About the Authors and the Blog

The authors of this blog are Christal Benjamin and Sybastian Manners. We are two budding geographers, students of the University of the West Indies,St Augustine, Trinidad who are embarking on a study of the urban center, Port of Spain, Trinidad.


We have decided to explore the employment dynamics of this central business district (CBD). It is our aim to elucidate the interconnected of the formal and informal sectors and their influence on urban culture. We hope that you enjoy viewing our blog!

A Look at the Urban: The Perspectives of Young Geographers

    

Figure 1: Showing the port of Port of Spain.(Photo taken by Sybastian Manners, April 9, 2015)

     The "city is a place where the diffused rays of many separate beams of life fall into focus" (Mumford 1938, 3). It is the role of urban the urban geographer to critically observe and examine the city. He or she, with analytical lens, can elucidate the 'beams of life' which have given rise to the people, processes, patterns and structures which can be found in a given city. This is exactly what was done by the budding geographers of the course, GEOG 2016: An Intro to Urban Geography. Moreover, in this post we seek to critically examine the thematic and ideological relationship between our blog and the blogs of three of our colleagues. These blogs are “Urban Landscape” Trinidad by Kisha Bisson and Rachel Cardogan which can be viewed at http://urbanlandscapetrinidad.blogspot.com/p/group.html, “Urban Buildings in Trinidad” by T'marah Forbes and Ariel Mahabirsingh which could be viewed at http://buildingsoftrinidad.blogspot.com/ and “Urban Life” by Shivanie Mahase and Amy Toyer.

Figure 2: Showing Independence Square North.(Photo taken by Sybastian Manners, April 9, 2015)

     The purpose of the Urban Landscape Trinidad blog was to examine the spaces, form and function of the city of San Fernando, the second largest city in Trinidad. We found this blog to be very insightful as these two authors presented information on the rich history of San Fernando. One post which we particularly enjoyed reading was the post entitled, "Transportation in San Fernando" (http://urbanlandscapetrinidad.blogspot.com/2015_04_01_archive.html). In this post the authors looked at how transportation had evolved from the use of trains in the 1960s, to the use of the modern water taxi. In our post entitled " A Unique Route to Port of Spain...Signs of A System and A Post Industrial City (http://triniurbanemploymentdynamics.blogspot.com/2015_02_01_archive.html) we also discussed the water taxi. Like our colleauges, we posited that this modern form of transportion serve as an alternative transportation route and connects the city of San Fernando to Port of Spain. 

     While the authors of the Urban Landscape Trinidad blog presented interesting historical facts on the transportation industry; ideas on the temporaland spatial factors which gave rise to the change in transportation in this city was not discussed. Some questions which we asked ourselves were, "did these changes in San Fernando occur in tandem with different economic eras such as the colonial era, industrial or post-industrial era? Is it possible that changes in city space facilitated these developments? In an earlier post entitled "Changes in San Fernando Urban Lanscape,( http://urbanlandscapetrinidad.blogspot.com/2015/04/changes-in-san-fernando-urban-landscape.html)  our colleagues did mention that paved roads have led to greater effeciency in transportation. Accordingly, we believe that this infrastructural development would have taken place at a specific point (or at specific points) in time and it may have facilitated the evolution in transportation forms.

Figure 3: Showing Buildings in West Port of Spain (Photo taken by Sybastian Manners, April 9, 2015)

     Secondly, the “Urban Buildings in Trinidad” blog looks at the variation in buildings in type and functionality existing in the urban space and their relationship to the globalization process. What could also be deduced from this blog was the evolution of building design and function in the urban space in relation to the stages of development. The general function of the urban structures altered as the nature of the economy evolved. This goes hand in hand with the transition from the agrarian to manufacturing then service type employment that transpired in Port of Spain that we discussed in our blog entry titled “The Evolution of Employment in Port of Spain”. The brief history the authors described on the structures gave us some insight on the composition and inspiration of city form in the pre-modern stages. This allowed us to compare and contrast the urban space that existed then with the modern and most modern elements of city that exist today. We observed a shift in the expression of urban design from displaying history and reflecting a colonial to a design which lacked expression and void of culture. This is evident when comparing the structures captured by Ariel in the Lion House blog entry to the structures captured in the creative Centre post blog entry.
     The authors captured some of the best architecture Trinidad has to offer and they expressed some very interesting perspectives on the buildings located in the urban area however the correlation to globalization that was highlighted in the introduction was somewhat vague in some of the blog entries. We suggest that the authors include the comparison between pre-modern, modern and postmodern elements of urban structures as one of the main objectives in their blog as this would help readers in their conceptualization in urban development.

