RESIDENTS OF THE community at Trents Tenantry, St James, were either trapped in their homes or had to wade through ankle-deep water to get in yesterday after torrential showers affected the north of the island.Water surrounding several homes at Trents Tenantry Nos 1, 2 and 3 is nothing new when it rains, but residents are boiling over with anger because they feel that nothing is being done to alleviate the situation.Caterer Collis Moore said he was forced to close his satellite bar because of the constant flooding in the area.“This has been going on for years. It seems that we are second-class citizens out here. Rawle Eastmond was the representative for over 14 years and he did nothing and he has several family members living out here. I am fortunate because I have a truck – but what about all the other residents out here who have to walk?” he said.Charmaine Ellis is the hardest hit. She relocated to the area three years ago only to discover that whenever it rains water surrounds her entire house.“I have been a diabetic for 26 years and I can’t step outside when it rains because I do not want anything to puncture me. I had to go out this evening but when the rain came down I had to change my plans.” She said she had received assistance from Democratic Labour Party representative for the area, Austin Husbands, who had managed to get the drains cleared and old vehicles removed, “but I can’t keep calling on him all the time”, she cried.Residents said the water usually remained on the road for four days.When contacted, Terrol Inniss, supervisor at the Drainage Division, who sent a team to assess the situation, pointed out that the area was getting more water than it could handle.“At Trents Tenantry we have a case where the volume of water coming down from upstream is more than what the outfall and cover across Highway 1 can facilitate at present.”He pointed out that the solution was a costly half-million dollar project that government could not afford to undertake at this time.“There is a recommendation of increasing the structure across Highway 1,” he stated.He said the Drainage Unit would try to alleviate the situation by having some of the water pumped off. (MB)
