Mothers in the city

“Before concerning itself with international prestige, must first restore dignity to all citizens, furnish their minds, fill their eyes with human things and develop a human landscape for the sake of its enlightened and sovereign inhabitants” (Fanon, 1964).

Being a mother in the city of Port of Spain is difficult as a visitor and as a resident. The poor inadequate public amenities provided, little activities and/or spaces dedicated to children, the narrow cramped pavements, the inconsiderate drivers all make Port of Spain a particularly hostile environment. Amenities that contribute to the liveability of cities are in short supply. The stock of open spaces have not kept up with population growth, especially in the older core cities. As a mother in a hostile environment makes it difficult to care for and protect a child or a number of children. God forbid one is with child and the baby get hungry and the mother has to breastfeed after finding a space where one is allowed to sit (most likely after buying an expensive coffee drink or sandwich due to the subservience of local public interests to interests of global capital (Banerjee, 1989) much to the detriment of or urban mums) a couple hours later or less mum would then have to do a more extensive search for a bathroom with a changing table to clean and change the child’s clothing. For older ones the problem would simply be keeping them occupied as beyond the National Library and food places I am unsure as to what one working class poor mother would do with a child or children in Port of Spain. There is Movietowne but there is not very working class poor friendly and while they don’t openly or blatantly discriminate against such persons their prices and unavailability of public transport to and from the venue sure does the trick of maintaining the perception they have as a middle to upper class recreational venue.

References

Fanon, Frantz. 1963. The Wretched of the Earth. New York: Grove Press.

Banerjee, T 1989 The future of Public Spaces: Beyond Invented Streets and Reinvented Spaces. American Planning Association. Journal of the American Planning Association; Winter 2001; 67, 1;pg 9