     Finally, in looking at the “Urban Life” blog developed by Shivanie and Amy, they highlighted some of the aspects of the urban area either directly or indirectly related to one being employed in the urban area. The “Where We Pumpin' Tonight?” entry reflected aspects of the Port of Spain night life that the urban employed rely on for that release at the end of the day or working week after being marked by the clock for productivity and efficiency in their daily cooperate tasks. They also highlighted some of the issues that arise from heavy traffic in urban areas and even went on to offer suggestion as to how traffic could be reduced from a personal standpoint, ultimately decreasing the amount of congestion in the City and related issues. These we discussed in our “Social Polarisation In the Use of Public Space by The Urban Employed” blog entry where we highlighted the dynamics of being employed in the cooperate urban center, the restrictions that may arise in really experiencing space and finally how these employees sort to adapt or cope with this postmodern reality.

     This blog spot as the name suggest really gave a snapshot into what the urban life is like currently however, some investigation could be launched into what the urban life entailed in the past. This would further compound the importance of the city in the readers mind relation to the country on a whole and the progression of economies in terms of development.

    In conclusion, the geography of urban areas could be viewed as the synergy of separated and complex aspects of the wider society which reflect past and present values and realities of that population. This could be deduced from the location and function of buildings, the composition of the urban population both permanent and transient and how this population utilizes the urban space in their individual interest. The temporal and special changes of cities in a system of cities is a major concern in modern development. This is important in the analysis of city form and function today and also assist in mapping the way forward to more livable and people oriented urban spaces through planning and policy.

  

Reference

Mumford, Lewis. 1938. The Culture of Cities. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company. Accessed       March 28, 2015.                                 

Urban Employment Dynamics: How Temporal and Spatial Factors Affect Economic Activity

In all urban centers time and space are paramount to economic activity. Many people think of the formally employed as the ones who have 'proper working hours'. In contrast, many believe that persons employed in the informal sector have haphazard working hours. However, this is not so. This is because a city can be compared to a song. It has rhythm, it has a beat. In order to achieve economic success persons (even those who engage in illegal activities) ensure that they 'dance to the beat' of their city. 

In the Caribbean, many employees who have administrative functions are expected to work from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from Monday to Friday. These persons include secretaries and receptionists and senior staff members in government offices and private enterprises.  Accordingly, by 4:00pm most offices in the private and public sector are closed to the public and by 5:00pm daily operations come to an end.

In Small Island Developing States (SIDs) like St. Vincent, Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis the cessation of informal activities occurs in tandem with the cessation of formal activities. In Port of Spain, there is a in activity in both the formal and informal sectors by 5:00pm. However when compared to other Caribbean islands, there is significant economic activity in the city after 5:00pm. In fact in some places like Independence Square, the activity increases on a Friday evening when persons 'stop to take a lime' after work. 

Photograph of A Vendor On Charlotte Street Who Sells Produce
Both in the Day and Night on This Street
 (Photo Taken By Sybastian Manners,  March 5, 2015)

The picture above shows a vendor who can be found in this location up to 7:00pm in the evening. At night, vendors can also be found at the Queen's Park Savannah located at at the eastern end of Port of Spain. A photo of these vendors can be viewed using the link below.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g147389-d150209-i87258170-Queen_s_Park_Savannah-Port_of_Spain_Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html

Unlike vendors in smaller Caribbean islands, these vendors are able to sell at these hours due to spatial advantages. In our post entitled "Urban Sprawl...A Source of Informal Employment" we discussed the spatial evolution of Port-of-Spain over time. This city has not only expanded, but it has been revitalised in some areas. This is more pronounced on the western side of the city. Like many cities, Port-of-Spain went through a decline in population as many persons moved away from the city to live in the suburbs.

