March 21, 2012

Dear Sir,

I went to the airport the other day to pick up some friends who were arriving for a visit. It was a beautiful day, and while waiting for them to exit the Customs and Immigration area I sat on one of the benches outside and looked around. The airport is in a sorry state of disrepair. Paint was faded, ceilings were dirty with soot from cars, there were cracks in the walls and pillars, and the flooring was chipped and dirty. Trash was blowing around with the fallen leaves. First impressions are everything, and ours is not looking so sharp. I continued my “inspection” and came across the Carifta Games banners flying proudly on the lamp posts. “Oh my God” I thought! We have numerous Caribbean countries visiting us on April 7, and this is going to be their first impression of our Island? Tell me it isn’t so!

Something needs to be done, and quickly. Not only should we be putting our best foot forward for our Caribbean counterparts for the Carifta Games, but we need to present ourselves favourably for all of our visitors. We all get complacent. When we are in the same environment all the time we don’t see the disrepair. It becomes part of the norm. We are all guilty of this at some point, but we can also get the job done when needed. I implore those whose responsibility it is to keep the airport in good repair, put paint to brush, plaster to cracks, water to the pressure washers, trash in the bins, and let’s present ourselves in a manner that we can be proud off. I am sure we are doing this at the National Sports Centre right now, let’s not forget the airport, and our first impressions. They are the ones that last.

WATCHING

Pembroke