PORTLAND:
THE PLAYGROUND at the Berrydale Basic School in Portland, has now become a frequent driveway for motorists. This has happened since torrential rains last month caused severe breakaway and land slippage, leaving the main road impassable.
This has left children at the kindergarten without a playfield and recreation area resulting in chaos and turmoil amongst motorists, teachers and parents.
When The Gleaner visited the Berrydale community on Friday, the mini playground, though saturated and muddy, was heavily congested with motor vehicles and commuters. They were moving in various directions and, as a result, prompted parents and teachers to express deep concern about the safety of the students.
The teachers were unable to have dialogue with The Gleaner, however, a secretary of a nearby school, Fellowship Primary and Junior High, Amoy Hill, told The Gleaner that the deplorable state of the Berrydale road has prevented many students from attending the Fellowship school.
The road is impassable," said Miss Hill. "Because of this, the turnout at the school by students from the Berrydale area is extremely low and has worsened due to heavy rains last month," she said.
The teacher further stated that since taxi and minibus operators were unable to venture deep into the communities, due to the adverse weather condition, many students were unable to attend school on foot, as it was dangerous and hazardous to their health.
"In some areas, the mud is quite heavy and one can never tell for sure when there might be another land slippage," she said. "It is understandable why many students have not made the attempt to attend school on foot, as no doubt their shoes and uniforms are likely to be covered in mud, and also the area resemble a death trap", she added.
Meanwhile, late Friday afternoon, Minister of Transport and Works Bobby Pickersgill toured the Fellowship and Berrydale communities, accompanied by a team of engineers. Although the Minister was tight-lipped, sources close to him hinted that rehabilitation work on the road will commence in a few days.
