Government-assisted urban decay

Urban decay occurs when a city or part of it deteriorates into disrepair, or is deserted. It is a self-perpetuating, downward-spiralling phenomenon. Among other things, it causes and is also caused by, poverty, crime, owner evacuation or abandonment, renting to undisciplined or irresponsible tenants, creeping and illegal commercialisation of residential zones and suburbanisation. However, perhaps the most egregious causes of all are poor town planning and poor government vigilance.

I won't point a finger at a certain government entity, lest I'm accused of picking on it. Suffice it to say that the "responsible government authority" in question has not been properly monitoring residential communities for zoning violations.

Whenever communities deteriorate, crime, violence, pain and suffering become deeply ensconced. These social 'diseases' quickly ravage, subdue and destroy the communities that they invade and use them as a nidus (nest) from which they prey upon civil society, and then cowardly retreat into them after committing mayhem and murders. All this could easily be avoided if only the relevant responsible government authority would simply do its duty. Things are so bad that this relevant government authority exhibits profound inertia even when suffering, decent, taxpaying, law-abiding citizens summon the courage to complain bitterly.

For instance, I know a family living in a residential community whose right to enjoy the peace and quiet of their home (their sanctuary) was shattered in 2007 when a business inhabited the house next door and used it as a factory. This factory habitually operates several nights each week. Not only has no one working for that responsible government authority (that is mandated to monitor and correct such breeches) noticed this factory smack in the middle of that residential community, but the family's desperate complaints have got them absolutely no where thus far.

Frustration and desperation

The noise from the factory disturbed the sleep of the family so badly that - in spite of sedatives and hypnotics (sleeping pills) - the lady of the house has had to sleep at an alternative location every time the factory operates at night. The responsible government authority has been made aware of everything through face to face visits, through phone calls and through letters. The responsible government authority has even requested medical proof of the illnesses brought upon the lady of the house by the noise and lack of sleep. In spite of this, the factory continues to operate illegally and continues to make the lives of their residential neighbours miserable and unbearable. Frustration and desperation have led the family of victims to seek help from another government authority, even though it has no direct influence over zoning.

I do not spend much time on the roads and yet I see zoning breaches in several places. I have even seen commercial aggregate business in residential areas. Illegal shops, garages, factories and various businesses are flourishing undisturbed. It makes me wonder if the responsible government authority is waiting for the appropriate moment to blitz the offenders, with the police and media in tow for full dramatic effect.

Several things about these situations are bothersome and surprising. These breaches appear to go unnoticed ad infinitum. It leads citizens to conclude that the government body must be incompetent, ineffective or corrupt. It should not necessitate complaints from citizens to stop the breaches; and it definitely should not be that their legitimate complaints are all for naught.

By ignoring the zoning violations, the Government is assisting in the precipitation of a series of events that inexorably lead to urban decay, with concomitant social decay, crime and violence. Why can't the authorities see this?

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Feedback may be sent to garthrattray@gmail.com or columns@gleanerjm.com