Burgess’ described this movement as “the filtering outwards” of the population in his foundational concentric zone model of urban development (Dear and Flusty 1998). Due to the degenerating conditions of urban infrastructure and amenities along with the increased congestion of space, city dwellers aspire to migrate to more favorable location which initially maybe suburban areas which offer better environmental quality and aesthetics shadowed only by the commute to the city center each day to their jobs and maneuvering “Port of Spain Traffic”. However, housing mobility of this nature is almost entirely facilitated by increases in disposable income, which allow individual to compete for the new and enhanced supply of housing on the urban edge.

Figure : Showing Burgess Concentric Zone Model (Kissoon 2015)

However, spatial and structural advancements has led to a revitalisation of the city. while many persons have not moved back into the city, the city has a significant transient population, 350,000 (Office of Disaster Management. n.d). This is because a significant number of socialise in the city both in the day and the night. Moreover, these persons patronise vendors along the streets.

While we believe that Port-of-Spain is being revitalised, an individual who grew up in Port-of-Spain has different views.  This man is Mr. Ernest Ferreira, a renowned pan enthusiast. His story can be read in the newspaper article below. 

http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2014-07-17/expelled-panman%E2%80%99s-happy-days-town

Reference

Dear, M. and Flusty, S. 1998. “Association of American Geographer: Post Modernism” Contact 1 (88): 50 – 72)

Dixon, Bobie-lee. 2014. “Expelled panman’s happy days in town” The Guardian, July 17, 2014. Accessed April 8, 2015. http://www.guardian.co.tt/lifestyle/2014-07-17/expelled-panman%E2%80%99s-happy-days-town

Kissoon. 2015. “Urban Form and Structure.” Lecture presented at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, January 30, 2015.

Office of Disaster Management. n.d. "Executive Summary." Accessed February 21, 2015.

                          http://www.odpm.gov.tt/sites/default/files/Excutive%20Summary.pdf

Trip Advisor. n.d. "Queen's Park Savannah Photo: Vendors of the Savannah At night."Accessed April 4, 2015. http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g147389-d150209-i87258170-Queen_s_Park_Savannah-Port_of_Spain_Trinidad_Trinidad_and_Tobago.html

The Urban Inn: Accommodating the Unemployed Near You!

Figure 1: Showing homeless person situated on the Brian Lara Promenade (Photo taken by Sybastian Manners, April 9, 2015)

 The urban center is a sphere in which we see the effects of unemployment unfold. When persons are not able to earn an income, over time, unemployed individuals are deprived of some of the basic necessities of living such as food, clothing, medical care and shelter, all of which ensure a standard quality of life. Unemployment in an economy is reflective of failure in the labour market in providing jobs for citizens and while it is highly prioritized by governments to alleviate this problem, high rates of unemployment still exist in the Caribbean region(World Bank 2014). In addition to the lack of income, the escalation in housing prices and the shrinking supply has reduced the accessibility to housing in most places. Takahashi describes this as a game of musical chairs where the person left standing when the music stops is at times relegated to expand the homeless ranks (Takahashi 1996). In this post we will examine the harsh reality of unemployment in the process of homelessness and how this phenomenon manifests in urban space.

    

 An individual may be described as homeless when they are absolutely, periodically, or temporarily without shelter, as well as those who are at substantial risk of being in the street in the immediate future(Kissoon 2015). Such a state reduces their opportunities on the job market initially since they have no fixed address to facilitate mailing correspondences. Secondly, homelessness is associated with increased levels of stress, lack of sleep and negative changes in diet, all of which may reduce an individual’s productivity in the workplace(Kissoon 2015). As such, whether the cause of homelessness be of agency or structure, homeless individuals find themselves in a cycle of counter-productivity that proves cancerous to their overall well-being.

Figure 1: Showing vagrant nicely accommodated on the sidewalk opposite Independence Square. ( Photo taken by Sybastian Manners , March 20, 2105) 

 Situating in the urban areas increases their chances of citizens of good standing acknowledging their state of need and proposing a helpful gesture, as opposed to the less dense periphery where the transient population is not as frequent and present. Here we see the homeless locating them selves strategically to “play the urban pitch” in their best interest. Some homeless persons have housing careers which originate in the extreme periphery or even the suburbs of the country and have migrated to the city for reasons such as the increased possibility of securing employment, security and shelter in an effort to better their situation. 

