By Barbara Ellington, Senior Gleaner Writer
With the hurricane season set to last until the end of November, Margaret Matthews, principal of the Smithville Primary School, is taking no chances and her computers are still covered when not in use. - PHOTOS BY BARBARA ELLINGTON
DRIVING ALONG the road from Four Paths to Thompson Town in Clarendon, one would get the impression that Hurricane Ivan did not have the strength to climb these hills to do his worst. That picture is in stark contrast to the miles that snake a narrow path between Thompson Town and Smithville.
Precipitous landslides, downed power lines, uprooted bamboo and other fallen trees are part of the obstacle course that vehicles have to navigate. Power has not yet been restored to this area
and thieves have already helped themselves to the wire from fallen light posts. In Smithville, landmark buildings like the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church (where this reporter was christened), have lost sections of their roof.
Nestled in a valley below the district square is Smithville Primary School, whose dingy walls tell a tale of thirst for a fresh coat of paint. On the inside, the once pristine white ceiling is littered with leaks that opened wide to spew heaven's bounty on furniture and charts during the passing of the hurricane.
SOAKING WET
Margaret Matthews, principal of the school, told The Gleaner that she had the foresight to purchase several huge garbage bags in which she stored computers and other valuables. Good thing, as Ivan soaked all that was left unprotected.
"I learnt my lesson from Hurricane Gilbert, so we made sure to secure whatever charts and other important items that we could before the hurricane. But we could not stop the leaks; the school's roof has been badly damaged for several years, so many books and everything else got soaking wet," she said, pointing out huge red ants nests in wooden rafters overhead.
When The Gleaner visited the school last Friday, the drying-out process had been complete and classes were in session as persons who had used the building as a shelter had left over the previous weekend.
"Ministry of Education officials have come to assess the damage and promise to see what can be done. The zinc blew up off the grade three classroom, but we nailed it down to prevent intruders. The principal's cottage also lost some zinc and is in a bad shape, she said.
Like others who share her plight, Ms. Matthews can do nothing but wait for state officials to take matters in hand.
WAKEFIELD CUT OFF
Just 300 yards below the Smithville Primary School is the district of Wakefield that was cut off from the square by a huge mudslide which was cleared earlier that week. This resulted in Miss Mae Williams, a senior citizen in the community, missing her appointment for major surgery in Kingston.
Miss Mae is taking it all in stride and smiles when she recalls how a limb from one of her guava trees broke and fell on her prize rose bush. "After my experience with Gilbert, I was well prepared. I packed everything in suitcases and plastic bags and put them on a bed. I have a good roof so I was not very worried. But during the night I heard a constant knocking sound. It was a ladder that had been left leaning against the wall and it had fallen against a window, shattering some panes of glass in a window," she said.
Since the hurricane, persons have just come and helped themselves to water from her tank so she has had to rely on a good Samaritan to bring her water from May Pen.
"Gilbert was quick; Ivan was long and punishing. I lost some zinc from two sections of the roof that time (during Gilbert), but this time I did not have any leaks," she said.
Now that the road has been cleared, Miss Mae will come into Kingston to her have surgery this week.
