Tain residents fear leaning transmission antenna

Feb 23, 2013 News

The leaning transmission antenna

Residents of Tain, Corentyne are concerned about a leaning television transmission antenna belonging to Ali’s Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). They fear that this antenna could collapse on their houses.
A section of the 250-foot structure seems to have got loose from its joints and is leaning precariously to one side. It appears to be held in place by the steel wires that are grounded to the earth from the base.
There are several houses around the location of the antenna, including the ABC-owned Guyana Business School located in the ABC transmission compound, and the owner’s residence.
To the east, there is the University of Guyana Berbice Campus and the Tain Housing Scheme. To the west, there is the Tain Public Road. Residents are nervous that, at any time, the structure could collapse.
Badnarine Balkarran, one resident whose house would get the direct impact of the leaning tower, stated that he has been sleeping out of his home for the past week for fear of the tower.
“Three nights I didn’t sleep at my house, so imagine how terrible this thing is. If any one of the two cables cut there, we done! Yesterday with the breeze blowing, if you see how many [paint] flakes falling. Look how many flakes on my house”.
“You have a business school here…should this thing fall, you can kill those children. This thing is really, really hazardous”.
On Wednesday, owner of ABC-TV Raymond Ali, promised to heed the concerns of the residents. He added that he agreed that the structure is posing a hazard but begged the residents to bear with him for “two weeks” more until a new tower is imported and installed.
But the residents asked him what he will do about the old tower during the two to three-week wait.
He asked the residents to arrange for a crane to take the tower down. He said that he would welcome the initiative. “If I can go up there and take it down, I would”, Ali said.
“I doubt whether this man will rectify this. I am talking from experience.
I am afraid because my life and children’s lives are in danger. I built a new house the other day which [is] worth over $20M and this thing [the leaning antenna] will cause a lot of confusion. I am not having rest. I am sleeping at people’s homes”, said Balkarran.
Another resident, Mike Persaud, stated that “If the persons in authority right now can see that they have the people’s concerns at heart, they will put some system in place to see that the tower is rectified as soon as possible”.
“He [Mr Ali] has been sleeping out for the past week. Mr. Ali doesn’t sleep at his house too. His security watchman got his phone number to make contact with him should the tower fall”.
“This thing becomes a hazard for this neighbourhood. This thing [the antenna] had to be showing itself long now and like no attention has been paid.
If it falls on either side, it will damage property. I studying what might happen—it might not be me; it might be children”.
The residents stated that they also informed the police. “If this thing should fall on the electrical wires, imagine current will be all over the place.
The negligence! It is negligence on behalf of the Ali family who is running this TV station. They have no regard for this neighbourhood and community.” said Persaud.
Several efforts to contact Head of the National Frequency and Management Unit (NFMU), proved futile since he was out of office. Up to press time, no action was taken on the leaning structure.

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