Figure 2: Showing potentially homeless man washing taxis on the Brian Lara Promenade. 
( Photo Taken by Sybastian Manners ,March 20, 2105)

Individuals, despite of their lack of formal income still have to consume in order to survive. As a result, some homeless persons seek to strive off begging passersby or staking out near eating establishments for the kind acts of employees and employers to acquire meals daily. They assess the urban spaces to determine where their greatest chances for opportunity are located in relation to particular periods throughout the day. The knowledge acquired over time on the transient population allows the vagrants to make more informed decision in using the attributes of the urban space to their advantage. 

Figure 3: Showing unemployed man strategically located by the Royal Bank of Canada
automated teller machine. (Photo taken by Sybastian Manners, April 9, 2015)

While traversing Port of Spain we noticed a concentration of potentially homeless persons in close proximity to automated teller machines and banks. This would seem very strategic to vagrants as chances of persons utilizing these services having cash on their person is high. Others resort to informal forms of trade and employment such as washing cars, cleaning windows, clearing drains and walk ways of debris and even prostitution. Here, we see another intermingling of the formal and informal sectors since the homeless seek to target persons formally employed on the premise that they are in a better position to give and help their situation.

 Their mere existence within the urban space is a cause for concern to some stakeholders. Apart from the infringement on aesthetics that they permeate, which we discussed in an earlier post, some vagrants out of desperation or mental state resort to crime and violence as a means of getting by, thus attract stigma within the society. Criminals often captilise on this factor and disguise themselves as vagrants when committing crimes. (See link below: Vagrant admits to killing man)(Trinidad Express 2015) This stigma is attached to even the most honest of the homeless and as a result compounds the stress they are already experiencing in acquiring their daily nutritional and physical requirements(Dear and Gleeson, 1991). As such, it is not unusual for the homeless to seek that temporary release which drugs and alcohol abuse provides. This further deteriorated their condition and validates the intervention of the Health and Welfare sector of the economy that seek to get these persons off the streets, off the substances and reintegrated into society.

Video: Teaser to interview with homeless man on the Brian Lara Promenade. (Interview Conducted by Christal Benjamin)

SEE FULL 7 MINUTE INTERVIEW @: https://youtu.be/1z_8Hsz5DoM

Reference:

·         Trinidad Express. 2015. “Vagrant admits to killing man.” Accessed April 6, 2015. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Vagrant-admits-to-killing-man-173219781.html

·         Takahshi. L. M. 1996. “A decade of understanding homelessness in the USA: from characterization to representation” Progress in Human Geography 20 (3): 291 – 310.

·         Kissoon. 2015. “Housing Career, Housing Ladder, Housing Career, Housing Ladder,  and Residential Mobility and Residential Mobility” Lecture presented at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, March 21-28, 2015.

·         World Bank. 2014. “Youth unemployment in the Caribbean.” Accessed March 25, 2015.
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/04/19586512/youth-unemployment-caribbean

Dear, M. and Wolch, J. 1987. Landscapes of despair: from deinstitutionalization to homelessness. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Vending Culture In Port-of-Space

Allya! Allya! Potatoes, two pounds for five! Sugar plum nice tops for you! Have you ever heard these shouts while shopping in Port-of-Spain? You may have definitely heard them if you were shopping on Charlotte Street on the eastern end of Port-of-Spain.

Charlotte street is one of the most diverse streets in Port-of-Spain. This diversity is seen in the wide variety of goods which are sold on this streets and it is also heard in the many different Caribbean accents. These accents include Guyanese, Grenadian, Barbadian ('Bajan'), Vincentian, Jamaican and last but not least, Trinidadian and Tobagonian accents. This street seems to be a melting pot where immigrants from various Caribbean islands convene to sell and buy agricultural products, cosmetics, clothes and shoes among other items.

A Congested Charlotte Street ( Photograph Taken By Sybastian Manners, March 11, 2015)

We have heard many Trinidadian complain that Charlotte Street is a haven for illegal immigrants to engage in business. Once such complaint was published in an article by the Newsday. In an email to the Newsday, Emma-Jean Laban stated that while walking down the street one may be "bombarded by Jamaican and Guyanese who..are here illegally (Laban 2014).  Having migrated to Trinidad for a better life many of these persons find quick informal jobs. As discussed in our post on Creative Employment many of these persons find creative ways to 'make a dollar'. Others are hired by larger businesses to be street sales persons. 

