Two years ago a distraught Cheryl Cozier sought assistance from It Matters To Maria in getting an access road to her home, which was located at the back of Hill Road and Waterhall Land, Bank Hall, St Michael.
She complained that a resident had erected a galvanized fence which had blocked off the only path used by drivers for years to get to the district.
At the time I spoke to then director of the Urban Development Commission, Sarston Lavine, who said he had visited the area and had sought to get the resident who had erected the fence to remove it but to no avail.
He said the structure was “illegal” and pointed out that he would be referring the matter to the Town Planning Department because “if something is not done, that situation can spiral out of control”.
Well, it seems that it has indeed spiralled out of control, because unfortunately Cozier passed away at her home last Tuesday and her grieving relatives are blaming her death on the failure of ambulance personnel to reach her in time because they were unable to access her home.
Fighting back tears, Cozier’s upset daughter Suzanne said she had to run to the “front road” and direct the ambulance. “They were running through the track with the stretcher and oxygen tank in their hand and even that was a struggle and by the time they got here my mother had passed away,” she cried.
The young woman also stated that her mother was physically healthy but was “stressed out” because she was not able to fulfil her dream of rebuilding her dilapidated house because no truck could get into the district to remove her old house and all the boulders under it.
“She cried out to everyone. She brought three parliamentarians down here; she went to the [Urban Development Commission] and Town and Country Planning; and all she got were promises but nobody would not come and help. It hurt me to see what my mother was going through,” she said.
She sadly recalled that on the morning of her death, her mother had left home for work but had only managed to get through the track when she shouted out that she was not feeling well.
Suzanne, who lived next door to her mother, said she ran out of her house and went to her aid.
“She was holding her stomach and telling me that she felt hot and she could not breathe. A neighbour came out and helped me get her into the house where she just lay down on the floor. The neighbour then called the ambulance. I was next to my mother fanning her and the ambulance people called and said they could not find the place and they were driving around Bank Hall trying to find an entrance. I had to run out to the front road and direct them.
“It got me hurt. If vehicles could get through here I?feel my mother would be living,” said Suzanne.
She now hopes that her mother’s death will not be in vain and that the authorities will move swiftly to rectify the situation.
“Since my mother died, my son, who is 11, has had three asthma attacks and I had to rush him to the hospital. My brother is also a very bad asthmatic. The other night I dreamed that a fire was down in here. I?hope it never happens”, she said.
Meanwhile, the woman who erected the galvanized fence said she had not done anything illegal.
Marlene Stuart admitted that she was not on speaking terms with Cozier, who she said was jealous of her when she got the property.
“It is true that vehicles used to drive across here because there was no building on the land but when I got this land I?built my house and put the [galvanized sheets] around my backyard. They were jealous when I?got this land,” she stated.
Stuart also pointed out that her landlord was not the same person who owned the land on which Cozier and about five other people now lived.
“I?left six feet between my land for people to walk and they can also use the road leading from Waterhall Land, where vehicles can drive and park. I?don’t see the problem,” she said.
Owner of the land, Kenneth Griffith while admitting that there was no vehicular access to the houses, said he never intended for houses to be built on his land.
“I?allowed a man who had a business to use my land and after his business folded he asked if I?would allow someone to put a house on it and then people just started coming and asking me to rent them a spot. I?would like the Government to find houses for them so that I?could get back my land,” he said.
