A 53-year-old Black Rock, St Michael resident has been placed on a six-month bond to keep the peace after building a hump on the road in his neighbourhood to divert rainwater from his home.
Leslie Deroy Hinds admitted to the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court that he, without lawful authority, damaged Golden Acre roadway, the property of the state in its rights as the government of Barbados, and that he used indecent language against a police constable on December 16, 2023.
Prosecutor Sergeant Randolph Boyce told the court that residents in the Golden Acre, St Stephen’s Hill area contacted the police about Hinds constructing the hump. When officers went to his home, he said he had received permission from the Ministry of Transport and Works (MTW).
Hinds told Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes that when the rain falls, the water and debris run off the road and into his home and those around it, and he often had to place sandbags on his property to prevent the overflow.
Telling the court that he became frustrated after calls to fix the problem and visits from officials had not led to any resolution, Hinds said he decided to take matters into his own hands and create “a lip” on the road.
“Do you work at MTW? I do not know what would have possessed you to go and do that!” said Chief Magistrate Weekes. “If we were to allow citizens to redesign roads, do you know what would happen?”
He advised Hinds to contact a lawyer to claim damages and told him he would have to pay to have the road repaired.
However, when the court prosecutor reported to the court that the MTW had already removed the hump, Hinds expressed annoyance.
“So that means the water gine come back in my house,” he told the court.
Magistrate Weekes told him that he was lucky a road user was not injured by his construction as he would be liable to pay them damages.
He again advised Hinds to go the legal route to address the issue.
If Hinds breaches the bond imposed on him, he will have to fork out $1 000 forthwith or spend 120 days at Dodds Prison.
Caption:
Accused Nazim Blackett speaks to Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes and court prosecutor Sergeant Randolph Boyce from a police van.
