AN UGLY panic is spreading among some St. Thomas residents. The 100-plus householders whose dwellings are threatened with erosion by Mount Lebanus River have every reason to fear for their safety.
Following The Gleaner's report of the perilous situation brought on by erosion, the floods came in May and soaked St. Thomas. It was then that 90-year-old Adolphus Goode faced his darkest hour. His house was washed away and for him, dawn never came. One would have thought Goode's tragic end would have persuaded the authorities to act decisively. But Goode was a poor man, so we barely raised a sympathetic eyebrow and we moved on with our lives.
What has happened since the May tragedy is that the St. Thomas Parish Council has surveyed the communities of Mt. Lebanus, Trinityville and Cedar Valley. The survey has emphasised the obvious: 23 dwellings face imminent danger because they are located close to the bank of the river.
Acknowledging that a serious situation exists, the Parish Council says it has recommended that the Government "quickly undertake a massive re-channelling of the river to reduce the risk" to the communities.
The nightmare scenario for the 120 souls in these communities is that more rains will come soon and eat away more of the river bank, exposing them to danger. That possibility is real as we are now approaching the height of the hurricane season. And while little can be done about the weather, precautions can be taken to ensure the safety of lives and property.
One detects among citizens of this country a surging impatience with inaction. Simmering frustration has been brought to the boil in roadblocks, lynching and other examples of civil lawlessness. Failure to plan ahead can have disastrous effects. It remains to be seen whether anything will be done about the St. Thomas situation and how soon.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
