Hirst Road mess

(l-r) Sisters Ethel Jackson, Ellen Jackson and Isabel
Archer in their aunt’s yard together with a
construction vehicle

A concerned resident confronts Public Works
Department Chief Engineer Colford Scott (centre) and
the Minister of Works the Hon Gilbert McLean (right)
about the Hirst Road improvements

by Ross Sheil

Monday, September 6, 2004

Residents in Savannah have reacted angrily this week after work on phase two of the National Road Authority’s (NRA) Hirst Road improvement project encroached on their property.

The Minister of Works, the Hon Gilbert McLean admitted earlier this week in a press statement that the works had begun without the proper notice as according to the Roads Law.

The construction, which began on Wednesday, 25 September on Shamrock Road has taken up 14 feet of the front yard of house number 1586 owned by Violet Yates, aged 85 and is planned to continue through the property of her sister Florence West, aged 79 at number 1574.

Mrs West, who is bedridden, said: “That is all that I own - this yard and this house and they are taking it. I have been here for forty years. I would like them to leave my yard alone and to have peace in my last years.”

Referring to the construction she said of the workers: “They are coming to my funeral.”

Her daughter Isabel Archer was equally taken aback: “They started work last week on Wednesday and they only called my mother on Friday. Other than that there has been no notification and we understand it has not been gazetted.”

According to the Public Works Department (PWD) the construction was gazetted on 15 June and the appropriate notices published in newspapers. However residents claimed they were not informed by post (as according to the Roads Law) or visited by the PWD in a timely manner.

Minister McLean admitted as much in his press release on Tuesday: “The notice to the landowners was not sent out in a timely manner as required. Such omission is clearly not in compliance with the Law. I encourage all landowners whose property has been affected to forthwith file claims for compensation.”

On Thursday, after angry residents confronting him at the worksite, Mr McLean said: “This situation has been extremely poorly handled. This is something that has to be resolved to the satisfaction of the residents.”

However Government’s position is that construction will continue in accordance with the Roads Law. PWD Chief Engineer Colford Scott said: “We respect the rights of the individual but the national good should prevail over individual rights, otherwise we would not have a road network linking all of the sectors of the Island together.

Still, residents were not placated by the Government’s position. Another of Mrs West’s daughters, Ethel Jackson, said: “I used to live here as a child and this has been such a shock. The road will come right to the edge of the house and it will put my mother in danger if any cars come off the road.”

Her sister Ellen Jackson added: “A car has already come off the road onto my mother’s property before and it swerved across and hit a house on the other side of the road, which later had to be demolished. With the road this close to my mother’s house an accident like that could kill her in her own home.”

Mrs Yates, however, said she was less concerned by the construction: “Well I suppose if I had children living here, then it would be a different thing. They came to see me last week before the construction started on Wednesday and I do not want to get in the way of the work.”

Also visiting the construction site on Thursday morning with Mr McLean were Bodden Town Members of the Legislative Authority the Minister of Education, Human Resources and Culture the Hon Roy Bodden and Anthony Eden.

Mr Eden had the most reason to be concerned of the three as the home of his aunt Aleatha Walter will be the next house in the path of the construction after Mrs West’s. Sitting in Mrs West’s house he said: “My aunt is in her mid-80s and this is no way to be treated at that age. She had a stroke one month ago and this construction has been so ill-planned.

“Construction such as this should be conducted under the proper process according to the guidelines laid down by the Audit Department. There has been a total failure by the NRA to observe the proper procedures and take due consideration for the community.

“Everyone knows that there is a problem with traffic which we have being trying to solve, but this is something even more immediate to correct.”

The construction of the central turning lane is designed to increase road safety and reduce congestion outside Savannah Primary School. The NRA says the work should be completed in one month. The Ministry of Works issued the following statement on Thursday afternoon:

“Regarding the Hirst Road improvements, the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Planning met today (2 September) to discuss the current matter, and are now contacting the landowners involved to meet as soon as possible.”

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