SUBURBS: WE ALL NEED A PLACE IN THE CITY!

Like any other ‘well known’ urban city destinations in this world, in contemporary times, Port- of- Spain, Trinidad and Tobago definitely has the sub- urban areas which are generally called the suburbs. With rising globalization along the Caribbean and the all- accepting ways of the Caribbean people, they all feel the need to be a part of the fast past life that the people in the West experience. Like everything else, the infrastructure throughout the Caribbean well displays the historical and contemporary globalization.  Not to stray too far from the point about suburbs, but let me just mention to you that almost all the Caribbean feel as if it is ‘Urban or Die’. As common sense will tell all, it is almost impossible to fit everyone into the city to reside. So… along came sub- urbanization. Happy were all who could afford, to live like they are urban, just outside the city.

Sub- urbanization refers to the process of building up areas within the commuter zone of the city. The area that houses the predominantly residential building infrastructure; that extends outward away from the city; and commonly keep middle class residents around the world refers to the suburb (Hall, 2006, p. 120). This (new) urbanism made it way to the Caribbean post 1970s (Luiz Lara, 2011, p. 369). In Port- of- Spain, it is important to recognize that many suburban developments have been structured. As it goes along with the rest of the world, the middle class residents reside within the suburban residential areas. Both middle class suburbs and high class suburb areas are represented in the following pictures.

Photograph showing Victorian Styled, suburban building infrastructure, Port- of- Spain.

Photograph showing a collection of Victorian Styled, suburban building infrastructure, Victoria Square, Port- of- Spain.

Photograph showing Victorian Styled, suburban building infrastructure, Victoria Square, Port- of- Spain.

Photograph showing a collection of Victorian Styled, suburban building infrastructure, Port- of- Spain.

Photograph showing Victorian Styled, suburban building infrastructure, Port- of Spain.

Photograph of suburban area, Port- of- Spain.

Can you tell which housing belongs to which class?
(Photographs 1- 5 represents the middle class residents and Photograph 6 represents the upper class residents)

           

The building infrastructure speaks tons about the classes and the people who live in the areas. In the higher class residential suburbs, distinguishing features are seen. There are more ‘dehumanizing’ aspects to their building infrastructure than that of the middle class (Relph, 1981). Many dehumanizing features that separate each building from another and by extent, separating one neighbour from another is not community based or humanized. The building infrastructure represents the people that live in each.

            In the higher end suburb, it is clear to see the power and wealth visible through the building infrastructure. As mentioned in the post about dual cites, the buildings represent the people that take interest in them and the people that reside in them. With no doubt in mind, the residents are of high social standings and high power in society. The richer suburb area represents the suburb that the ambassadors reside. They represent power and have a lot of money don’t they? The houses contain high walls and not to mention they look locked up. The building infrastructure represented in the photo speaks volumes about the different suburb areas. After all a picture does hold a thousand words… Or almost!

            In the lower end suburban housing, the building reflects residents of a lower class. These areas will be located nearer to the city as they have less money to travel in comparison with the upper class residents. The buildings that belong to the middle class occupants are generally lower than the ones of the upper suburbs. The walls are shorter. The place looks less guarded and more open for general community socializing. With those building infrastructure that belongs to the middle income residents, it is important to note and remember that theses suburbs will be more in numbers or have more houses within them. They lower income residents, social relationships and feelings are important to the residents (Fried and Gleicher, 1976, p. 555). This relates to the building infrastructure as they show low walls and the width between the houses are smaller.

...More about a few suburban areas in Port- of Spain can be gained from the following web link to a local newspaper article: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-01-19/colonial-gems-tt.

            With time, the urban Port- of- Spain has developed and the movement of people into the suburb is just so that they can live near to the city. It almost seems as if they city is a magnet to everyone no matter their socio- economic constraints. The suburban building infrastructure declares attention. Next time you walk through a suburb, pay attention to the infrastructure and what it tells you about the city. Remember also, that within the Caribbean, the suburban pattern mimic the West or the ‘developed’ world. They suburb that are present throughout the Caribbean are home to the upper and middle parts of society. It is because of the need to be near the city that the suburbs came about.

References

Fried , M. & Gleicher, P. (1976). Some sources of residential satisfaction in an urban slum. H. M. 

Proshanksy et. al. (Eds.), Environmental psychology (p. 550- 564) New York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston.

Hall, A. (2006). Recent urban change. Urban Geography (p. 97- 128). New York: Routledge.

Luiz Lara, F. (2011). New (Sub- urbanism) and old inequalities in Brazilian gated communities [Electronic Version]. Journal of urban design, 16, 369-380.

Relph, E. (1981). The Character of Modern Landscapes. Rational landscapes and humanistic geography (p. 63- 105). London: Crown Helen.

