Please, talk to the people
published: Wednesday | September 17, 2003
THE EDITOR, Sir:
RESIDENTS OF the Wharf Road area of Smithfield district in Savanna-la-Mar are up in arms over the clearing of the swamp lands around them currently being carried out by an un-named contractor.
No meetings have been held to let the residents know what is planned for the area. No politician has come in to show them whether or not they have any foothold on their land, land on which some of them have been living since the 1950s on which their children, grandchildren and great grand children were born and raised. Land which is in the production of crops and fruit has been pushed down, farmers have not been allowed to get to their farms, a large crab breeding ground is being destroyed, therefore throwing poor people out of a livelihood.
Furthermore, the area which is being cleared is unstable sand/swampland where the water table is already at ground level and has been known to rise quite appreciably higher. The removal of the harder part of the land has now left large areas of very soft "quicksand" and, in getting around, some people are losing their footwear. Does no one care about the plight of the poorer classes any more? Has justice gone abroad, on holiday for now?
Can contractors just go on to any land in Jamaica and commence clearing operations with plans to build whatever, telling the people in residence that they have no rights? The original householders who went down there, had to hack away serious bush, mandrake, thorn trees, etc., to clear space for housing, have planted fruit trees, have developed a thriving fishing community, have a mission church, water supply, electricity, etc.
Come on, Mr. Government, tell the people what is going on.
