This Just In

Just received a phone call from a market vendor. The St. Kitts woman has several people at a gate she erected at the town park, denying people from the Market access to public washrooms.

The Acting Chief Administrator,informed me earlier this week, the jazz festival organizer has been notified by the town, the public washrooms are to be open to the public at all times. The fee does not give control of the amenities.

I have called on- call service to report the problem on a priority basis. It's a voice-mail service.

It's not a good situation.

What a b--- h.

Just got a call, a parks person is going over there right now to sort things out.

Just got another call, the fence has been moved to provide an opening for people to get through to the washrooms....probably a long way round.

It's still a b---h.

A comical foot-note:

Alison Collins Mrakas called. "Is it true", she asked

'What" I said

"She cut off access to the washrooms"

"Yes" I said "Where did you hear about it?"

"In your blog" she said without adding "Idiot"

"Oh...Yes... Right" I said

Another footnote; not comical

On- call staff are paid for "standby" They have to be available to respond to problems.

If they are called out , they are paid for their time. . It's a long time since I knew exactly what that is. But it is not less than an hour and many years ago the rate was time and a half.

So.... the problem created by the private enterprise organizer of the Jazz Festival, who was notified by the town she could not block public access to public amenities, who has already cost us $2 thousand dollars for a half sponsorship, plus free use of the Church Street Cultural Centre and Heaven knows what else we don't know about, just added another unnecessary item to the price tab.

To say nothing of the aggravation and possible discomfort of the public.