By ALEXANDER BRUZUAL Saturday, September 29 2012

With a smile on his face and a sense of genuine curiosity and caramederie in his voice, British High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago, Arthur Snell, walked the streets of East Port-of-Spain yesterday meeting and greeting with residents, and schoolchildren from the area. Flanked by officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force, and under the direction of Laventille community activist, Lennox Smith, Snell toured George Street and Nelson Street, hoping to get more insight into the community.

Among the institutions the British High Commissioner visited were the Eastern Girls’ and Eastern Boys’ Primary Schools, the Southeast Government School, the George Street Soup Kitchen, and the East Port-of- Spain Kindergarten. He also met local small business owners along the route, to get an idea of their daily life, and the problems they face.

At all the schools, Snell interacted with the children, greeting them and asking questions about what they were learning. At each of these institutions he was well received, and the children appeared delighted to interact with the High Commissioner. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Smith explained that Snell’s visit to the area was, as a result of an initiative taken by the Laventille for Laventillians group, as a means of highlighting and addressing several of the social, economic and cultural issues which have been plaguing the community.

“This initiative is just one of several, as we have already had the Venezuelan Ambassador visit us recently, and we will continue to invite similar high profile dignitaries into these areas so they could see for themselves what really goes on in these areas, and not just rely on what they hear about.

“For instance, for today’s visit, one would be aware of the many negative advisories that several European Countries and even the UK have issued against this one, and understandably so it is, because of the crime situation that exists. These advisories are issued because they simply want to protect their own citizens when they come and visit our isle.

“So the presence of the High Commissioner was requested for him to see for himself how these areas really are, and maybe as a result, some of these advisories could be toned down so we could inturn get more tourists and even more foreign investors to come,” Smith said. Snell said he was happy to be invited by Smith to see the community as he got a chance to learn more about the country in which he currently resides.