The composition of the vending population on Charlotte makes this street very different from other streets. These persons try to win their customers hearts by using terms such as 'famalay'. Accordingly, they are often able to persuade the busy pedestrian to stop and shop.

We noticed that there is a great difference between the vending culture on Charlotte Street as compared to Frederick Street. Moreover we believe that the processes of revitalisation and  suburbanisation on Frederick Street has contributed to this difference.

Historically Frederick Street has been one of the main streets for shopping in Port-of-Spain. This street was once characterized by buildings used for both commercial and residential purposes. Store owners would operate business downstairs their houses which were characterised by overhanging galleries and hanging awnings which provided shade (Caribbean History Archives 2011).

However, as developments took place on this street many business owners designed buildings without galleries to discourage vending beneath the shaded areas of the galleries (Defour 2015). Additionally, administrative buildings such as the immigration office and the JOBCO government complex have been built on Frederick street. Many persons after having obtained wealth moved away from the city to live in high class neighbourhoods like St. James, in the suburbs. In our post entitled "How Temporal and Spatial Factors Affect Economic Activity" we made reference to this phenomenon which Burgess (1923) described as a "filtering outwards". We believe that this spatial mobilisation of persons away from Fredrick Street which allowed for advanced planning and  infrastructural development of this street has lent to a different vending culture. 
 

Photograph of Some of the New Buildings on Frederick
 Street Without Galleries and With Less Vendors Nearby  ( Photograph Taken By Sybastian Manners, March 11, 2015)

In her book entitled Urban Geography:A Global Perspective, Michelle Pacionne, posited that "  Continued neighbourhood decline...eventually leads to the development of... an area characterised by an impoverished social and physical environment" (Pacionne  2009, 216). 

Moreover, while many persons may have been displaced by the revitalisation processes on Frederick Street ;these process have contributed to an improvement of the environment on Frederick Street. While revitalisation has taken pace to some extent on Charlotte Street; it not as pronounced as that on Frederick Street. While development plans have been put in place for the spatial development of this street, many of them have not come to fruition.  Thus, there is a high population of vendors who occupy both the sidewalks and the street. This has led to a high level of vehicular and human traffic, congestion and pollution of the streets and water ways. As a result of this the street often floods after heavy rainfall.

Photograph of  Charlotte Street. Vendors can be seen selling on the Streets,
  Signs of Pollution Can Be Seen By Close to the Vendor Stalls.
 ( Photograph Taken By Sybastian Manners, March 11, 2015)

In 2008, The Port-of-Spain city co-operation took a deductive approach to city planning and decided to end the vending program on Charlotte Street. However, after an appeal made by President of the Charlotte Street Heritage Root Vendors Association, Ms. Melba Boxill, plans discussions were held to regulate vending on Charlotte street and improve the street conditions (News.Govt.TT 2008).

 However, in the view of the authors, many of these plans have not yet materialised as many of the problems mentioned above are still an issue on Charlotte street.


References

Besson, Gerard A. 2011.  "The Scottish Businesses of Frederick Street. The Caribbean History                Archives, blog, October 18. Accesses April 1, 2015.                http://caribbeanhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2011/09/scottish-businesses-of-frederick-street.html

Laban, Emma-Jean. 2014. "This Is Not A Race Issue, kambon" Newsday, December 13. Accessed            March 4, 2015.http://www.newsday.co.tt/letters/0,204230.htmlothers.

Pacionne, Michelle. 2009. Urban Geography: A Global Perspective. New York: Taylor and Francis           Group

News. Govt.TT. 2008. "Statement on Charlotte Street Vending." Accessed April 5, 2015.                           "http://www.news.gov.tt/archive/index.php?news=102

The Evolution of Employment in Port of Spain

While walking through the streets of Port-of-Spain we noticed many different types of employees; the enthusiastic self employed (vendors and taxi drivers), the serious and suited administrative and corporate workers, the busy and uniformed franchise workers and the free-spirited labourers. While we also observed diverse industries (manufacturing and service), we recognised that this city is dominated by service industries. Our previous knowledge on the city and our curiosity in finding out about how employment evolved in Port-of-Spain led us to the port.





