WESTMORELAND:
THE NATIONAL Works Agency (NWA) Westmoreland Parish Office is to spend $3 million to carry out emergency relief work in the communities of McNiell Lands, Big Bridge and Bay Road where some 100 householders have been affected by flooding. Work is slated to begin today, according to Dr Wykenham McNeill, State Minister in the Ministry of Tourism and Sports who spoke to The Gleaner on Saturday. The communities are located in Dr. NcNeill's constituency.
"I have toured these affected areas on Sunday (September 1) and spoke to the affected residents gave them the assurance that help will be coming," added Dr. McNeill.
He also told The Gleaner that Mrs. Marjorie Rowe of the Ministry of Social Security Office, Westmoreland, visited the affected areas last week and provided food for these residents while some received financial assistance.
Councillor for the Little London Division, Earl Brooks, in whose division the affected areas are located; Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, Ralph Anglin; Superintendent Miller of the National Works Agency; Superintendent Stewart of the Parish Council (PCW) and Regional Chief Engineer of the National Works Agency, also toured the affected communities early last week with the view of fine-tuning what needs to be done initially and in the long term, said the State Minister.
"I have also spoken to the Minister of Works, Robert Pickersgill and his State Minister Dr. Fenton Ferguson, and both men gave me the assurance that funds will be allocated to complete the relief work as soon as the estimates have been approved," said Dr. McNeill.
The Gleaner visited the affected communities last Friday and observed that a number of houses were still flooded, some were abandoned as occupants were said to be staying with friends or relatives while others were still occupied and water was said to be still rising in some areas.
Most of these residents use outdoor pit latrines and most of these were flooded posing a threat to the health of the residents.
The Gleaner also observed that Deputy Chief Public Health Inspector of the Westmoreland Health Department Mr. Neville Ruddock and his team of officers were busy in these communities giving health education instructions to residents while at the same time giving strict warning to children not to play in the flood waters. He said his department will continue to visit the affected areas on a daily basis until the water subsides then they will take whatever steps are necessary.
Roy Rodney, a resident of that community for over 30 years, said these waters have severely affected their livelihood as some people are unable to get to work and some children are unable to go to school.
He attributes the cause of the flooding to blocked drains in the communities. He also said the first flooding took place in June of this year and the water took one month to subside.
This time round, he said, it is compounded with other problems as, he said, there is a reservoir on the nearby Maylarsfield property which holds several million gallons of water and the Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) dug a drain behind it to lead water into the Styx River which it used for irrigation purposes. However, he said, "SCJ refilled this drain last month and heavy rains have washed out the fillings. And, to make matters worse, people have removed earth from the side of the reservoir and from the side of the Carbaritta River in the dry season so when it rains heavily instead of the water staying in the reservoir and into the river it takes over the land and flood our communities."
According to Rodney, "The side of the river and the reservoir will have to be reinstated and all important drains in our communities cleaned and maintained if we are to get rid of these floodings once and for all."
Patrick Atkinson attorney-at-law and JLP candidate for Western Westmoreland and other party officials and supporters toured the affected communities and extended sympathy to the affected residents.
