Urban Slum Settlement

An urban settlement can be defined as a densely populated area comprising mostly man-made structures that contain the majority of a society's administrative, cultural, residential, religious and economic functions. Urban settlements are characterized by high population density and vast anthropogenic features in comparison to the areas surrounding it.

There are approximately 7 billion people living on the planet today. (Index Mundi 2013) For the first time ever, the world is undergoing the largest wave of urban growth in history. Statistics proves that more than half of the world’s population is living in towns and cities. One hundred years ago, 2 out of every 10 people lived in an urban area. By 1990, less than 40% of the global population lived in a city, but as of 2010, more than half of all people live in an urban area. It is projected that by 2030, 6 out of every 10 people will live in a city. (World Health Organization)

As a means of securing a livelihood, cities tend to offer more favorable benefits than rural areas. Cities generate jobs which provide a source of income. A country which practices good governance can deliver education, proper health care and other services more efficiently and effectively than less densely settled areas simply because of their advantages of scale and proximity. In addition to that cities even present the opportunity for social mobilization and women’s empowerment.

Urban growth is taking a toll on the environment in which it prevails, not to mention that poverty is now growing faster in urban than in rural areas. One billion people live in urban slums, which typically lack basic services such as clean water, proper ventilation and sanitation, and are overcrowded, polluted and dangerous.(UNFPA) Within every urban city there are poverty stricken areas that lies within. This is not only relevant to urban areas in New York and Los Angeles but is very relevant to Trinidad.

Urban Slum Settlement 

Marx et al speculates that slum formation is due to rapid urbanization within a developing country. This theory is of significance because population growth, associated with urbanization, creates a greater demand for housing than an urbanized area can offer or supply. I agree with theorists who believe that urban slums are a result of lack of proper planning, organization and development.

Urban settlement occurs as a result urban livelihood in the city of Port of Spain, Trinidad. In the city of Port of Spain the trend of slum settlement is no different from other countries. A substantial portion of the population of Trinidad and Tobago lives in slum settlements. The struggle of their lives can be characterized by low levels of income, temporary or seasonal employment, and most evident of all inadequate living conditions. The photo below depicts slum development in Port of Spain.

In the photo, typical slum development patterns are evident. The houses are tightly packed together and poorly constructed; walls are not plastered, windows are not installed and some are built using galvanize sheeting. The appearance of these houses indicates that they are occupied by lower income earners who work within the city and environs.

‘Housing and jobs were the main issues the people of east Port-of-Spain raised in a meeting yesterday with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.’ Reported by Melissa Doughty for The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper.

https://guardian.co.tt/news/2013-08-22/kamla-hears-east-pos-woes

The article indicates that the two main issues of South East Port Of Spain are unemployment and housing. They are both problems associated with urban livelihood that goes hand in hand. The photo clearly depicts the reality of urban livelihood where urbanization generates an increasing demand for housing than the city of Port of Spain can accommodate.  

A description from the article ‘The character of modern landscapes’ by Edward Relph of urban situations, portray similar scenarios of what takes place in Trinidadian urban societies today.

‘Jacob Riis (1968, pp. 37) wrote in the 1880’s of specific New York city tenement buildings and particular families of 10 people living in 2 rooms, and of a couple who committed suicide because they were so tired.’ On another similar report from the article of Charles Booth on ‘Life and Labor of the People of London’, described comparable conditions of Sheldon Street of Drury Lane. He wrote ‘ in little rooms no more than 8ft square would be found living, father mother and several children….rooms would be dirty to last degree….. not a room would be free from vermin, and in so many life at night was unbearable, several occupants said that in hot weather they don’t go to bed but sit in their clothes  in the least infected part of the room.’

This suggests to me that people would do what they have to do to earn a living, and in this instance it means living under harsh conditions where they hope to one day enjoy the luxuries life has to offer.

The Video uploaded above is for your listening pleasure. It is a song sung by one of the most talent artiste in the Caribbean, Machel Montano. The song is about resident living in Sealots, Port of Spain and the hardships they face.It also speaks about the great potential that the youths of the Sealots community possess. If you look at the video you will get a better understanding of thier livelihood.

Reference

Doughty, Melissa. 2013.  "Kamla Hears East POS Woes." The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper. https://guardian.co.tt/news/2013-08-22/kamla-hears-east-pos-woes (accessed February 26, 2014).

UNFPA. "Latest Publications. 2014. " Urbanization: A Majority in Cities: Population & Development : UNFPA. https://www.unfpa.org/pds/urbanization.htm (accessed February 25, 2014).

Marx, Benjamin, Thomas Stoker, and Tavneet Suri. 2013. "The Economics of Slums in the Developing World." Journal of Economic Perspectives 27, no. 4: 187-210.

Relph, Edward. 1976. The Character of Modern Landscape. London: Pion.

United Nations. 2012. "United Nations Population Division ." UN News Center. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/urbanization/urban-rural.shtml (accessed February 26, 2014).

"Urban population growth." World health Organization. http://www.who.int/gho/urban_health/situation_trends/urban_population_growth_text/en/ (accessed February 26, 2014).

"World Population." Demographics. http://www.indexmundi.com/world/population.html (accessed February 26, 2014).