For years, members of the public have decried poor service delivery meted out to them by public servants.
Long lines, extended lunch hours, no cashiers, plumbing issues, asbestos problems, shortage of forms, lack of information, incompetent workers, or just plain bad attitude, are some of the complaints citizens have been lamenting over time in T&T.
Only two weeks ago, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan made an impromptu visit at the Port-of-Spain office on Wrightson Road. He said he arrived at 7.45 am on January 30 and described what he saw for about one hour as "totally unacceptable".
Over the next few Sundays, starting today, the Sunday Guardian starts its series-Eyes on Public Service, examining different Government institutions across the country.
We will report on our experiences and how members of the public feel about accessing services, making transactions and interacting with public servants.
This week, we look at the Arima and Port-of-Spain Licensing offices.
It's a few minutes after 8 am and the Licensing Office in Arima is abuzz with activity.
Already, about 40 people are seated on some hard, wooden benches under an adjoining shed with full iron fencing all around. It felt prison-like.
Luckily, it was an overcast morning so there was a coolness in the air.
Inside, the air-conditioning is on full blast. The line to the cashier has about 15 people. A man is handing out renewal forms and as people accept them, they go towards soiled seats to fill them out on their laps. The space allotted to complete forms can hold two people at a time.
The crowd begins to swell and of course, the seating accommodation inside and outside is not enough, so people are now standing. Inside has seating capacity for about 35 but it is so cramped because of the lines that people go outside.
A young girl in school uniform, like many others, is eagerly awaiting the call to do the regulations test.
One man later said the test started at 8.30 am while another said it started at 8 am.
At 9 am, a licensing officer opens a door and says, "Good morning, everyone. All those for driving test, please come out."
About a dozen people walk behind him to the parking lot.
No one is grumbling or creating a scene but as the Sunday Guardian begins to chat with people, they vent.
"I came here at 8.30 am to renew," says Avonelle from Arima.
She said she had no idea how long it would have taken to renew her driver's permit and was "just following procedure".
But one hour later, she said, "I was told nothing, so I just have to wait. I filled out my form, went to the cashier, and then you wait for your name to be called."
Mahadeo, from Lopinot, said he arrived at 7 am for the written regulations test. He had absolutely no complaint and even though he had already spent about three hours waiting, "I don't have a problem."
Upgrade needed
A man living in Tunapuna, who said he chose to stand than sit, said he made sure his female companion was OK. He said the customer service representative was "polite".
He said, "I have a problem with the toilet. I went in there and it was not so nice. It's too dirty and I think the facility is too small and that is why we are here outside."
The man said the benches were too hard for those who had to wait very long.
A Malabar father who arrived with his daughter at 7.30 am for her to do a final practice on the road before her test said he had anticipated to stay the entire day.
He said, "The facilities are very poor, very, very poor, especially inside."
The man said around 8.30 am there was no cashier and "people had to make some noise".
"I don't think the service was good and the facilities are bad. First to begin, the place is too small and they need to upgrade this place."
Those who were critical of the toilet facilities were right. The door which had a sign saying MALE, was slightly ajar. The white toilet looked disgusting. However, this did not stop people from using it.
The general compound looked like it could do with a power-wash. The concrete wall and ground were moldy and black and patches of overgrown grass seemed to be everywhere.
At 9.30 am, a security guard inside tells everyone standing in line to have a seat because there were problems with the laminator and by 11 am, a worker opens a door to those under the shed and says "there are some difficulties with the camera".
For 22-year-old Jeon, from Arima, "The building really is not top notch.The washroom is a bit too dirty but then again, you can't expect much from a public facility. To be quite fair, I don't think people treat these institutions with much care."
Jeon, however, said his interaction with the staff was "pretty smooth".
'Process too lengthy'
The Wrightson Road office seemed like a breath of fresh air coming out of Arima. The car park was bigger and the atmosphere was brighter. Of course, the sun is now out.
But on approaching the main entrance, the small drain has stagnant water and is littered with some plastic bottles and snack wrappers. The grass is overgrown and the building is dull and boring.
Surprisingly, the line to the cashier has about 15 people. Unlike Arima, there are big bold signs-Information Booth, Permit Transactions, Vehicle Transactions etc.
There are at least five staff members operating, however only one cashier. As time goes, the line gets longer. A woman comes across the PA system to call out vehicle registration numbers. They join the line.
Almost everyone in line has $100 notes tucked in their palms. The office has no Linx system.
A man waiting two hours after filling out forms for a transaction said the process was "too lengthy".
For another man who came to do a vehicle transfer and arrived since 8 am, "This system has to be faster."
He was waiting for the vehicle number to be called so he could go to the cashier.
An Arouca man, who came to do a similar transaction, said "Right now, I falling asleep waiting."
One man said he was glad to see cashiers "working ah full day now".
"You know they used to work half day?" The change has taken place just about two weeks ago.
Another man who said he was from San Juan said he hoped the new building in Caroni would "rectify" some of the problems the public face.