Residents of Greenvale Park, La Horquetta are confronting what they describe as systemic governmental neglect and political favoritism that compromises both infrastructure maintenance and essential services. According to longtime resident Arthur Dash, the community operates under a dual system of ‘contactocracy and contractocracy’ where garbage collection and flood prevention measures depend more on political connections than equitable public service distribution.
The area, which endured catastrophic flooding in 2018, faces renewed risks as critical water management infrastructure remains dangerously neglected. The primary retention pond is now completely overgrown with vegetation, while uncleared bridges and choked waterways create perfect conditions for another disaster. Despite these visible hazards, authorities appear reliant on fortune rather than proactive intervention.
Post-election service deterioration has exacerbated living conditions. Garbage collection has become irregular at best, leading to public health concerns as stray animals scatter waste and insect populations multiply. Bulk waste removal services demonstrate apparent cronyism, with trucks reportedly serving only ‘streets of affiliation’ rather than the entire community.
Additional complications arise from Frederick Settlement Industrial Estate employees parking commercial vehicles along residential roads not designed for such traffic. This obstruction now prevents public transportation from accessing certain areas, particularly affecting elderly residents’ mobility.
Local MP Phillip Watts faces sharp criticism for perceived absence beyond photo opportunities. The community demands merit-based governance rather than seasonal political attention, emphasizing that flood prevention and basic services shouldn’t require personal connections to implement.
The Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation’s offer of a single December service day has been dismissed as tokenism rather than genuine problem-solving. Residents argue that as tax-paying citizens, they deserve consistent services equivalent to other communities receiving triple-weekly collections.
With another rainy season approaching, Greenvale Park stands as a case study in how administrative lethargy transforms natural weather patterns into human-made disasters, where political promiscuity during election cycles gives way to operational abandonment thereafter.