The Editor, Sir:

There is a social 'upheaval' and heritage suicide taking place in Belle Plain, Clarendon, where a great house, a piece of our history, sits in a state of neglect.

The alarming reality is that the edifice is occupied by eight families under less than desirable conditions.

Attempts to verify with the parish council the ownership and status of this structure revealed they knew nothing of its existence, and further, a very curt parish council officer suggested to me that this building is a 'figment of my imagination' because they have no record of its existence.

I ignored the facetiousness of this 'hard-working' civil servant and pushed for the council to humour me, and do its job

Eventually, a responsible officer did his job and confirmed that the house exists and the harsh realities as I observed are very real.

I refer to a feature story published in the Sunday Gleaner's Outlook magazine, November 5, 2006, 'The saga of Clarendon's Belle Plain Great House', that provide some information on what is taking place in the Clarendon Parish Council's backyard.

LETHARGIC RESPONSE

I am disturbed that, despite dispelling the myth of my 'over-active imagination', the council appears to be very lethargic, uninspired and downright callous about this 'social plight' happening within its jurisdiction.

I say all this to make the point that our local authorities need to start enacting the talk of their eloquent leader, Minister Dean Peart, and perhaps inject some urgent 'imagination' to rectify the 'social chaos' unfolding in communities.

A gentle reminder -you cannot alienate communities in this supposed move to local government reform. It is the community that makes local governance relevant.

I am, etc.,

JANICE LINDSAY

Northern Caribbean

University

Mandeville

Manchester