Some positive suggestions to improve
the city of San Fernando.

View From San Fernando Hill View more pics in the San Fernando Hill Gallery

(1) Courtesy, help, respect is on the decline in the City, society, and country. Citizens should be encouraged and motivated to be more polite and cordial by saying, Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, "Good night", "May I help you", "Excuse Me", "I'm sorry", smile and say "Thank you".

(2) The attitude, mentality, loyalty of the people must change now to improve life of all citizens and future generations in the city.

(3) Citizens are expecting the San Fernando City corporation and National government to satisfy most of their needs. Persons should be encouraged, motivated to form groups, business committees or associations to find solutions to respective problems at community level.

(4) Citizens could be more professional in work ethics at all levels in the society. Customer service and suggestion boxes should be encouraged in the business sector, to communicate the needs of the general public.

Pedestrian Mall. View more pics in the Pedestrian Mall Gallery

(5) More attention and respect should be given to the elderly in our society by caring for them and assisting them mentally, physically and spiritually and honour them for their respective contributions to the city. Families must take more responsibility to care for the aged. Government should increase pension allowance.

(6) Spirituality and development is very important. Multi-cultural or multi-racial groups or organizations should be encouraged, motivated and promoted at all levels in the community. Citizens need to respect, understand and be educated on the various religions, customs and traditions.

(7) The Social and entertainment life is suffering in the city due to persons feeling more comfortable to go outside the city to be entertained. We need to encourage and motivate producers, directors, promoters to do more business in South. And to encourage the general public to support all such activities and to encourage the business sector to give support to promote culture.

(8) More employment opportunities are needed particularly for persons who live near the city to assist the growing unemployment problem and the citizens must be encouraged to go into business activity.

Pedestrian Mall. View more pics in the Pedestrian Mall Gallery

(9) Drugs and Alcohol have contributed to social problems among citizens. Vagrancy, homeless and mentally disturbed persons, envy, jealousy, infidelity, prostitution, sexual harassment, teenage pregnancy, single parenting, abortion, social welfare, public ridicule, and embarrassment, bad talking, discouraging and putting people down, false accusations against innocent people, handicapped, divorce, family tensions, crime, suicide, rape, accidents, domestic violence, unemployment, murder and death are on the rise. The political, protective and legal authorities need to deal with these concerns more expediously.

(10) Punctuality is a professional work ethic that is being abused. It is a noted fact that abroad persons are seriously disciplined for punctuality. We must try to get rid of "any time is Trinidad time" mentality.

(11) Customers need to support the business community more in order to encourage the business sector to uplift their premises on the inside and outside to and for the general public. The relevant authorities should do their best to better the condition of the roads.

(12) The Ministry of labour should investigate if the minimum wage laws are being carried out in the city. Too many staff members are being taken advantage of in the work place.

(13) Citizens should be informed on increases in bills in the city. House rates and taxes

View From Alexander Road. View more pics in the Alexnder Road Gallery

have increased and officials should communicate with persons who may be unable to pay.

(14) The utilities companies should not bill citizens for services if they are not receiving the services. Persons need to be more understanding and considerate in dealing with such customers with those problems.

(15) The courtesy of motorists and pedestrians is essential for overall safety. The protective services should deal with inconsiderate persons on the roads. The police must be more visible.

(16) Many citizens do not see the benefits of City status from borough status in San Fernando. The relevant authorities should prioritize and work on problems and concerns that affect the majority of citizens.

(17) The Promenade could be used to encourage, motivate and promote the Southern business community, people, performing arts, culture and entertainment by staging cultural presentations, trade shows, exhibitions, competitions in the South.

(18) Sporting events should be encouraged and competitions at all levels in society must help to foster a healthy population in the future.

(19) A Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising and Performing company should be established and motivated. All business enterprises, organisations particularly in the sporting and cultural fields should promote their activities by the Electronic Media, Newspapers, Radio and Television and particularly the Internet e.g. Calendar of Events.

(20) Too many stray animals on the streets in the City and in residential areas. Persons

View Of King's Wharf. View more pics in the King's Wharf Gallery

who allow animals to stray should be liable in cases of accidents of pedestrians or motorists. Gates should not be opened at premises to allow animals to roam.

(21) The Health of the nation should be a priority all levels in the society. Diet, exercise and physical education and activity should be encouraged.

(22) Visitors to our country and city have requested an updated boundry road map of the City of San Fernando and a road map of Trinidad and Tobago.

(23) Persons in authority should be honest and say to the general public that they could work on some of the concerns of the public and stop trying to promise what they cannot do. On the other hand citizens should practice more self help.

(24) Positive suggestions outlined in the project came from some members of the general public over a period of time in the City of San Fernando. These views are not the writers' views but comments by members of the public at varying levels in society since January 1999.

Persons interested in contributing to positive suggestions to the improvement of the City of San Fernando could contact the writer Michael Thorne at michaelalanthorne@hotmail.com or at Michael Thorne Promotions, 29 Herrera Street,
St. Joseph Village, San Fernando, Trinidad, West Indies. Tel: 657-0925 (O); 335-4330 (C),
Mrs. Nadhira Surita Thorne: 359-9884, 340-8399 .

Persons interested in writing suggestions or willing to form a group, committee or association to put actions to the suggestions would be deeply appreciated. The discussion board and chat room can be used to gather this information.

The aim and objective of this website is to promote business activity, particularly in the City of San Fernando and business interests in Trinidad and Tobago.

Copyright © 2001 - 2008 Michael Thorne. E-mail: michaelalanthorne@hotmail.com, or michaelthorne@whatsouthsay.com.