The young and the lawless are in action in Croal Street from 3.30 to 6.30 every afternoon
Stabroek News
February 28, 2004
Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter by Royston King, Public Relations Officer of the City Council, under the caption "School children who congregate at street corners are bored and looking for excitement" (13.2.2004).
Mr. King has been unnecessarily patronizing in his pseudo defence of their lawlessness. This lawlessness has to be tackled by the police and City Constables in tough patrols along Croal Street between 3:00pm and 6:30pm to rid the city and the occupiers of nearby offices of this escalating scourge.
Every afternoon between 3:30pm and 6:30pm Monday to Friday boys and girls in school uniform loiter along Croal Street between Sendall Place and Avenue of the Republic ostensibly to await transportation.
These "school men and women" trespass on private property along Croal Street, sit on the public concrete bridge rails and Sendall Place, Manget Place and the one outside of the High Court, eating, drinking, cursing, fighting and throwing their garbage along Croal Street and in adjoining drains in a brazen demonstration of lawlessness. When they depart the scene they leave in their wake, strewn on the parapet, on the road and in the drains styrofoam containers, beer bottles, soft drink bottles, cane peelings and other trash reminiscent of the proverbial "pig pen".
All this takes place not more than 100 yards from the Brickdam Police Station and a stone's throw from the High Court. How can the police tolerate such lawlessness taking place right under their noses? How can the City Council be so uncaring of the cleanliness of the "garden city" and its citizens?
I invite our Commissioner of Police and our Mayor to travel along this "strip" of public property between 3:30 and 6:30 any week day to witness for themselves the "young and the lawless" in action.
One suggestion for solving this escalating problem is to paint "No stopping" signs for mini buses along Croal Street between Pollard Place and Avenue of the Republic, and "No U turn" signs along Croal Street between Manget Place and Avenue of the Republic along Croal Street. Alternatively, the signs can be printed and placed on posts. The latter method is more enduring and is used throughout the Caribbean and North America.
Yours faithfully,
Fred Fraser