Rick Lowe
Back in November 2009 the squatters at the Montagu Ramp were complaining that they were being treated unfairly. See this post…
And now the vendors are calling "for investment in proper infrastructure" by the government. [More…]
Their logic is that the government issues them business licences and permits and they pay taxes, so the taxpayer is supposed to "bring it (the ramp) to whatever standard it should be".
Now I'll be the first to admit that I'm cynical, but just as you think you've heard it all, just hang in there, something more ridiculous jumps out at you.
When I'm a witness to these things I recline to some of H.L. Menken's work. As he put it:
"Life may not be exactly pleasant, but it is at least not dull. Heave yourself into Hell today, and you may miss, tomorrow or next day, another Scopes trial, or another War to End War, or perchance a rich and buxom widow with all her first husband's clothes. There are always more Hardings hatching. I advocate hanging on as long as possible."
Shouldn't we at least ask ourselves how the ramp squatter's can operate without a bathroom and proper running water?
How are some people allowed to operate a business selling food without mimimum hygene requirements and others not allowed to open unless they do?
Maybe Mencken had ramp vendors in Baltimore so that's why he wrote the above quote?
Again, I refer to Harbour Island for my comment. A friend has a store there and the Government inspectors told him that he could not sell sandwich meats at the store unless he had running water and somewhere for customers to wash their hands.
On the other hand, there is a truck that transports garbage during the week and and on Saturdays sanwiches are sold from the same truck.
It’s this type of arbitrariness with the application of reasonable laws that help with the breakdown of society in my view.
Now if they didn’t enforce no piss— in public places that would be acceptable. Just kidding of course.