13935: Dorvilus: Re:13731: Miller: positive observations (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Arsene Dorvilus <arsenedorvilus@phayze.com>

Maybe we are talking about two different Port-au-Princes here.  While I
agree with Paul Miller on the cleanliness of some specific areas of
Port-au-Prince, thanks in great part to the Mayors of Tabarre who have done
a great job keeping the main streets of their city clean (airport area,
route de tabarre, carrefour claircine, etc.), I cannot say the same thing
about many areas of downtown, delamas and petionville where garbage has
been accumulating for a while now. In fact many streets are in the worst
shape I have seen them in years. As for many areas of carrefour, fontamara,
cote-plage, they are too unhealthy to be considered safe for the residents.
As for the numerous parks he is talking about, I guess beauty lies in the
eye of the beolder. What many see as parks, I view them as oceans of ugly
concrete with no trees in sight. For example, the "place" built in
Saint-Martin. On the other hand, the Champ-de-Mars  and the Place d'Italie
were well overhauled under the Preval administration, which seems to have
done a lot more and in a more tasteful fashion during its first two years.
Also, the airport road that Paul Miller refers to is nice, but how long
will that last? It was finished later than expected and over budget, if I
understand correctly. Have you noticed the potholes that are starting to
show on teh route de tabarre? the ministry of public works should be
working quickly to fill them up otherwise that "highway" will become
difficult very soon.  Finally, Paul Miller probably has not driven on the
Route de Bourdon and witnessed the environmental disaster that is
developing in the Juvenat section of Petionville and also on Morne
l'Hopital., all this in the last three years.This is an incredible urban
development  that is theratening one of the few totally green areas we had
left in Port-au-Prince. By the time the damage is done, the city will one
huge slum from Montagne Noire all the way to the Bay of Port-au-Prince. All
that despite the efforts of a well-meaning minister of environment who has
no resources to do what he wants to do.