Arch Cot ghost town

Yesterday marked the third anniversary of the tragic cave-in at Arch Cot, Brittons X Road, St Michael, which claimed the lives of a family of five and left Barbadians in a state of fear for months.It was back in 2007 that the news spread like wildfire, of the horrific incident that had claimed the lives of Donavere Codrington, his wife Cassandra, and their children – Yashiro, Shaquanda and Shaquille. So devastated was the Codrington family that they decided never to revisit Arch Cot again.Uncertain as to the dangers of Arch Cot and the cave which lay beneath, some Arch Cot residents within the “100 metre zone” had also vowed not to return, leaving their homes behind.For the last three years, the area has remained almost a ghost town, with overgrown bush on most of the houses, with those unoccupied being vandalised in the worst way by vagrants.David Benn, who lives on the opposite side of the road at Arch Cot, and who deems himself one of the “caretakers”, said that just two days ago his brother had ventured into the deserted area in an effort to do some debushing.Benn said for too long they had been trying to get help from ministry officials, but repeated calls to the various ministries had gone unnoticed.“If we don’t do it, nobody will come and cut this grass for us. As long as they hear Arch Cot, they put you on hold or say they will call you back, but they don’t even take the numbers,” he lamented.Benn said residents in the area were fed up with the area’s bushy state, which had been causing numerous mosquitoes and rodents.“We can’t always be buying Gramoxone and spraying the area. If they [personnel from the relevant ministries] are afraid, we are not afraid. We are willing to get this area cleaned up, just bring the weed whackers and the lawnmowers and we will make Arch Cot decent again,” he urged. (CT)