The Montague Ramp

By John Farmer

There is an old adage that a camel is a horse designed by committee. Regrettably, the committee chaired by Pierre Dupuch to redesign the Montague ramp area has emerged with a concept worthy of the camel.

While the intent is laudable, insofar as the idea is to create a smaller version of Arawak Cay, the fact remains the commitee has done nothing with the ramp itself other than to wall it off from the main road, forcing all traffic for the ramp through the feeder road at the traffic light. Going by the grade school schematic printed in the Tribune of July 21st (could they not afford a proper draughtsman if not architect?), it is obvious that no-one in the committee has ever towed or tried to launch a boat down a ramp. Their hopelessly impractical proposal has one forced to drive forward into the parking area next to the ramp, execute a u-turn in what is sure to be a crowded parking lot, and attempt to reverse the boat down the ramp while concurrently turning a corner. Perhaps the Dupuch committee envisages ticketed bleacher seating for the general public to witness the spectacle. It would certainly require a full time police presence to detail the resulting fender benders, and to moderate the consequent fighting that is sure to erupt.

Consider the practical and sensible alternative. Between the Yacht Club and the fort itself is a far superior placement for the ramp. It is far away from the traffic congestion, it naturally slopes into the water, there is ample space for maneuvering and parking trailers, and it removes the activity of the ramp away from the "world class fish market" that is envisaged next to the Sailing Club. (That cannot be moved as we must continue to annoy the rich white patrons of the Sailing Club). Why, one could even take another leap of lateral thinking and reverse the direction of the one way road that circumnavigates the Fort Montague Park, moving the approach to the ramp far away from the congestion at the traffic light. Had this been done in the first instance there would have been no need for the traffic light at all, but that is another story.

What this does serve to highlight is how a small group of extremely selfish people continue to hold not only the entire eastern end of the island to ransom, but also successive governments. What we as a people need to do is to vote AGAINST the government of the day until such time the abortion at the Montague is corrected. It is time our 'caring' goverment realises that there are far more votes to be lost east of the ramp than there are on the ramp itself.