By John Myers, Jr. Staff ReporterUNTOUCHED BY the spoils of urban growth and the benefits of modernisation, the small and quiet community of 'bottom' New Ground in north eastern St. Ann has literally been kept in the dark.
Inhabitants of the small community, located about three miles from St. Ann's Bay, still resort to kerosene lamps, 'kitchen bitches' and lanterns for light when the sun rays retire at night.
Though thankful for the "small paradise" which they call home, they complain that the darkness which haunts the neighbourhood after sundown sometimes give the impression that they live in the medieval age, and confirms for them that they have been neglected by the authorities.
According to a group of residents who gathered under the shade of a cocoa tree on the side of the narrow road which runs through the community to speak with The Gleaner, they have been promised on numerous occasions that electricity will be brought to the area by their political representatives.
But bottom section of New Ground has remained in the dark despite the fact that Jamaica first got electricity in the 19th century and the service has been provided to the neighbouring 'top' New Ground community, just a stone's throw away.
"Wi feel lef out, we deh way a back," asserted Faylyn Lee-Riley, one of the residents of the community.
A PRIMITIVE LIFESTYLE
The lack of electricity, the residents lament, has forced them to resort to a primitive lifestyle.
The ladies in the group said they have to fry meat for consumption immediately, or 'salt' pork they buy to keep them from spoiling for a few days as they have no refrigerator to store it.
To iron their clothes, they have to heat the iron on the coal pot or get specially made iron which has a chamber to accommodate the burning coal, to keep the iron hot while they press the garments.
The inhabitants of this "back in the day" community have never really experienced the joy of turning on an electric switch.
Instead, at nightfall, they are accustomed to reaching for the match stick to power up their 'make do' source of light, the good old kerosene lamp.
The absence of electricity has created a gap in their lives which have them longing for the day when they can open the refrigerator to have a cold drink, turn on the microwave to heat food, or read a book without straining the eye.
Faylyn, at 35 years old, says she rears chicken for a living, but is prevented from expanding the business because she has no means by which to keep a large brood warm.
Armed with a bucket in hand, along with her two sons and a dog following close behind, she stopped under the cocoa tree to speak with The Gleaner.
She has to use the kerosene lamp to keep the chickens warm in the coop, but has found it to be a very inefficient system.
"Sometime dem out a light," she said, when the oil in the lamp burns out.
Further to the problem of no electricity, she added that "wi not even have water a di spring" and the community is left to seek water at a pump in the area.
Concerned about the neglect that has overshadowed the community, she said: "Dem a fix the road dem lef round yah suh, everything jus crash cause the voice of the people cannot be heard."
Theodore Lee said the lack of amenities has really been detrimental to the development of the community as many migrate to other areas to seek better opportunities.
"We really deh behind time - no phone, wi nuh have no light - nothing at all," said Theodore. "Everybody come down here dem have to go and come cause yuh cyan buy a fridge; yuh cyan buy nothing at all."
He said there are persons from the area living overseas who would like to return to build their homes and settle in the community, but because of the lack of basic infrastructure, they have chosen to remain abroad.
Nonetheless, there are some persons in the area, despite the challenges faced by the bottom section of New Ground, who have chosen not to throw in their hands in the air.
They live with the hope that one day, life will become comfortable and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
Lenworth Henry at 52 years old still holds on to his dream of producing music. His intention is to establish a recording studio, and he has already acquired some of the equipment.
His wife Patricia, a French national who decided to settle in the community three years ago, is holding onto her dream of setting up a modern sugar mill to extract juice on a mass scale.
Currently, she makes craft items and sells to tourists.
Residents of this hidden community may one day be outfitted with electricity as the area is among 16,000 homes scheduled to get electricity under the Rural Electrification Programme (REP) within the next five years.
