Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
A welder repairing a section of the Yallahs pipeline in St. Thomas yesterday. Work on the damaged water main resumed after allegations Monday that extortionists visited the site in Llandewey and threatened workers. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
WORK ON the Yallahs pipeline in St. Thomas resumed yesterday after Monday's revelation by the National Water Commission (NWC) that workmen were being harassed by local thugs.
John Greaves, a manager with Tank-Weld Special Projects, the company contracted by the NWC to repair the main which was severed by hurricanes Dennis and Emily in July, told The Gleaner that things got going after an early-morning meeting with Minister of Water and Housing, Donald Buchanan.
"We resumed all work today. We met with the minister and everything's fine," said Mr. Greaves. He added that there was no sign of the gunmen whom the NWC reported ordered work to be stopped Monday.
When The Gleaner visited the district of Cocoa Walk, St. Thomas, yesterday, persistent rain prevented a full-scale effort, but workers were on the job, welding pipes and manoeuvring bulldozers.
Residents of Llandewey and Cocoa Walk districts, who have been without water since Dennis and Emily damaged the pipeline, say they are frustrated that they had been without potable water for three months. Some of them denied the NWC's claim that extortionists had visited the Tank-Weld site at River Head.
REPORTS FALSE
Forty-two-year-old Marcia Morgan, who works as a flagman at the site, said she was forced to catch water at a nearby spring for drinking, washing and bathing. According to her, the reports of criminals shutting down the site were false.
"There wasn't anything like that, all (Western St. Thomas Member of Parliament) James Robertson came and sey was dat the people want some answers on how the roads going to be fixed an' what they are going to about the water," she said.
Mr. Robertson also denied the NWC report on Monday, describing it as "dishonest".
Charles Buchanan, corporate public relations manager at the NWC, was said to be at a conference when The Gleaner contacted his office yesterday.
