Wednesday, May 11, 2011

UNITED KINGDOM - Grooming a forced marriage princely

In the passages cold windswept located under the royal gardens, they are lined up one behind the other, with their brooms and buckets, head down and closed face. The chain gang of twenty-first century is to restore the luster to the most forgotten corners of the wedding procession route. Over their overalls, they wear bright orange jackets on the backs of which are inscribed the words "Public works".

"We have implemented this system because we wanted the site to be cleaner and more pleasant for the royal wedding," says Lisa Houslin, program director of community service and project manager. In the coming weeks, misdemeanors - offenses under the Highway Traffic disorders on the highway - clean up the walkways that extend under Hyde Park Corner, access roads essential for the millions of tourists from around the world expected for the wedding of Prince William with Kate Middleton.

"I did not want to do that," protested Robert Hall, a young 21-year-old from Ladbroke Grove, a neighborhood in west London, which has already been seventeen hours on the hundred that were imposed for theft and handling stolen goods. "Last week, I had to paint the railings Mozart Estate, I did something really needed in this poor neighborhood, something useful to make my city more enjoyable." Three years ago, the police intervened to stop a fight involving about sixty people in this dilapidated city.

It is unlikely that such a situation occurs in the Lanesborough Hotel, which stands at the exit of the passage and the Royal Suite which displays the most expensive night of the capital. "These passages are cleaned regularly," says George, 21, who was convicted of armed robbery. "It's a nice place." Under his sponge is a mural that represents Catherine of Brunswick [daughter of Henry V king of Brunswick Lüneburg sixteenth century] and courtiers trying to bask in the sun, dipping their toes into the Serpentine [lake in Hyde Park] and is by drying the feet of ordinary people appreciate.

"I would rather work in places more private," he adds. I'm going to college in this area and I do not need them to see me at work in this outfit. " Their manager, Errol Wallace, is an individual of size probably unimaginable in the days when these passages were dug, there is a little over a century.

The mural is next to him, we see men of the Duke of Wellington on horseback charge at the Battle of Waterloo. "I make sure they do what they do and there is never any stories," he said in a convincing tone. But when they have finished, they would have to be proud what they have done and their contribution to this huge global event.

" National pride is not a widespread feeling among the team members. "You can not detach yourself from this marriage, is not it? I do not look at television," says Jimmy, 37, originally from Brazil. The man said that he had made fifty hours on the two cents it should do, but he refuses to reveal the nature of his offense.

"There are other areas, other neighborhoods where it would be much more useful here," he adds. I prefer to paint playgrounds. There are areas around where I live in Clapham Junction , who need more help than this. But cleaning that we do here does no harm to anyone. And it is important that we pay our mistakes.

" The work of general interest also include gardening and graffiti removal and garbage collection. Thousands of hours have been spent clearing snow from roads and trails last winter. Ms. Houslin emphasizes that the resources for the preparation of the princely marriage does not come from other programs.

And even if he had been so, Youssef Chaban, a native of Lebanon, there would be no problem. "I do not think William and Kate will be our job," he observes. They will probably not in Hyde Park on the big day, but tourists, though. And I hope they appreciate. "

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