Notes from a small island

Notes from a small island
A weblog by Jonathan Ali

Friday, February 15, 2008

But with all those other things to be anxious or angry about, all the ills and inequalities of our society, is it really worth getting upset about losing the Boissiere House? I think it is. Because this is a line in the sand, a test of how mercenary and philistine we really have become. Contemporary Trinidad seems hell-bent on destroying everything we have that is beautiful and authentic, usually in the name of the dollar. We knock down gorgeous old buildings, erase their history and stories and memories, and build air-conditioned Miami-boxes. We pave our green open spaces. We drown true mas in floods of sequinned bikinis imported from China. The works of art in our National Museum are literally crumbling from neglect (when last did you go and look at them?). Most of our musicians can't get airplay (when last did you hear jointpop on the radio?). At some point will we say, enough is enough?

Could this be that point?

-- From my friend and colleague Nicholas Laughlin's missive on Boissiere House, the late-Victorian style "gingerbread house" at 12 Queen's Park West in Port of Spain. Boissiere House, over 100 years old, is one of our architectural treasures and in imminent danger of being torn down. If you'd like to help save Boissiere House and help protect our built heritage, do visit the Save Boissiere House website and sign the petition.

posted by Jonathan | 11:35 AM 8 comments

8 Comments:

I really hope that it is because the insanity has been going on for far too long! And most of those once magnificent buildings around the savannah need some urgent attention too!

By Anonymous, at 10:56 AM

I'm back.

By Anonymous, at 8:45 PM

Have you stopped blogging? nothing since Boissiere House...where can I read about what you're doing and thinking?

By Anonymous, at 2:22 PM

So sad, so sad!

By Anonymous, at 10:40 PM

Nice architecture.....

By Anonymous, at 7:42 AM

Interesting blog. Please sign a petition to reduce crime in TnT http://www.brotherskeepertt.net

Thanks

By TonyPuck, at 2:41 PM

Thats an amzing picture of a house!!

Ian
www.EasyCaribbeanShop.com

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