The forgotten community - Cinema Street Diamond

The forgotten community – Cinema Street Diamond

Apr 14, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

I am hoping you can oblige me with a section in your newspaper to tell you about the forgotten community of Cinema Street Diamond, located behind the Diamond Hospital on the East Bank of Demerara.
This community is home to many residents of all ages, some of whom have lived there over 50 years; it also houses the Diamond Community Centre ground which is occupied by the NDC. One would think that with the NDC personnel traversing this area so frequently that works to maintain and upkeep the community and its environs would not pose a problem however, this is far from the reality.
Upon entering the street, you will firstly notice the deplorable condition of it, it is like riding a roller coaster and when it rains its transforms into our very own lake, and this has been the condition for many decades. The NDC did not see it fit to fix the street; however, they store piles of stone in the same street, which they use to maintain the streets in other neighbourhoods. How can this be right? Are the residents of this community not humans? Many of these residents pay their taxes yearly, so why then must they be treated with such utter disrespect?
Venturing on further down and you will pay heed to the overgrown bushes in the drains and trenches and numerous squatters on the sea dam. The drains and trenches have not been cleared in years and these are the primary drainage paths for residents. Now with the squatters taking up residence on the sea dam, it poses even more danger and hardship to the legal residents of the community. The NDC has not made any effort to clear the drains and trenches or put a stop to the illegal squatting, despite numerous reports being made by residents.
Editor, I mentioned earlier in my letter that many of the residents in this community are paying their taxes yearly, however do you know that none of them has been issued titles to their land? These residents have paid for their land many decades ago and were promised by the Ministry of Housing on several occasions that titles will be issued “soon”, but soon never came! Following up with the Ministry has proven futile and always ends in frustration. The Ministers are very active in social media, issuing house lots and doing all the “good” things for other areas of their interest. So tell me then, what is preventing them from playing an active role in fixing the issues in this community? Does the Ministry not have jurisdiction? Is the NDC an independent body which reports to no one? Or is it simply because they don’t care about the poor working class…
Editor, I can go on with many more issues faced by the residents, but I will end here. I am hoping this letter will attract attention from someone in authority and hopefully something can be done to benefit this area, because this is simply my last resort.
Thank you.

Frustrated resident

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