Lamine to the rescue Man delivers water to dry communities
With no piped water in the community of Lennox, Portland, and some surrounding areas, one man is using the situation to earn some extra cash by transporting the commodity to residents who are willing to pay for it.
Even as early as noon, Lamine Chambers, who was busy pumping water from the Lennox pump house into six drums on his pickup, said he had already made three trips to the nearby community of Black Hill.
“Mi sell throughout di community ... fi the six drum they pay $3,000,” he told THE WEEKEND STAR.
Chambers said his father used to sell water in the communities but he passed away a year ago.
Although he does not do it regularly as he has other commitments, he makes up to five trips a day at times.
While he is not the only one who does it, at certain times of the year his service is in high demand.
“Yu have time when the situation get worse like inna summer and like then people wi want water more, but like now it nuh dat bad,” he explained.
While the Lennox pump is the main source of water, he sometimes travels to Orange Bay, Hope Bay, or Spring Gardens to fetch water.
While our news team was at the pump house, several individuals were making their way to the location with various containers; one of them was Elsie Dorma.
“No pipe nuh round yaso, a drum mi affi put inna mi bathroom fi bathe and flush mi toilet,” she explained.
Dorma, who been living in the area for approximately 30 years, said she is lucky that she lives so close to the water source.
“Here suh a di public water source, dem bathe dung a di bottom deh so, and up here so dem ketch di drinking water,” she told THE WEEKEND STAR.
She noted that the water source is a popular spot for many persons living in the area.