A first Avenue Grazettes Main Road, St Michael woman is making a fresh appeal for authorities to give her family some relief from the environmental nightmare they have been experiencing.
This morning, a frustrated Joan Weekes told Barbados TODAY that since this newspaper highlighted her plight earlier this month that an alleged psychiatric patient was taking discarded items from a nearby quarry and placing them in front her house, she has gotten absolutely no relief.
However, she did receive a letter dated June 5, from Member of Parliament for St Michael West Central, Ian Gooding-Edghill, who informed her that the items would be removed from the area, as part of a constituency community clean-up programme.
Joan Weekes is still appealing for relief from the garbage dumped in front of her home.
But Weekes, who also said that environmental health officers visited and told her help was on the way, wants to know what residents in the area have to do to get authorities to treat their plight as urgent.
Weekes explained that in the past, residents have made the effort to remove items placed there by the suspected psychiatric patient who on a regular basis, goes into the quarry and brings out dumped carpets, beds, sofas, trophies, plants and clothing, which he places in front of her home, creating an eyesore.
The resident said she has also made complaints to the police about the same individual who has threatened her family on several occasions.
“Every day he is bringing more things and I am not getting relief. I think I did what I was supposed to do. I went through the relevant authorities including the police and the health people. Even the parliamentarian sent a letter and if ya’ll don’t believe me, I can show you the letter. What is the next step? What else can I do? What can I, the resident of this district do to get this here removed? The MP promised us that he would come and he would remove it. This is since last week Saturday. Another Saturday coming and I do not know what next. I just fed up.
“I am tired. Every time you come out the house you see a mess. When persons bring me home they want to know what happen. Even a guy this morning telling me them ain’t know the dump move up here,” Weekes said.
Meanwhile, another resident who did not give his name, believes the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) should remove the garbage immediately.
“I does pay taxes. I pay already to get that removed through all the sewage tax that I paying. I pay already and I am not paying again. SSA needs to come and remove this garbage from in front the people place. This is not fair to residents. We dealt with this issue already. Something has got to be done about this garbage,” the resident said.
When contacted today, Member of Parliament Ian Gooding-Edghill told Barbados TODAY that he was unable to speak at the time.
However, the letter signed by Gooding-Edghilll read: “I write to inform you that as part of our constituency community clean-up programme, I have arranged for the removal of recyclable items such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, microwaves, galvanise, metals, and other appliances from your washing machines, microwaves, galvanise, metals and other appliances from your area.
“Collection of these recyclable items will take place on Saturday, June 8, 2019. Please arrange to have the items placed on the side of your property closest to the road for ease of collection by the contracted agent on June 8, 2019. You will be advised in writing of a separate collection date for non-recyclable items from your district. This initiative is designed to improve our community,” the letter read.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb
