Toco Community Science Week Poster and Essay Competition

First Prize Winner: Age 8 years and up, Primary Schools category

Nichel Bishop
Rampanalgas R.C. Primary School
11 years old

Toco In The World Of 2020

This is a positive and to a lesser extent negative outlook in my vision for Toco by the year 2020. Toco as well as the neighbouring villages will also benefit whether it is good or bad.

There will be improvement to the lesser estate road and also the Main Road from Sangre Grande to Matelot. The roadway shall be wider and ideal for driving. There shall be streetlights throughout. By then Matelot will be connected to Blanchisseuse by the same road system. Estates shall be resurrected.

Sports and cultural facilities will be constructed to preserve and nurture one’s natural abilities. The youth will always be exposed to their culture through many activities. There will be more successful sportsmen and women coming from Toco.

A sea aquarium will be constructed using large areas of sea space for culturing shrimp and lobsters. These can be exported to America, Canada and England.

A large acreage of land will be used for a botanical garden and park where people can relax and view the beautiful flora and fauna.

At present, the seacoast from Matura to Matelot is being gobbled up by rich businessmen, hence, by the year 2020 there shall be many new buildings, hotels, stores, snackettes, restaurants, health facilities and police stations. There will also be an increase in wayside vendors and other small businesses.

The seaport will be constructed but there will be a more caring approach in planning. Villagers will not have to move or lose their homes.

With the development of Toco especially with the construction of the port, employment will increase. In many instances, skilled labour will be needed and as a result, the educational standards of the people and the area will increase. There will be more successful graduates. The public will be more informed.

As these changes occur and Toco is developed, communication will increase and many local and international visitors will flock to Toco. Many tourists from different parts of the world will spend their vacation on the North Coast. The hotels situated near the beaches can now be a haven for water sports. The entire area from the beginning of Galera Road to the lighthouse will be converted.

However, there is a negative side which shall be more noticeable then, because in today’s world we are seeing an increase in various forms of crime. Organised crimes with gangs and white-collar crimes will surface in many areas. Druglords and pushers shall extend their turf and areas of operation to Toco and surrounding areas. There will be more thefts, gambling, rapes, kidnappings, robberies and various forms of lawlessness.

The villages will certainly lose their natural beauty and innocence. The peaceful atmosphere shall be a thing of the past. We shall wish for the ‘old time days’. It will be a change some may regret.