Left: Blueth Massias, a resident of Clarendon Gardens in Clarendon, shows our news team the precautionary measures she has to take to prevent the flood waters from damaging her furniture.   Right: A view of the Jacks Gully, which has been causing constant flooding of homes in Clarendon Gardens, Clarendon, after a very light shower last week. - photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer.

WHAT'S NOT WORKING?

Like the flood water that has been damaging their homes, frustration has overwhelmed the people of Clarendon Gardens in Clarendon.

Residents are perpetually plagued by the area's gully - Jacks - by name. It is a seemingly never-ending source of damage and discomfort.

During the rainy season or any significant shower in the off season, the Jacks Gully overflows its 'banks' and the rest is history - homes are flooded. It is like a recurring decimal.

Synopsis of the Situation

A shower of rain, which is seen as a blessing by many, is a curse for the residents of Four Paths, who are affected by the gully, to evacuate their homes and flee to higher ground.

For Joy Baker, a resident of Lawson Place in the district, 'keeping your head above water' is more than a colloquial proverb, as she said that on June 6, her home was approximately 75 per cent submerged in water.

"Earlier in the rainy season other residents and I had to move out and shack up at Ms. Pearl's house (a neighbour who lives across Lawson Place on more elevated ground) because the rain came heavily and as usual the gully run-over and took over my house," she said. In the aftermath, she was staring down the barrel of thousands of dollars in repairs and the painful prospect that more flooding was in the pipeline.

Ms. Baker told our news crew that the constant flooding has forced her to limit the amount of furniture she owns. She laments that she has to move constantly her stuff from her house to the neighbour's every time it rains. This, she said, is an extremely tedious task.

Massias walks on water

Blueth Massias, who has been residing on the opposite side of the gully to Ms. Baker, sang the same sad song. "Everything in my house is hoisted on building blocks, this is how I try and safeguard against having to replace my belongings because as it rains the gully send water in here," bemoaned Ms. Massias. The distraught and irritated woman wasted no time in pointing out that even the livestock being reared in her yard lived a bit 'higher' than the average, as even her goat pens were elevated on building blocks.

"We don't need a handout or any promises from anyone. We are only asking that the gully be addressed," Massias continued. "Don't just send a 'back-ho' to clean it, cause that's not bringing a stop to the flooding, something more needs to be done."

Other residents said that when the gully overflows, their roadways become extremely impassable. When this happens, the residents are forced to park their cars at the Four Paths Police Station and then trek home maroon style through nearby bushes.

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

The National Works Agency (NWA).

WHAT'S THE STATUS?

Tony Morrison, senior communications manager at NWA, said the agency is aware of the troubles of Jacks Gully and the issue has recently been addressed.

"We did extensive drain cleaning and mitigation on the gully less than two months ago," he said. "Therefore, there should not be any flooding unless there is an extraordinary amount of rainfall."

CONCLUSION:

While we do not purport to be certified engineers, common sense tells us that the Jacks Gully flooding crisis warrants more than mere cleaning of debris.

Mr. Morrison said a significant sum of money was spent to clear the gully in 2004; however, it still poses a threat.

If the NWA sees clearing the gully as the only option, then maybe this should be coupled with proper maintenance allowing for frequent checks on the state of gully to effectively assess and address its threat as a flood starter.

This instalment of Tyrone's Watch was done by Marlon Vickerman, Gleaner Writer.

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