Photograph of the Port
 ( Taken by Sybastian Manners at the Waterfront April 9, 2015)

Photograph of the Port
 ( Taken by Sybastian Manners at the Waterfront April 9, 2015)

The picture above depicts the port of Port-of-Spain. In his linear model of development Walt Rostow posited that infrastructural and transportational developments play a key role in the advancement of an economy. Many Caribbean capital cities were established around ports in coastal areas to facilitate trade. We believe that this was the case in the city of Port-of-Spain. The port has played a key role in the evolution of employment in this urban center.

The area currently known as Port of Spain was once an Amerindian fishing village surrounded by coastal wetlands and mangrove forests (Byer 2014). At this time jobs in the society were centered around the primary industry, fishing. Moreover, since this area was a natural harbour the Amerindians would anchor their canoes in this area after their journeys from neighbouring Caribbean islands  (Byer 2014).

In 1757, under the Spanish governor Don Pedro de la Moneda Port of Spain was made the capital and a landing where Spanish ships would 'stop-over' was built. This governor compelled the island's governing council to the city and so administrative employment in the city was introduced (Tripso 2011).

Figure 3: Showing Early Port of Spain with Spanish Ships in Port (Byer 2014)

In 1783, after the Cedula of Population there was a great increase in the population of the city as persons had migrated from French colonies including Guadeloupe and Martinique. The immigrants brought a spirit of festivity with them and commerce flourished as night clubs and dance halls flourished in the city (Besson 2011).

As time progressed, the port developed in size and function. During the 1800s, Port of Spain began to grow southwards, this was facilitated by the reclamation of land in the foreshore mudflats in the area that is known as Sea Lots.  In 1935 a deep water harbor was constructed to facilitate larger ships and road networks were developed to enhance to support the harbor’s activities. These infrastructural developments coupled with the strategic location of the Port of Spain along the Gulf of Paria were conducive to an advanced form of economic activity.

The need for the port was validated by the shift in focus from agriculture and fishing to light manufacturing and international trade. As a result, the job market expanded in manufacturing, transport, communication, planning, housing and public works (Byer 2014) The Port of Spain grow into a major hub exporting agricultural and manufactured products while importing raw materials such as bauxite and iron. 

Figure: Showing Gulf of Paria. (Stabroek News 2011)

After independence in 1962, there was a greater need for administrative service within the city. Furthermore, as an independent nation Trinidad established wider trading links and this is facilitated by the Port. 

The service sector has also grown due the technology driven globalisation phenomenon. Since the population has a greater demand for international products many multinational corporations such as The Hyatt and franchises such  KFC and subway have been allowed to operate within the city.


The port is an avenue for great capital accumulation and employment. However, it is ironic that for the past few years port workers have been experiencing challenges in being renumerated for their work. The importance of these workers was magnified when their protest action led to millions of dollars in losses by business person in Trinidad. This is further discussed in the article below:

http://www.caribbean360.com/business/millions-lost-in-trinidad-port-industrial-action

References:

Besson, Gerard. 2011. “The Caribbean History Archives.” Paria Publishing Co. Ltd., August 12.          Accessed March 24, 2015. http://caribbeanhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2011/08/port-of-              spains-early-city-life.html

Byer, Hillis. 2014. 2014. “The History of Port of Spain.” Tedx Port of Spain. Septermber 23.              Accessed March 24

Byers. J. 1998. “Privatization of Downtown Public Space: The Emerging Grade-Separated City in        North America”. Accessed March 16, 2015.

"Millions Lost In Trinidad Port Industrial Action". 2011. Caribbean 360, December, 15. accessed        April 1, 2015.http://www.caribbean360.com/business/millions-lost-in-trinidad-port-                      industrial-action

Stabroek News. 2011. “Strong earthquake off the coast of Venezuela felt here” Accessed March           24, 2015. http://www.stabroeknews.com/2013/news/stories/10/11/strong-quake-in-gulf-of-             paria-felt-here/

Triposo.nd. " Where Do You Want To Go." Acessed April 1st,                                                        2015. http://www.triposo.com/loc/Port_of_Spain/history

Social Polarisation In the Use of Public Space by The Urban Employed

In our post entitled, "High Profits...At What Cost?" we looked at how social polarisation (one effect of the post-industrial economy) is evident in the area of employment renumeration in the city of Port-of-Spain.  In this post we explore this issue in relation to the use of space by the urban employed.

