The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

Where do I start this week? It’s been a veritable smorgasbord of material, courtesy of the present administration.

TOO MUCH MIX UP, IN THE DIG UP!

When will we finally get road works, right in this country?

It’s 2019, and it’s painfully obvious, we are dysfunctional as a nation, in regards to roadworks, and their maintenance.

A perfect example, is the roadwork fiasco, that continues to worsen on Meeting Street.

It’s beyond me how this project, has dragged on since before the Christmas. Initially I thought it was some “holiday overtime” to reward certain employees at MOW.

But here we are two weeks into the new year, and the roads still have issues. Meeting Street in particular, looking like the surfaces of the moon. ‘Loon craters,‘ as my West Street friends say.

To compound the situation, there is no concise plan for completion of the project. To add to the headache, BPL and the Water and Sewerage Corporation have commenced further digging on Meeting Street – a trench as a matter of fact – right down the middle no less, in order to complete their jobs in relation to the project.

As of today, the trench was being tarred, however the huge sink holes remain, on either side of the road in perfect symmetry.

The only positive I can extract from this debacle, is to hope that one of the many mini mobiles, you know, the ‘Cubes’, ‘Marches’, ‘Minis’ and ‘Swifts’ of the 242. that fly around the streets of Nassau, with reckless abandon as if they were racing in the ’Conch 500, (to everyone’s annoyance) would actually fall in one of those sink holes on either side and disappear to a far, far off magical racetrack forever.

I suggest Minister of Works and Carmichael MP Desmond Bannister, find a viable solution to the Meeting Street situation quickly.

As a matter of fact, please do so with the same speed the government used to close Munnings Road. And please ensure your work men do their jobs properly and efficiently, so there is not a repeat of the shoddy workmanship displayed in the Munnings Road closure.

Why was Munnings Road closed again?

Until such time, my fellow motorist please avoid Meeting Street like the plague. You hit one of those immense “road cavities” at the right angle, all your pistons and gear box could end up in the road.

ANTI-SOCIAL SERVICE

If it wasn’t bad enough, when in her capacity as Minister of Social Services, Seabreeze MP and current Minister of Youth Sports and Culture Lanisha Rolle, offered up this nugget to the Nassau Guardian, in regards to marital rape.

“In relation to marital rape, I’ve always said it is an issue that is private.”

Not to be outdone, current Minister of Social Services, and Southern Shores MP, Frankie Campbell was also in rare form this past week regarding the subject of rape.

Outside of the Churchill Building, Campbell shook his head and pushed the microphones and other recording devices of reporters away with both hands.

“Someone told me earlier this year [that] there are 12 months in the year,” said the minister, who continued to push away reporters’ recording devices even as he spoke.

“Spend the first six months by minding your own business; the next six months staying out of other people’s business and you should be fine.”

“Don’t ask me about rapes. Try to keep me out of other people’s lanes.”

“I like to talk about my stuff; don’t ask me…”

Campbell, as Minister of Social Services, oversees a ministry that is responsible for leading the state effort to help the most vulnerable in society and setting the policy, agenda for issues such as the advancement of persons with disabilities, gender equality and family affairs, poverty alleviation, as well as social safety net and assistance programmes.

Look like it’s your stuff to me, Frankie!

Thus the apology a day later by Campbell: “I apologise for what seemed to be insensitive as I responded to media personnel. I was merely trying to avoid what appeared to be encroaching on another minister’s portfolio.

“I am fully aware of the duties and core functions of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development which includes, but is not limited to, food assistance, shelter for all victims, including rape victims and victims of trafficking in persons, school and uniform assistance, the elderly, child protection, rehabilitation and persons with disabilities.”

Despite the apology, the wrong message has been sent by the Minister of Social Services once again, and sadly it might be too late for the ministry to salvage any sort of credibility with the voting populace.

I have only two words for the current (and also the former) Minister of Social Services – do better.