CENRAL PORT- OF- SPAIN: THE FORMAL AND THE INFORMAL BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE...

Have you ever wondered how ‘formal building infrastructures’ and ‘informal business structures’ within the city are linked? In this post, I will attempt to demonstrate and formulate a link between the connectedness and the functionality of both types while discussing the infrastructural types. The building infrastructure is directly related to the economics of the population (Pouliquen, 2000). The ‘formal building infrastructure’ will be used to describe buildings that are enclosed, has regular built infrastructure and the building is guarded with a door. The ‘informal building infrastructure’ will be used to refer to the more laid back types of infrastuctrural advances that are not as enclosed as the formal. They may include street vendors who sell under tents, umbrellas of under the sidewalk shelter. Both the informal and formal building infrastructures will be demonstrated below. 

Photo showing street vendor's informal building infrastructure, east Port- of- Spain. The vendor is selling nuts from a little caravan that can be easily moved from the pavement.

Photograph of informal building infrastructure, east Port- of- Spain. The vendor sells under a temporary sheltered shed.

Photograph showing informal building infrastructure, east Port- of Spain. the vendor is selling DVDs alongside the pavement.

Photograph of informal infrastructure, west Port- of- Spain. the vendor who appears to be selling tools is located along the pavement.

The informal building infrastructure is a demonstrator or a representative of the informal sector. The informal sector refers to the part of the sector that incorporates all the jobs that are not recognized as normal income sources and taxes are not paid (Business Dictionary, n.d.). The informal sector in Port- of- Spain is mainly related to the underclass, most of which are the city residents. The lower class residents are unable to afford to pay rents for formal buildings. In some cases, opening an informal business would be the only way for the underclass to make money to support themselves and their family (The World Bank, n.d.). The informal infrastructure shows the struggles that the underclass residents may face as users of the city. Often times these underclass citizens feel rejected (Wilson, 2010) and it shows in the way that they have to somewhat “squat” along the roadside to make a living.

           

On the other hand, the formal sector is normally representative of the middle and upper classes of society. As defined earlier, the formal sectors are enclosed and have certain attributes that require money to upkeep. The formal sector refers to that part of the sector that includes all jobs with normal hours and regular wages and its income sources from which taxes are deducted are all recognized (Business Dictionary, n.d.). As seen above, the formal building infrastructure cannot be used by the underclass because they underclass are not wealthy enough and do not have enough power to get places to use within the formal.

           

It is important to note that the relationship between the informal and formal is very complex. Photographs of the relationship between the formal and informal sectors can be seen in the stream of photos below. 

Photograph showing the informal building infrastucture alongside formal building infrastructure located west Port- of- Spain.

The photograph shows of an informal 'snowcone' vendor selling along formal buildings, west Port- of Spain.

Photograph of informal vendors selling under tents alongside formal infrastucture (the building with the black wall), west Port- of- Spain.

In the analysis of Port- of- Spain urban building infrastructure, the way the building looks and the way that they are situated are important. It is also important to note that more of the informal building infrastructure are east Port- of- Spain (this is where the underclass, as mentioned in a previous post, resides) and the formal I located west, Port- of- Spain (this is where the upperclass, as mentioned in a previous post, resides). The link between the two types of sectors is needed for the economy. It is vital that everyone is able to make a living. The infrastructures are situated amongst one another so that income can be shared. When upper class and middle income citizens go to shop, they are exposed to cheaper goods and services that they would indulge in. Furthermore, the informal residents are conveniently located in the busy, formal areas so that they are in a sense assured of income.

(NB. Although the city is separated based on social class and economics and the main types of businesses found on the extreme East and West differ, it is important to note that in the main business district, central of the east and west, the lower classes and the upper/ middle classes mix and function alongside one another. These are depicted in the photos that show the landuse relation between the formal building infrastructure and the informal business structure.)

            

Although the relationship between the formal and informal sectors represented by their infrastructures has been working for some time, the governments in power of Trinidad and Tobago are constantly trying to decrease the informal sector. The city is trying to move the informal vendors to places that require a rent to be paid in order to better the city (Newspower, 2012). To better the city they say? Better for whom? It is imperative to pay attention to the modest facets of the city such as the building infrastructure in order to gage information and explore the city and the way it works.

Remember, the formal and informal infrastructure can be analyzed based on what they represent. By viewing the both infrastructure, a lot can be told. The urban building infrastructure may be subject to change with time, but as long as social polarization and the dual city exists. With these being present, there will always be an extreme rich and an extreme poor class that would find great need to use the formal and informal building facilities or build their own. If you are interested in the learning more about the informal to formal economy, you can read the following:

http://www.ilo.org/ilc/ILCSessions/103/on-the-agenda/informal-economy/lang--en/index.htm;

http://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2007/wp46_2007.pdf; and

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALPROTECTION/EXTLM/0,,contentMDK:20224904~menuPK:584866~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:390615,00.html.