Figure 1. Showing Persons Utilizing the Woodford Square At Midday
 (Photograph, taken by Sybastian Manners, February 20, 2015)

Figure 2. Showing Patrons Enjoying the Night Life at Shakers, Ariapita Avenue
(Photograph taken by Rachel Mckenzie on begalf of Sybastian Manner February 21, 2015.

The photos above show two different types of spaces. While a public space is seen in figure one, a private space is seen in figure two.  In our visits to the city we observed that those who were most frequently found enjoying public spaces (such as the one on Woodford Square) seemed to be persons of the working class. These persons included street sweepers, garbage collectors, fast food employees and taxi drivers. We observed very few persons in suits or crisply ironed shirts and ties in these areas. On the contrary while socialising on the Ariapita Avenue we noticed that most of the persons 'liming' on the avenue seemed to be of the middle class and high class. 

We believe that several factors contribute to this polarisation in the use of public space. These factors include issues relating to time, a fear of crime, the state of public spaces and economic issues. Firtsly one factor which influences the use of public space is what Sybastian refers to as the 'corporate net'. The corporate net refers to the restrictions imposed on those who work in the service sectors. The capital driven economy which is an attribute of the postmodern city creates a rigid environment that adversely affects how individuals experience time and space. On average, eight hours of productivity is required of each employee with an hour break in which most choose to have lunch or do personal business in the capital or more frequently both. This really reduces the capacity for one to really experience each day outside of the task ascribed by the job description. As such many persons who get a chance to enjoy the public spaces are persons who work in less rigid environments such as  in the informal sector (taxi drivers). 

Furthermore, Mycoo (2008) stated that there is a "mounting evidence of state failure to provide basic state function such as...security for citizens". She believes that this is one of the key factors which has lent to the rise of gated communities in Trinidad. We believe that many persons of a high social status do not utilise public spaces because they do not believe that they are very safe. In the past many robberies and shootings have taken place in the vicinity of Public spaces in broad daylight. In October 2013, the Trinidad Newsday reported that persons 'liming' on the Brian Lara Promenade scattered in fear when two men were shot dead in a drive by shooting. This took place at 11:00 am on October 12th, 2014.


Furthermore, many persons do not use public spaces as they are seen by many as unsanitary places. Such places are often littered by the public as well as they are the homes of many vagrants. This has a significant effect on the health and livability of these places. This is an issue not only in Port of Spain but in other cities in the Caribbean. In an article entitled "Simply Beautiful..or Paradise Gone Down the Toilet?" in the St. Lucian Star newspaper, Toni Nicholas lamented at the way in wish the Derek Walcott Square, a public space in St. Lucia was kept. He stated, "in the middle of the kiosk inside the square lay a vagrant fast asleep, oblivious of the curious visitors desperately trying to photograph the venue...There was litter under the park benches and empty bottles everywhere. "

Photograph of A Vagrant Sleeping in the Derek Walcot Square ( Nicholas  2014)

Lastly, some persons are excluded from certain spaces because of their financial status. Places such as the Shakers restaurant on the avenue clearly cater for persons of a high social status. Many of the working class poor cannot afford the expensive delicacies on these menus and so do not frequent such places. On the contrary many of the middle class enjoy such places which are often well secured and which helps to reinforce the reality that they have high positions on the social ladder.

References

"Two Men Shot". 2014. Newsday, October 14. Accessed March 30.                                   2015. http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,184998.html

Nicholas, Toni. "Simply Beautiful..or Paradise Gone Down the Toilet?" The Star Newspaper,  November,22.  Accessed march 30. http://stluciastar.com/simply-beautiful-or-paradise-gone-down-the-toilet/

http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/file.php/25346/mycoo_2006_Trinidad_gated_communities.pdf

Creative Employment

Video 1: Showing Musician Entertaining Passersby on guitar at City Gate, Port of Spain
 (Video taken by Sybastian Manners, February 20, 2015)

“Global economic shocks coupled with natural disasters [have] left most Caribbean countries with zero to negative growth and high unemployment rates” (World Bank 2014). In such austere economic situations many persons struggle to support themselves and their families. While many resort to full dependence on governmental social services others evince the common quote, “necessity is the mother of invention”.

