , I pray and hope that no tourist hit them down if they slip off the little so called walkway and fall under their wheels. Grays farm entire community has been neglected for many many years our roads and sidewalks needs professional development. Please not by public works tho…..
Antiguans have being saying everything, in this writer’s commentary/editorial for decades. However, we are called “political” by politicians(ABLP/UPP) and their #ASS_KISSERS.
The negatives mentioned by the writer, is due mainly to PPP – Piss Poor Planning and PPM – Piss Poor Management especially by career politicians #WHO’RE only interested, in the personal gain them, their cronies, friends and lackies.
Jumbee _Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
Dear writer,
If you are not an Indian, you are not a native of The America’s.
Thanks for your observations, and indeed you are correct. However please take note of the following facts:
1 Our tiny paradise has to pay international carriers to huge sums each month to fly you to our shores.
2 The hotels you frequent pays very little if any taxation.
3 We are really happy to accommodate you but perhaps if your trip was not subsidize by the people of Antigua and you paid your square share of the real value of your trip, we would have enough money to purchase industrial machinery to clean the roadsides, rather than waste our human resources on it, so that when you get here, you can experience a clean well kept environment.
4 Thank you roadside grass cutters for doing your very best under the circumstances to keep the place clean for us.
5 In the mean time feel free to donate some large canvases and provide the payments for the additional workers to hold the canvases.
Thanks for your letter, and we are looking forward to seeing you again and a speedy commitment to rectify the agreed upon roadside hazard you accurately identified.
Kind Regards
Waiting for Reparatory Justice
From Slavery
My point is this, the author is a guest of your country and it’s society, it isn’t a guest’s place to bitch about issues whether real or contrived: it’s the author’s place to be gracious and not to whine If a guest came into my home and started bitching that we should implement safety products, policies etc I’d tell them to get the f..k out.
If what the author wrote about is correct, it’s up to you folks to apply pressure, it up to me as a guest on your island to be gracious and thankful.
The writer is free to critique
He might also be a statistical variable, he pays tax, he spends and he is an Ambassador, so let him air his views. I hope he wil get around by taxi next time, cause sound like he can’t drive too well, and I for one, don’t want no rent car damaging mine.
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