A section of the property earmarked for the construction of the new multimillion dollar American Embassy on Bamboo Avenue, Liguanea, St. Andrew being prepared yesterday for the start of construction.
-Rudolph Brown photo
John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter
RESIDENTS OF Bamboo Avenue and surrounding areas in Liguanea, St. Andrew are now resisting the United States Embassy's plans to set up operations in their community on fears that the Americans' high-tech security to deflect bomb attacks could put the community in danger.
"They will be putting up bomb deflectors and I wonder who that is going to be deflected unto," said a resident.
"We will become human shields. There are a lot of issues and we would rather not see them (the embassy) there."
But embassy personnel are insisting that the special wall that it will build to stop bomb blasts from reaching the embassy building would not necessarily deflect onto the homes on the avenue.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas, to whom The Gleaner was finally referred after seeking a local bomb expert, said he could not give a similar assurance
without seeing the design specifics.
DCP Thomas said yesterday, however, that he was no expert, and that no one in the Constabulary had that level of technical know-how to either endorse or refute the U.S. claim.
The bomb deflectors or shields are reinforced walls built to withstand the force of a bomb.
The US$90 million U.S. embassy complex project, on which preparation work has begun though building approvals are still pending, is to become the central operations headquarters for the U.S. diplomatic mission in Jamaica.
However, the US Embassy currently has an application before the courts, to modify certain restrictive covenants within the specific area in order to have their building plans approved.
But Orna Blum, the U.S. Embassy's spokeswoman, said the ground work has started on the outer parameters of the complex to facilitate the start of construction, scheduled for official groundbreaking in April.
CONTRACT
The US$53 million contract for the building's construction was awarded to the California Fluor Corporation.
Residents of the middle-class Bamboo Avenue neighbourhood have put together a strategy, to lobby against the embassy being cited there.
The residents are also concerned that their privacy will be invaded with the installation of high-tech surveillance systems and that the community will become a target for acts of terrorism.
A flyer now being distributed urges residents to bombard the talk shows with calls and the press with letters, and suggested that attempts be made to reach U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, who has Jamaican roots.
Forewarning that the Americans were coming the flyer reads in part
"We can stop this ... if we unite and act now."
Last November, Hilma Walker, on behalf of residents of Munroe Road, Canberra Crescent, Wellington Drive and Bamboo Avenue, expressed concern in a letter published in The Gleaner, that the new Embassy would "contribute to the deterioration of the community and introduce crime to our neighbourhood."
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS
In response to Gleaner queries, Mrs. Blum said that the U.S. Government builds all its diplomatic missions worldwide to strict security standards which are intended to minimise damage.
"While we don't comment on specific security measures employed, our construction standards are intended to minimise damage to both the embassy and surrounding properties," she said via e-mail.
"However, the embassy takes every active measure and security precaution with a view to minimising its impact on our neighbours ... the embassy seeks to be a good neighbour."
With respect to the concerns about pedestrian and vehicular traffic, Mrs Blum said those would not become problems as the embassy has a strict appointment system, which ostensibly will regulate the numbers turning up at the embassy daily.
Parking will also be provided, but most likely at an off-site location, and a shuttle service implemented to transport persons to and from the embassy.
