The Tribune

A WELL-INTENDED piece of advice got a quick backlash on social media over the weekend.

Senator Maxine Seymour issued some guidance on how to deal with potholes as a driver. The guidance was straightforward enough – beware of puddles that might hide potholes, make sure your headlights and windscreen wipers are working, be sure your tyre pressure is correct and so on – but the response was far from polite.

How about just fixing the potholes was the common cry in response – often with some more colourful language included as well.

As some more level-headed commenters pointed out, as an Opposition member, there is only so much that Senator Seymour can do, but it is indicative of the anger being felt by so many people about the state of our roads.

Drivers should perhaps be prepared for long delays on Shirley Street again as a temporary patch that had been made for a deep hole that caused long traffic backlogs last week had opened up again. A forlorn traffic cone was placed in the hole as we passed to mark the growing chasm.

There has been talk of hiring on more staff for a pothole-fixing team, but for the driver it is a very tiring routine of learning where the holes are and avoiding them as best as possible for weeks on end until someone gets round to a repair.

There is a pothole hotline – the Ministry of Works urges people to send complaints to WhatsApp numbers 376-0936 and 557-3277 – although it is hard to fathom how some of the holes have not been noticed, with some within yards of where ministry staff have been working.

Either way, perhaps those complaining about the advice circulated by Senator Seymour should avoid criticising that particular messenger and direct their complaints more properly at the ministry.

The Tribune would love to hear how quickly your complaints are heard – or whether the potholes remain unrepaired and the complaint ignored.

Scorching hot record

It was scorching hot over the weekend – a new record, it is said.

The temperature hit a new heat index record, while unofficial readings in Carmichael hit 102F which would beat another record of 97.7F.

Amid all the talk of climate change, one always has to be wary of individual points of data rather than the broader groundswell, but it reflects the dangers ahead.

Last week, we reported a rise in illnesses in The Bahamas as a result of the recent heatwave as residents battle soaring temperatures and what feels like a lack of air.

It has also been reported recently that the heat is a danger to the health of coral reefs, likelier to cause bleaching and destruction.

Internationally, tourists were forced to flee wildfires in what was the largest-ever evacuation in the history of Greece. One traveller was told she had to leave their hotel immediately or she and her family “would not make it”.

When talking about climate change, the challenge is often that the subject is seen in the abstract by so many that it is hard to grasp the reality.

But look around – the reality is all around us, and it’s already here.