Walls caving in on Treadlight residents
Unfinished drain work causes walls, utility poles to collapse
RESIDENTS OF Treadlight in central Clarendon say they are fearful and completely stressed as they are seeing a rapid deterioration of their houses due to a drain work being carried out for the last two years.
In May of this year, several residents voiced their concerns about the “stop and start” work that was being done on the canal which started in December 2020.
In a response, Omar Sweeney, managing director of Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), which implemented the project through its Integrated Community Programme, said the situation was being monitored daily as they tried to get all the works in the drain re-established as soon as possible.
A recent visit the the community showed the houses are now in an even more precarious position, as the walkway to several houses has given away. Planks have been placed over the gap from the gates to the road.
Lorelei Mulgrave told The Gleaner that four of her neighbour’s walls have already fallen into the canal, and others are in danger of collapsing.
“Even the JPS concrete pole, which started to lean in September, had to be tied to a tree and steel placed around the base to hold it in place, to prevent it from spilling over,” she said.
One neighbour whose house bore the ‘For Sale’ sign, Mulgrave shared, has given up and decided to count his losses, as she said there was no way for him to get material to finish construction of house because it was not accessable.
MENTAL TRAUMA
“We have suffered mental and emotional trauma. The garbage trucks cannot drive up to our gates anymore to pick up our garbage, so sometimes the neighbours have to walk with the garbage to the truck; and emergency vehicles can’t access our premises here from Treadlight Street,” she stated.
For Mulgrave, in the event of fire or anyone falling ill, it would be difficult to offer assistance.
Giving an update on the work being done, Sweeney said he is aware of the inconveniences the residents are experiencing, pointing out that they have been doing everything possible within their limits.
“While we have made good progress, inclement weather and labour issues have affected the timeline. We expect to complete the drain construction by the end of November, backfill and [the] restoration of the roadway by Christmas. We continue to crave the understanding of the residents as we install this essential piece of infrastructure,” he urged.
Lynette Green, another resident who voiced her complaint previously, said that after the recent heavy rains, one of the retaining walls collapsed and the gate broke away, resulting in a plyboard extension being placed for residents to walk across.
“Our land keeps slipping away. They (contractors) say the retaining wall will be rebuilt, but no work has been done on it since last week. It is a great inconvenience, as I am a sick person and I have to call a taxi, and they have to go all the way around to pick me up and take me back, so it’s a problem,” she stressed.
As the Christmas season approaches, Mulgrave says she has one wish – for the work to be completed and the trenches filled up, ensuring that no more walls will cave in.