It is commendable that the construction of sliding gates has caught the attention of the T&T Bureau of Standards (TTBS), and the International Code Council (ICC). It is alarming to think there are gates out there which may fall and harm people.
There are several sliding gates on my street, all different. One is solid and sounds like a train when it’s being opened and closed. The others are typical, but big, metal structures none the less.
However the same question will arise if any legislation is passed making the construction of the gates regulatory. Who will check the gates? If people here can build houses without regulation, although there is a body to monitor that, do you think they will worry about the gates? Of course not!
And this is our fundamental problem. We don’t seem to have enough people monitoring our building construction. And by building, I mean homes, driveways, extensions, boundary walls; anything to do with a building.
We are a nation of people who don’t know how to regulate ourselves. We need people in authority to always keep us in check. It’s a sad fact, but it’s true. However, there is a saying, “those who have the most self control, have the most freedom.” Will it ever apply to us?
I am appealing to this administration to put the necessary people in place to ensure a more structured nation going forward. We must start now.
Because there have been deaths due to falling gates, wouldn’t it be prudent for the TTBS and the ICC to send out guidelines as to how this can be prevented? An ad in the papers, something through the mail? And while you’re at it, send a list of building codes, then no one can say they didn’t know it was wrong. It just requires some paper and some time, and someone with the will to get it done.
Anne Murphy