Ashdeane man, 77, trapped by flooding blamed on blocked drainage well

A 77-year-old man with mobility challenges has been left virtually stranded in his St Michael home as repeated flooding and a worsening mosquito infestation plague his property, a problem residents say stems from an uncleared public drainage well.

Seymour Burnett, who has lived in Ashdeane for more than three decades, said the issue has worsened over several years, with debris blocking the well and causing water to back up into his yard.

“Since they put the well here, the water backs up, because of the debris and that causes the flooding,” he said. He described the floods as severe, sometimes rising to his knees, disrupting his daily life.

“My house does be like a boat,” he said, explaining that while the water does not come into his house, it leaves him trapped inside as the water surrounds the entire wooden structure.

To cope with the mosquito infestation, Burnett burns at least two coils each night.

 

Efforts to resolve the problem late last year were unsuccessful. Neil Rowe, MP for St Michael North West, said he reached out to the government drainage department which hired a private contractor to clean the well after it had received no proper maintenance since 2023.

While about three full skip loads of debris were removed, the work remained incomplete, leaving the well partially blocked and stagnant water accumulating along the watercourse.

A large heap of dirt and debris was also left next door to Burnett, and a pool of water had settled there as well.

Rowe apologised for the inconvenience, stating that he has contacted the chief technical officer at the drainage department to ensure completion within the next week or two.

“Any inconvenience caused to residents is regrettable, and I am personally ensuring that the drainage well will be fully cleared and returned to operation,” Rowe said. He added that oil was applied to stagnant water near the remaining heap around Christmas to reduce mosquito breeding and that the Ministry of Health would be involved to address remaining risks.

“I am aware of every issue in this constituency and am actively addressing them, even before they are raised publicly by others,” he emphasised.

Neighbours have voiced concern over Burnett’s plight. André Broomes, a nearby barber, described the situation as “ridiculous.”

“We have a lot of mosquitoes… And this is not right, I fear for him right now. This is ridiculous… This stuff needs to be moved and something needs to be done with the well,” he said. “They move a lot of it (dirt and debris), but they haven’t come back since and as I say again, this is bare foolishness. He shouldn’t have to live through this. He can’t even walk, if the ambulance had to come down in here, they wouldn’t even get down here to deal with him.”

Opposition Democratic Labour Party candidate Ryan Walters also visited the site, highlighting the hazard and residents’ frustrations with the delayed response. “The well is left uncovered, water backed up, and mosquitoes are everywhere; residents deserve better,” he said. 

“We are stepping in to get action,” pointing out that residents reached out to him due to an unfavourable response from their MP. He added that the impact was also felt by nearby homes, a small food outlet and an area bar.