27 March 2019.
Hon. Mia Mottley, QC., M.P
Prime Minister
Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment
Government Headquarters
Bay St, St. Michael
Dear, Hon. Prime Minister
I have refrained in the past years from seeking a political intervention at the highest. But must do so now.
Hon. Prime Minister, I am requesting your intervention for an urgent rectification of a dangerous situation which was caused by a the construction of an illegal botched road within and across a natural watercourse above the residential area of Clarke’s Road, St. James where the BLACKman and black residents reside. That occurred in 2002 under a former B.L.P Government.
I will outline two main reasons for requesting your intervention upfront, the other reasons will become apparent.
- The fact that a remedy is yet, to be carry out by the Chief Technical Officer of M.T.W, who has the authority to do so.
- The political efforts in 2006-8 of B.L.P, M.P for St. James Central, The Hon. Minister Mr. Kerrie Symmonds, apparently failed, or was hindered from obtaining a remedy to the dangerous situation on behalf of his constituents, by 2008.
Hon. Prime Minister, I am very familiar with this location from 1978. And lived here since 1982, the top of dead-end Clarke’s Road, adjacent to a Natural Watercourse. This said course is situated between Chapel Gap and Clarke’s Road. The course was deep, never overflowed, during the mention times. Therefore, no foreseeable flooding risk. There was never vehicular traffic through public or private road from Appleby or Chapel Gap to or across the said watercourse.
Then in 2002, a British ex-pat White person by the name of Pat Brayshaw, appeared with the services of heavy equipment, took the liberty to go from Appleby, across an open lot of an absentee land owner, and wrongfully altered the natural watercourse, by leveling both edges thereby creating a path/road across the said course, to her lot on the north.
Later in 2002, Pat Brayshaw commissioned further significant wrongful alterations, to the said watercourse, by placing boulders within, and along the land mark centre, that narrowed the course, for a built-up increase of level land to joined the across path/road, thereby creating a wrongful private botch road, from Appleby, across the said absentee lot, across and within said watercourse, to Chapel Gap, vice versa. Thereby, causing the first flooding, I witness in my years of knowing this watercourse.
Hon. Prime Minister, Due to the proximity of my home, below the wrongful altered course, the results from recurring flooding caused severed damages to my surrounding, and caused me to made several changes to my home.
I complained verbally to the Drainage Unit in 2003, an Officer by the name of Mr. Dawe visited the site, and in conversation, said the encroachment is illegal, he will report to Drainage Director. I found out he never reported, when I went to the Drainage Unit Office almost a year later.
With information from a Mr. Charles Yearwood of the said Drainage Office. In which he said, Drainage does not have the Equipment to removed the boulders or restore the course. Mr. Yearwood directed me to M.T.W, D.C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor and in our telephone conversation of my complaint and pleading for a remedy. Mr. Tudor said, what was done to the watercourse is illegal. He promised to have the boulders removed and the course restored, Nothing happened.
I then turned to M.T.W, C.T.O, Frank Thornhill who (almost) recited, what Mr. Tudor said of the situation and the actions that will be taken. The almost, is that Mr. Thornhill is the Chief Technical Officer. The promised actions of both top Technical Officers have not yet, materialized.
Hon. Prime Minister, The dangerous situation at the water-course became worse due to an obvious biased. Arthur’s Construction, wrongfully placed BWA pipes into a part of my adjacent backyard that was eroded by redirected spread flooding, from the illegal road within, and across the course. For two purposes ( 1 ) To save company cost of cutting track. ( 2 ) To ensured the wrongful private botch road, probably built by the said company in 2002 remained. As a result of those unjustly actions, combined with the inactions to, and overlooking of, the dangerous situation by M.T.W, C.T.O. Mr. Frank Thornhill and D.C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor. The Black Residents had to endured the results of Clarke’s Road becoming the new watercourse
In late 2006 I asked Mr. Roy Morris of the Nation newspaper, to highlight my plight, due to Pat Brayshaw wrongful created dangerous encroachment, and the shoddy job of Arthur’s Construction. From what Mr. Morris saw, and his investigation, he published an article “St. James man fearing the worst” in The Nation on 26 October 2006. I was then enlighten years after making verbal complaints, that an Official of the Ministry, said Mr. Blackman must make an Official complaint in writing.