Figure 2: Showing Musician Entertaining Passersby 

At City Gate, Port of Spain (Photograph taken by Sybastian Manners, February 20, 2015).

In Port-of –Spain we have seen many creative forms of employment as shown in the photo above. These informal businesses thrive off of the transient population of Port of Spain. Moreover,   these entrepreneurs usually situate themselves in high traffic areas (along sidewalks, squares and passages through major shopping plazas) where their products could potentially engage a wider customer base. Apart from their strategies in selecting key locations; we believe that these business persons are successful due to the cultures of cities. In his book entitled The Culture of Cities, Lewis Mumford stated that, “Cities arise out of man’s social needs and multiply both their modes and methods of expression.” (Mumford 1938, 4) . Urban spaces are places where persons are given freedom to express their talents. Moreover, such persons often seek to appeal to human emotion; the happiness we experience from listening to music or viewing and wearing art. When successful these persons are given financial rewards.

In our exploration of creative forms of employment in Port-of-Spain we found that there was a major difference between the location of these industries in this city and the city of Charlestown, Nevis.

Figure 3: Showing craft shops at the Nevisian Artisan Village (Explore Nevis 2010)

As a twin island state driven primarily by tourism, St. Kitts and Nevis has taken a different approach as it relates to the space that artisans occupy in the urban area. In Nevis an Artisan Village was officially opened in March 2010 on the northern end of the Samuel Hunkins drive, Charlestown on the out skirts of the islands urban area (The St. Kitts and Nevis Observer 2010). It is strategically located in an area that is very accessible to tourists visiting the island and serves as a central point for the artisans to practise their trade. Its location on the tropical coast enhances aesthetics and creates a cool and welcoming environment for visitors and locals alike. It is not unusual for families to enjoy the sunset from this vantage point. The traders thrive on the consumer base that this environment attracts. This development also incorporates green space and public seating which serves as a “lunch break get away” to those employed in the island’s capital and thus reflects an element of the post-modern city (Byers 1998).

Figure 4: Showing the Green Space and Public Seating at the Nevisian Artisan

Village (Explore Nevis 2015)

There is often great debate as to the most lucrative location for sole traders such as those discussed in this post. Should they choose key locations where there is great human traffic or should they be located in central places? It is often argued that central locations will result in greater competition and less revenue. However, we believe that the location of artisans and other creative entrepreneurs in a central area will allow for greater marketability and better access to their goods. As such persons will frequent such locations, thus leading to greater revenue for these entrepreneurs.

Figure 5: Showing leather craft being sold on Fredrick Street. (Photograph taken by Sybastian Manners, April 9, 2015))

In Port-of-Spain, there is a great focus on retail industries targeted at the transient population.  However in Nevis, because of the greater focus on tourism many of the retail services are tailored to meet the needs of the visitors. Accordingly, the government has placed emphasis on making the products of artisans marketable and available. In Trinidad informal sales persons and the city council have often faced come into conflict because plans to find a central location for some of the informal sole traders have not yet materialized. This issue is further discussed in the article below. http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/print,0,205081.html 

Video 2: Showing Musician Entertaining Passersby on violin at City Gate, Port of Spain (Video Taken by Christal Benjamin, April 9, 2015)

References:

Byers. J. 1998. “Privatization of Downtown Public Space: The Emerging Grade-Separated City          in North America”. Accessed March 16, 2015.

Mumford, Lewis. 1938. The Culture of Cities. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company.                 Accessed March 28, 2015.                                http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/file.php/25346/Lewis_Mumford_Introduction_The_Culture_of_Cities_1938_xid-3429222_2.PDF

 “No Plans Yet For Salvatori.” 2015. Trinidad Express, January 4. Accessed March 26, 2015.                http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/print,0,205081.html

Nevis Explorer. 2010. “Nevisian Artisan Village”. Accessed March 16, 2015.                     http://www.explorenevis.com/artisan-village/

Patrice Pemberton. 2010. “Premier Parry Opens Nevisian Artisan Village.” The St. Kitts and             Nevis Observer, April 2. Accessed March 16, 2015.                                 http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/2010/04/02/artisan-village.html

World Bank. 2014. “Youth unemployment in the Caribbean.” Accessed March 25,                             2015.http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/04/19586512/youth-unemployment-         caribbean