MP wants construction magnate to assist in clearing path to their homes

St Thomas Member of Parliament Cynthia Forde wants distinguished businessman Sir Charles Williams to come to the aide of frustrated residents of some St Thomas districts who are being “cut off” from much-needed assistance when there’s a storm or other natural disaster.

In an interview on Friday, Forde revealed that a paddock of river tamarind trees at the Canefield Plantation, owned by Williams, has been continuously blocking the road to Airy Cot, St Thomas when high winds knock down the trees, leaving the road impassible.

As a result, the MP revealed that for hours, emergency personnel were unable to assist three households whose roofs were blown off including an elderly couple in their 90s. She said it was the second time in two weeks that such an issue had occurred and she feared that an ambulance, fire truck or other emergency persons would have been unable to reach the “marooned” village.

“I am pleading with the property owner, please, remove all of those trees. It is not fair for the government or private people and the District Emergency Officers in particular to have to be going all the time. That is now a marooned village with the day coming up to six o’clock and those people are in there suffering. They can’t get the water tankers in, the utility trucks cannot come in, there are downed power lines so families can’t get there because they are afraid that they may become electrocuted, so something has to be done because they are innocent, ordinary poor people who do not have the resources to help themselves,” Forde told Barbados TODAY.

“Only two Thursdays ago in Airy Cot, every tree coming from the junction of Vault Road and Carrington Village going through Highland straight on by Challenor School passing Upper Canefield to get to Airy Cot to go to Mount Misery, all that was devastated for more than a day, so those families were marooned and I want to call on the plantation owner to ensure that those river tamarind trees are cut. It now has become the biggest frustration ever. “

Sources say the trees were planted approximately two decades ago to keep horses, cows and other animals within a confined space.

Adding to the frustration of those affected is the fact that after clearing debris after the recent “freak storm”, members of the St Thomas DEO were accused of breaking down the plantation’s fence. In fact, one DEO member revealed that an official complaint had been lodged with the Department of Emergency Management (DEM).

“We didn’t break the fence. The trees broke the fence. All we did was cut the trees, pushed them out of the way for clear passage so that the bus and stuff can pass,” DEO member Ruth Sattaur revealed on Friday evening.

“We are now clearing up here and then we will try to make our way into Airy Cot to get tarpaulin for houses where the roofs came off. Both sides were blocked and residents could not get in or out and that is the problem that the residents of Airy Cot face every time there is a system. These trees are aged and they are rotten by wood ants.

“So the trees come down and you can see that they are planted almost right onto the road, so then residents cannot get in or out. Suppose there is an emergency? Suppose there is a life or death situation? People cannot get in or out,” she added.

Meanwhile, MP Forde revealed that given Sir Charles’ line of work, the least he could do is assist efforts in the parish.

“I am pleading to Sir Charles… and others to kindly make sure they clear the roads, because we are using the Government’s resources, we are using personal resources. I want them, because of the kind of businesses they do, to at least bring some chainsaws and lend us. We can’t rent them because there is no money in the economy right now and people want to help but they can’t, but they don’t have. So these guys have one small chain saw and a few cutlasses and a few shovels and that really cannot help with the extent of what is happening,” Forde concluded.
(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)