In the Caribbean context, it is important to note that there is a huge amount of poverty still present today. Many of the poor still flee toward the city/ city- like, busy areas for employment. Without the skills required by the formal economy and the education that the formal employers want, the poor people are forced to go into informal businesses to create informal businesses. Like the Trinidad and Tobago’s government, little is done to reduce the levels of informal jobs as they support the poorer of their nations. For this reason, the informal and formal building infrastructure may be present for long periods of time in the future. 

References

Business Dictionary. (n.d.). Formal Sector. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/formal-sector.html.

Business Dictionary. (n.d.). Informal Sector. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/informal-sector.html.

Power 102FM. (2012). Calls By Port- of- Spain Vendors for Regularizaton of City Vending. Retrieved April, 3, 2015, from http://news.power102fm.com/calls-by-port-of-spain-vendors-for-regularization-of-city-vending-13427.

Pouliquen, L. (2000). Infrastructure and Poverty. Retrieved March  5, 2015, from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.197.1162&rep=rep1&type=pdf.

The World Bank. (n.d.). Workers in the Informal Market. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALPROTECTION/EXTLM/0,,contentMDK:20224904~menuPK:584866~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:390615,00.html.

Wilson, S. (2010). No Vending on Streets. Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2010/12/17/no-vending-streets.

DUAL CITY: ...WITHIN ONE CITY?

The dual city is a term risen due to the rise of increasing social division within the city and the apparent emergence of an urban ‘underclass’ who have been separated from the formal economy (Hall, 2006, p. 142). The underclass society will entail the low waged and unwaged citizens whereas the ‘upper class’ will be the people with wealth and power. The ideal dual city may be the result of increasing social polarization and the need for people to separate themselves. This idea also agrees with Burgess’ concentric model where the lower class adapts and lives around the central business district. (More about Burgess’ model can be obtained at http://www.lewishistoricalsociety.com/wiki/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=16). This dual idea is present in Port- of- Spain and is identifiable through the urban infrastructure. 

In east Port- of Spain, just on the outskirts of the centres of finance or the main business district, lies a collection of underclass building infrastructure. Due to the history of Trinidad and colonialism poorer people has always settled on the eastern end along the centre of business. Lands were hilly and cheaper to obtain by the freed slaves (East Port of Spain Development Company Limited, n.d.). East Port- of- Spain is home to a lot of dilapidated government built housing development and unmanaged and unkempt private housing. Businesses along the east are small business with little money to make a statement. Dissatisfied of the building at east Port- of- Spain, are the residents (Simon, 2010). Housing and business building infrastructure in east Port- of- Spain is represented in the following string of photos. 

Photograph of East Duke Street, Port- of- Spain showing housing and small business infrastructure.

Photograph of abandoned building infrastructure on Henry Street, east Port- of- Spain.

Photograph of more building infrastructure on Henry Street, east Port- of- Spain.

Photograph showing more building infrastructure located east Port- of- Spain.

West Port- of- Spain, throughout time has managed to house the richer upper- class residential people who hose more power and more powerful businesses. Government businesses are located in this side of the city. Powerhouses such as the Waterfront and One Woodbrook Place (not photographed) represented in photos below are located along the western side of Port- of- Span. The building infrastructure present in west Port- of- Spain demonstrates the wealth that the west has and the way the buildings are built represent the power the west holds. Power is deemed and shines through the buildings as they extend skyward with high walls and rich infrastructural designs that demand respect. Different housing infrastructure is also represented in the following.

Photo of Hyatt Regency Hotel Trinidad and Tobago and the Waterfront Buildings, west Port- of- Spain.

Photograph of Wrightson Road, west Port- of Spain.

Photograph of the Eric Williams Financial Complex, west Port- of- Spain.

Photograph showing Edward Street building infrastructure, west Port- of- Spain.

In the context of the dual city and the above mentioned information, it is almost as though two different worlds and building infrastructure is present within this small city. On one side of the city there is a distinct rich class who has power and on the other side, a low class containing people with no power and money. The city houses to two completely different classes with different social standings, hence the term social polarization. As above mentioned, the social polarization and the constant need for people of different social classes to distinguish themselves from the other, more so the upper social class, continuously develops and the ‘dual city’ (Hamnett, 1994). The city will continuously differ significantly. In Port- of- Spain there will continuously have social polarization without an intervention by the forces that are required to run the country.

