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ort of Spain is located on the North Western coast the island and neighbors the Gulf of Paria. Before one enters the city, there is a tiny low income community known as Sea Lots (this community was mentioned in a previous post). Sea lots is a slum area that can be paralleled to other areas of the world such as “Favelas” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

            Slum areas as seen in India on the National Geographic Channel, significantly resembles that of Sea Lots and the residents face similar issues. For one sanitation is poor and this can be attributed to the inaccessibility to clean drinking water. Many are forced to rely on rainwater which can cause illnesses or truck borne water which can be irregular. As Sea Lots is located in such close proximity to the sea, many a time solid waste matter from the community unavoidably or intentionally escapes and enters the sea. Debris and garbage can be seen floating in the area neighboring the community. This is quite unpleasant since Trinidad is dependent on tourism. Additionally as one passes the area, there is a foul odor emanating. One can only assume what may be the cause or origins of the scent. The nearby river running through Sea Lots is also lined with garbage and empty bottles floating on the surface which is a typical eyesore for onlookers and the general public and terribly bad for business. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/EMA_looks_into_pollution_in_East_Port_of_Spain-115271939.html

            East Port of Spain where Sea Lots is located is also the home to a number of light manufacturing factories that constantly produce waste material. According to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), these factories have caused water pollution in the vicinity as their waste could have possibly gotten in the water ways and contaminated them.  

Waste in an area in the vicinity of Sea Lots