Region 10 homes undermined by illegal sandpit

Sep 20, 2017 News

In a small community called Block 42 Lower Amelia’s Ward/Kara Kara with a population of about 800 residents, man-made erosion has become a serious threat to life as contractors remove sand from an illegal sandpit in the community.
According to Community Policing Group (CPG) Chairman, Hemant Singh, they visited the Environmental Officer at the Mayor and Town Council, Chrystal Drakes, and she visited the area along with the Chairman of the Environmental Committee at the Council Mr. Wainewright Bethune.
“The Chairman came and he said we must give him some time to settle the matter that he will talk to the workers and relocate them where necessary.”
Singh noted that they also visited Regional Chairman, Rennis Morian, who promised to look into the matter with immediate effect.
“He said he will notify the (Police) Commander about the situation. He is drafting a letter to the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon and I will get a copy of the letter.
“Every time I go to Morian office, I can never get to see him. The Secretary keep asking me which letter because she now doing a letter and she don’t know if is the same one.”
This royal run around has been happening for three years. Residents have been going back and forth to all the leaders and relevant personnel in the Region to stop contractors from removing the sand in the area thus putting an end to the erosion in the community and save possible lives.
On the third anniversary since the residents made their first complaint they revisited the various authorities and once again it was ‘send the fool further on’.
It was no different to the previous times.
“We went back to the Town Council and Ms. Drakes was not there so we spoke to another who sent us to the Town Clerk. After waiting for one hour she sent a message to tell we she can’t do nothing we must go to NICIL.”
Linmine Secretariat Chief Executive Officer, Emmett Alves, told the residents that he is unaware of a sand pit there and referred them to GGMC.

Heavy equipment at work in the sandpit.

They were told it is not a GGMC problem. However Ms Drakes was helpful but told them that if she stops the operation and the Regional Chairman gets wind of that decision he could overturn her decision.
But she is willing to cordon off the area with the yellow caution tapes but she has to get the permission from Georgetown.
One resident, Rhonda Blair, who is also a cleaner at the Amelia’s Ward Primary School, said that children always play in the vicinity of the sand pit.
“You always see children between the ages of three and five mostly playing there and some even get away from school and you have to be chasing them. One li’l boy de get cover up there already up to he waist and others around dig he out.
“He had minor injuries and nothing come out of the story.”
Public Relations Officer of the CPG, Cipriani Emmanuel noted that most of the contractors who remove the sand are from the Town Council and the Region and he believes that is the reason none of the two entities are not doing anything to resolve the issue.
“Do we have to wait for something serious to happen before something can be done? When we put up posts and fence the area around they pull it down and threaten us. They are digging in some people backyard.”
One resident said that one family house pillars were pulled down by the excavator digging and they received no compensation. They also complained that they are being threatened by the contractors and the workers in the sandpit; one resident was physically assaulted.
The residents are asking the Government to look into the matter with expediency because there are over 400 children living in the area and it is very dangerous. They claim the land could cave in at any time.
According to the CPG Chairman some residents are living in the community for over 30 years and only earlier in the year they were given electricity with the input of former Linmine Secretariat CEO and current NICIL CEO, Horace James.
He said that documentation is in process for the regularization of the community.