THE EDITOR, Sir:
CAN THE residents of St Thomas rely on local government for sound advice when making the decision to buy into subdivisions? This is the question being asked by woe-begotten participants of Wyatt housing scheme in St. Thomas.
This part of the Seaforth community in western St Thomas has been for years plagued by flooding that continues to threaten life and has destroyed property. This rainy season is no exception. The only difference was that the waters rose at a much faster rate, denying residents the usual time span to secure property and then to evacuate. It took the powers that be more than five days to clear the overflowing debris from the blocked drain. The fear of the citizens is heightened by the forecast of a busy hurricane season.
INADEQUATE DRAINS
The blame for much of this is directed at the St. Thomas Parish Council for having approved a subdivision with drains that were questionably inadequate and improperly placed, given the terrain and its history. (During flooding, one drain designed to carry water from the subdivision acted rather as a conduit to bring flood waters in instead.)
This area is bordered by the Morant River on one side and is serviced by gullies and drains which are almost always three quarters filled with debris, not domestic garbage, making them even more inadequate.
The National Works Agency is being asked to act now to clean these gullies to prevent further damage and activate or initiate the plan to widen and deepen these drains and gullies to allow for the massive flow of water that inevitably pass through them.
The Morant riverbed needs to be trained and dredged as a matter of urgency as it is about level with lands through which it meanders, thereby inhibiting the free flow of water carried by these already inadequate drains and gullies.
In the mean time, could someone advise if a lawsuit can be successfully brought against the St Thomas Parish Council and/or the National Works Agency for negligence or dereliction of duty and also for loss of property as a result of the flooding?
By golly, we thought we were safe once the parish council approved the subdivision plan.
I am, etc.,
VALRIE HOLNESS
Lot 54, Wyatt Road,
Seaforth P.O.,
St. Thomas
