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.... Letters & Opinion

04th February 2012
What’s with Saint Lucia and Public Signage?

Across the bridge? This sign affixed to the side of the Faud A Chaux/ Queens Lane Bridge certainly makes one wonder about its location.

Saint Lucia and public signage seem to have been entangled in a bad romance which suggests that they are incompatible and cannot co-exist for a long, long time now. Trading Views believes that as we climb the ladder of national development, the time is ripe for us to correct this dysfunctional relationship between the society and public signs.

Generally speaking most categories of public signage in Saint Lucia have a sad story to tell whether by virtue of their presence or by their very conspicuous absence. It is clear that the deplorable state of so many public signs, from street - names to commercial/business signs, to traffic signs, generally indicate that our overall awareness of the significance and role of signs must change and improve if we want to truly become a fully modern and internationally competitive society.

Our signs or the lack there- of, do make a very pointed and glaring statement about our level of sophistication as a people. Indeed most visitors as well as our own people expect to find signs to inform and guide them in making decisions and moving around the country. Further the location, types, appearance and ways of erecting signs can either enhance or diminish the physical appeal of the landscape. As we all know public signage does influence one’s impression of an area.

More generally it would seem that the need to provide signs and location information continues to be an afterthought in the minds of planners and owners. Indeed many prominent buildings have been constructed without a proper sign on them. For example the so-called government buildings in Waterfront, Conway area were only given names many years after they were opened. Although there are a few encouraging signs, it would seem that the practice of locating places using street names and building numbers is still not the norm in St. Lucia. The lack of signage makes it even more difficult for postmen, Fedex and other delivery men to locate homes or even for a friend to go visit another. In many cases, addresses are given using community landmarks moveable or otherwise such as ‘the third house on the left in the track after you pass the bridge before the shop, ask anybody for Peta.’ What is most disturbing is when an effort has been made to erect such signs (Monier Terrace, Union Terrace etc) they are often vandalized by members of the public. This has got to change. We must maintain our public signs.

A case in point that ABETTA Country wishes to draw to the attention of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Physical Development, the National Conservation Authority, Government House and any other relevant authority is the second hairpin bend along the extremely windy Morne Road where unfortunately many signs of very low quality and class are continually mounted.

These poorly edited and downright ugly looking signs jar the nerves yet they seemingly go unchecked by the environmental authorities charged with maintaining the physical integrity of the area. So unmonitored is the practice, many of those signs remain long after whatever relevance or information value they may have had for example Anse La Raye Day or Bois Den Day etc.

Trading Views hopes that the authorities will in their wisdom see the need to consider riding our communities and roads of these signs which only serve to deface the communities.

Moreover one is indeed left to question why as a competitive tourism destination, has Saint Lucia failed thus far to adequately incorporate proper public signage. Signs provide vital information not only for locals but for tourists in particular. After all they would not have the advantage of familiarity with the country and would therefore benefit and feel less lost and disoriented because of a strategically placed sign which would provide much needed help with direction and guidance.

As indicated above the issue of public signage is indeed a broad and far-reaching subject. In this week’s edition we will focus attention on the general condition of traffic signs which have been installed along the highways and by-ways of this country.
 
 
Enhancing and Maintaining Roadsigns
Official road signs are installed to tell drivers something about their current location or to indicate driving and safety regulations or both. They are also mounted along the road to notify drivers of the local characteristics of the area such as the presence of a school, road works or the type of change in the terrain ahead for example a ‘hair pin bend, single lane or narrow bridge ahead etc.

Drivers and passengers have only a brief moment to read road signs which they must do from a distance, without shifting attention from their primary focus of paying attention to road conditions. Therefore it would be more effective and user-friendly if road signs are visually effective in terms of the colour, font type and size of the characters used in the sign. They should be such that the motorist or pedestrian can comfortably read them from a reasonable distance away about 30 to 50 metres away. On this basis signs such as the one at the intersection of Jeremie Street and the John Compton Highway are woefully inadequate and should be replaced. The appropriate authority needs to ensure that signs are easily understood. This is very important as it allows the driver time to adjust his driving speed etc and employ the safety measures needed.

Directional signs and signs that warn about hazards seem to be forgotten for prolonged periods at a time. The paint and lettering of road signs are too often allowed to become worn out. We are aware that there is great cost associated with erecting and maintaining road signs but when signs have reached a condition where they can no longer serve the intended purpose, then it is time to change them. If not, they become a hazard and only contribute to the run down look of the place.

In a number of cases the location and position of the sign renders it ineffective because its message is obscured by overhanging branches or a building. A good example of this “sign in the bush” can be found approximately 10 metres before the bus stop in the Choc area heading northward before the round about.

In other cases road signs have been clearly vandalized, battered by car crashes or acts of nature such as Hurricane Tomas. In your community you must have noticed that there are traffic signs which have been bent out of shape or twisted and defaced with graffiti, covered by posters, fliers advertising events etc and they remain that way for years, forgotten and abandoned. It would seem that there is no entity responsible for addressing these situations and by default, a road safety hazard is created. Perhaps this is something that should be taken up by local government. Finally when road signs remain in a poor state for a long time this may encourage the motoring public to take them for granted, become desensitized and gradually lose respect for them as they are reduced to and are perceived to be abandoned props along the way. ABETTA Country appeals to the relevant authorities to take the necessary steps to address this situation of inadequate signage in St. Lucia with appropriate policy actions and proper monitoring mechanisms. (That’s it for this week. Please send your feedback to (enlightenstlucia@hotmail.com).

Please comment respectfully and responsibly as we reserve the right to remove any comment we consider inappropriate. Refrain from personal attacks and using any offensive language.

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