LAST FRIDAY NIGHT the semi-finals of the Pic-O-De-Crop calypso competition returned to the National Stadium after a break of seven years.
The organiser, the National Cultural Foundation, did not have many options – the Wildey Gymnasium is unavailable as a result of extensive renovations taking place there.
From all accounts, a majority of the calypsonians who participated welcomed the return to Waterford. They and the patrons were fortunate as Mother Nature blessed them with an absence of rain.
None of this, however, changes the reality that however you cut it, being forced to return to the National Stadium, where the stands have all been declared out of bounds for safety reason, amounts to nothing less than a national disgrace. It is yet another example of our repeated failure as a country to keep our national assets in good shape.
So often those who preside over national affairs behave as though their only duty is to devise new projects to build at massive cost to taxpayers and then leave them to take care of themselves. Except for major renovations to the athletic track twice in its history, the Stadium has not benefited from any major renovation or upgrade since it was opened in 1970. And for those who will argue, repairs to the metal roof in an environment where sea sprays corrode everything do not count in this equation.
When we look around this country and see all the Government buildings that are in a state of disrepair or abandonment, perhaps those in authority would understand why, for example, citizens are not jumping through hoops over Government’s decision to build a new billion-dollar general hospital to replace the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
What’s worse is that for all the talk, there is still no definitive plan for the reinstatement of the National Stadium, which means that the national cultural and athletics programmes will be negatively impacted for at least two more years. No such project can be executed in less time.
Let’s be clear: the current Government and Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley had the unfortunate honour of closing the Stadium and the fallout continues under their watch, but our failure to look after our built architecture predates this regime by far. It is something voters should demand that all political parties contesting future elections address in their elections manifestos.
Unfortunately though, this attitude of abuse of taxpayer assets does not begin or end with buildings. The state spends millions annually on vehicles and equipment and then fails horribly in its mandate to keep them in good working order. Cars, vans, trucks, buses, ambulances, tractors and more can be found in varying states of disrepair at Government properties islandwide.
What makes this state of affairs so reprehensible is that after years of lying idle, when taxpayers have hardly gotten reasonable use from them, they are auctioned off to private individuals who repair them in short order and go on to make a killing from inconsequential investments.
Why, for example, should a private operator get 50 years out of a tractor while the Government leaves a similar piece of equipment to rust in one of its yards after only a dozen years of service?
We cannot claim to be making efficient use of limited financial resources when we continue to operate in this manner. And we cannot continue to pour millions into the hands of those who run state entities when we get these kinds of returns from our investment.
The national pride engraved in our motto ought to compel us all to do far better than this.
