Dale McNish Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU: SCORES OF persons who had acquired lands to build homes at the upscale Tryall Housing Scheme in Sandy Bay, Hanover, have aborted their plans, citing a major sewage problem in the area.
This is due to a high stench coming from a sewage plant which has been affecting residents of the housing scheme for the past six months. They also complain of raw sewage floating around in streams near the area and which many contend poses a health risk.
The housing development, which is currently occupied by about 200 people, is dotted with a number of huge half-finished houses. However other aspiring landowners who had earlier expressed interest in purchasing lots have also backtracked on their plans.
"Quite a lot of persons have put those plans on hold because of the prevailing sewage problems," explained Donovan Hamilton, president of the Tryall Citizens Association. Until all of that has been rectified, nobody will be coming here."
Already some frustrated persons, mostly returning residents, are moving out of the scheme, having invested millions of dollars in acquiring their houses.
The Gleaner has learned that a plot of land in the area can go from anywhere between $250,000 to $1.3 million, while it may cost between $6 million and $7 million to construct a house.
Meanwhile, another health hazard, a faulty sewerage system, threatens the fishing community of Sandy Bay.
The two open ponds which are situated close to the homes of residents, emit a foul odour and raw sewage flows freely. The green, mossy ponds have also become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
After months of agitation and sending several correspondences to the Ministry of Housing and Water, Hanover Health Department, Hanover Parish Council and the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC), under whose responsibility the scheme falls, the mostly middle-class residents are still unable to get any meaningful response to their plight.
The health department had written to the NHDC expressing concern over the "incomplete" sewage system but the president Mr. Dudley Shields responded stating that the system "had been completed for several months, tested and approved by the engineers as functional."
The Gleaner has learned that the National Water Commission (NWC) had inspected the sewage system sometime last year with a view of taking it over, but refused from doing so until the necessary repairs are done.
Lara Bryan, who returned to her homeland after spending 30 years in the United States and who owns a house at the Tryall Housing Scheme, said she's forced to head back to the United States on a temporary basis because of the existing problems.
"It's very frustrating... the sewage problem is a very big problem for us and because of that my children don't want to come here," bemoaned Mrs. Bryan.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr. Shields were unsuccessful.