Social polarization is present throughout the Caribbean region. A great other example of the dual city is Sao Paulo, Brazil where there is a great divide among the wealthy, high social standers and the poor, lower class individuals. (More information about Sao Paulo as a dual city can be obtained from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzBxhDUM1dE). It is important t to pay attention to the history of colonialism in the Caribbean and their influence for the need for class segregation. The Caribbean is home to a diverse set of people with many differences and this is represented greatly through their building infrastructure. Social fragmentation has always been a part of the Caribbean's history but it is increasing with temporal changes (Mycoo, 2006, p. 133).

References

East Port of Spain Development Company Limited. (n.d.). About east Port of Spain. Retrieved March 25, 2015, from http://eposdctt.com/default.asp?id=54.

Hall, A. (2006). Unequal Cities. Urban Geography (p. 129- 151). New York: Routledge.

Hamnett, C. (1994). Social polarisation in global cities: Theory and evidence [Electronic version]. Urban Studies, 31, 401- 424.

Lewishistoricalsociety. (2010). Concentric zone model. Retrieved March 25, 2015, from http://www.lewishistoricalsociety.com/wiki/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=16.

Mycoo, M. (2006). The retreat of the upper and middle classes to gated communities n post structural adjustment era: the case of Trinidad [Electronic Version]. Environment and Planning, 38, 131- 148.

Simon, A. (2010). HDC apartment resident: Please repair the roof. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/HDC_apartment_resident__Please_repair_the_roof.html.

INTRODUCTION TO THE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE OF PORT- OF- SPAIN, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

     Cities or urban places refer to places that contain a concentration of humans, local economics, social aspects and cultural and political activities. Physical and non- physical aspects are also used in referring to and defining cities. Cities incorporate a social, cultural milieu that is unique to its atmosphere. The urban place has been in existence for thousands of centuries. Although they have changed significantly, they all have the same underlying string that connects all of them. The differing cities manage to have similar characteristics (Portugali 1996). The urban often studies the city as a system as it functions within other systems. In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, the city of Port of Spain (POS) acts as the main system of fulfilling needs of the island population. The city of POS enables effectiveness and efficiency though its operations and through the characterizing attributes (physical and non- physical) of the urban place.
   

      The term infrastructure refers to the basic systems and services (physical) that a country or organization uses to work effectively (Cambridge Dictionaries, n.d.). It is important to note that within the context of the blog, infrastructure refers to the services and systems of that of buildings that the city requires in order to function effectively. Building infrastructure in the city of Port- of- Spain is utilized by many citizens from within and around the city. On an average working day, 500 000 or more commuters from around Trinidad enter the city of Port- of- Spain (Trinidad and Tobago Guardian Online, 2013). The location of the city is latitude 10. 671067 and longitude -61.671067 (LatLong.net, n.d.). The map below demonstrates a map of Trinidad and Tobago with inserted location of Port- of- Spain.

Map of Port- of- Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

     As a Small Island Developing State, the building infrastructure reflects great city phenomena. The city reflects both unique and ambiguous characteristics through its urban infrastructure. Commonly, the ‘users of city space’ are just that. The buildings are utilized by a vast majority of people who live permanently or temporarily in Trinidad. People use the space for personal purposes without paying attention to the characteristic of the building and without any knowledge of the connectedness between the buildings, the local atmosphere and the wider world. People often use these buildings ignorant to the facts that these building portray a level of significance to the local and international society and their cultures (Davis, 2006, p. 321).

   

   Change is the only constant thing about a city (Hall, 2006, p. 3). With time, Port- of-Spain has undergone tremendous building changes together with the different historical world eras and events. The city’s buildings reflect progressive and dynamic movement through time. Characteristics of the city which are evident through the urban infrastructure are reflected in the following blog posts. The posts are intended to show urban attributes that relates to the city as system which are reflected through the urban building infrastructure present in the city.  The picture collage below shows some buildings found in the city that will be further analyzed throughout the series of blog posts. As you look at the picture collage, you should already begin to reflect upon the buildings and its meaning and contribution to the urban system and urban study.

Picture Collage of Different Urban Building Infrastructure in Port- of- Spain.

References

Cambridge Dictionaries. (n.d.). Infrastructure. Retrieved February 15, 2015, from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/infrastructure.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Health information and travelers to Trinidad and Tobago traveler view. Retrieved March 13, 2015, from http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/trinidad-and-tobago.

Davis, H. (2006). The culture of buildings. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hall, A. (2006). New cities, new urban geographies. Urban geography (p. 3- 18). New York: Routledge.

LatLong.net. (n.d.). Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved March 13, 2015, from http://www.latlong.net/place/port-of-spain-trinidad-and-tobago-894.html.

Portugali, J. (1996). Notions concerning the nature of world urbanization. [Electronic version]. Progress in planning, 46, 145-162.