by Ian Mabon

February 15th 2008.

The Tribune
Nassau, Bahamas

Attention: The Editor

Dear Madam Editor,

I read with interest today’s article concerning the run down condition of Fort Fincastle and its immediate environs. One doesn’t have to look too closely to notice that this condition is common to most of the government maintained areas including roads, verges, public buildings, national monuments, historical sites and cemeteries.

The present administration must have contracted a healthy dose of ostrich syndrome from their predecessors as the current thought process where these issues are concerned continues to be, cover up or ignore the problem and it will go away.

In December of 2006 I wrote concerning the F words that had been painted on the cannons of the Fort Charlotte lower battery on West Bay Street and the dilapidated condition of the cannon at the foot of Government house steps. Happily the graffiti was painted out the day after the letter was published, but the solution at that time for the Government House cannon was to cover it with a very scrubby looking plywood box where it still resides in all its glory more than a year later. This just typifies the mind set mentioned previously.

Lamentably, I have to conclude that no matter who’s running the show, they are still unable to think outside the box.

Sincerely yours,

Ian Mabon