Having explored the city (POS), I was able to discover that our capital faces numerous problems. Firstly I disliked the vast numbers of homeless people that were on the streets. They pose a threat to pedestrians as some of them may be mentally and can spontaneously attack. Apart from them being dangerous, it is completely distasteful for the tourism sector. 

Added to this, is the pollution I noticed along the tour. Litter was strewn throughout the streets, in the river and garbage was heaped as if the area is a dumping ground. This problem should be immediately rectified by providing bins or more frequent garbage collection. And as mentioned before Trinidad is a tourist destination and garbage is a far from pleasant sight.

Also some areas of the main shopping streets (Charlotte and Henry Streets) were congested with vendors, retailing goods. Passersby are forced to walk on the roadway since pavements are no longer able to accommodate the capacity of persons on the move. Children are forced to walk on the streets, putting them at a risk of becoming road accident victims.

Despite the many issues our capital city possesses, (which might I add is common to many other cities in the developing and developed worlds), there appears to be a lot of good coming out as well. For instance, the city is compact- shopping malls, stores, food courts, hotels and other service centers  are available “a stone’s throw away” from each other. One doesn’t have to commute far or go out of their way to get errands done. The presence of police on foot patrol made me and I’m sure others feel safe, as well as aided in the traffic movements.

To sum it all up, the exploration and my findings were both enlightening and interesting and definitely a good experience for me. 

As any other city, Trinidad’s capital Port of Spain, faces pollution in its various forms as one of its urban problems. Air pollution is derived from the substantial amounts of vehicles that come into the city on a daily basis. Streets are filled and lined with cars emitting poisonous carbon monoxide and large quantities of particulate. The tropical heat combined with the heat of automobiles, machinery use and the concrete forests makes Port of Spain an urban heat island compared to its surrounding areas.

Furthermore improper disposal of garbage is evident in the city. Unsightly heaps of rubbish can be seen along the roadway of the city, making it not only hazardous but also a tourist distraction.