After that, I made written and verbal complaints, requesting a remedy to the said dangerous situation. Only to be completely ignored, by M.T.W, C.T.O, Thornhill and D.C.T.O Tudor who reneged on all verbally made pledges of remedying the watercourse. No verbal or written reason given.
One response came from the Ministry of Environment and Drainage in 2015, informing me that the authority in the “prevention of floods Act Cap 235 section 6B and 7” to carry out remedy of watercourses, lies with the C.T.O of M.T.W.
The Nation Newspaper published two other articles highlighting the dangerous situation in the watercourse. The last article by Ms. Maria Bradshaw highlighted the November 2016 flooding in Clarkes Road, that caused damages to residents.
The widely read Barbados Underground that brings news and opinions to the people (which certain people want to hide) highlighted this dangerous situation in many articles over the years. But, M.T.W, Two Top Technical Officers continued inaction to the caused, and ignoring the plights of Black Residents in Clarke’s Road
As if the continued inaction to the cause was not enough. M.T.W said Top Technical Officers apparent biases escalated to discriminatory assisting in the upkeep of this wrongful created private botch road, leading up to the 2013 General Election. Tasked M.T.W. work men paved the said illegal private road. Blatantly supervised by the then D.L.P, M.P for St James Central. Mr. George Hutson.
I email a letter requesting an urgent rectification of said wrongful dangerous situation, to our new Minister of Transport, Works and Maintenance, Dr. Hon. William Duguid, J.P MP.( I thank him for his quick reply) on 24, Feb 2019 he stated, “I have asked for a Town Planning Enforcement notice, that is the first stage”.
Hon. Prime Minister, M.T.W, D.C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor email me for the first time in 15+years about a comment I made on Face- Book about his inaction to the watercourse situation. He stated on 20, Feb 2019 “As I had mentioned to you at a site meeting sometime ago, this matter was referred to the chief Town Planner whose agency is responsible for issuing enforcement notices. Please note that no demolition of this structure in St. James. could have been carried out by the Ministry of Transport and Work without the prior authorization of Town and Country Planning Department. To-date we Have received no such authorization. I will however contact the Chief Town Planner in an effort to see if this situation can be remedied before the 2019 hurricane season”.
Hon. Prime Minister, Certainly, with all due respect, this wrongful created dangerous situation, is deserving of much more attention, than a 14 worded statement, from the Hon. Minister Duguid (due to the fact that Town and Country Planning, has nothing to do with an encroached within and across the watercourse. More so, is Mr. Philip Tudor confusing email.
Hon. Prime Minister, with further due respect, questions must be ask. Please allowed an endurer of the dangerous situation. This 67 year old Poor Black Barbadian man who went to a Primary School, and Hard-Work-Low-Wage University. To ask.
Did M.T.W, CTO Frank Thornhill or D.C.T.O, Mr. Philip Tudor, seek Town and Country Planning authorization, to removed or demolished the boulders, after It was brought to they attention, and a formal verbal pledges made to remedy and restored the watercourse in 2004. If not, why not ?
Who or what hindered, Hon. Minister Kerrie Symmonds during 2006-2008 from obtaining a remedy to the said dangerous situation, that caused flooding in a part of his constituency ?.
Why did M.T.W, maintained the said wrongful private botch road across, within, and along the centre of a watercourse, leading up to 2013 General Election, despite the fact that from 2002, the said road caused flooding in The Black Residential Area of Clarke’s Road?
Who at M.T.W, authorized the asphalt paving of the said wrongful Private Road, who pay the cost?
Hon Prime Minister, I have never met Mr. Philip Tudor. The email is his effort to cover-up the reneging, ignoring, overlooking, and inaction to the dangerous situation, and the plights of the Black Residents, Mr Tudor forgot the blatant discriminatory assistance to the wrongful private botch road, that caused the dangerous situation, was from M.T.W. Top Technical Officers and others concerted corruption, especially within the years of 2008-2018 that enable said dangerous situation to remained.
The last 15+years, of this case the apparent inactions by the said Top Technical Officers, have come to the point, where they inactions to the wrongdoing that destroyed a part of the once natural watercourse, are as callous as the perpetrators. But, to allowed and assisted in the upkeep of a wrongful created dangerous situation, that continued to pose a serious threat to the Black Barbadian Residential Area of Clarkes Road. Is atrocious
Hon. Prime Minister, there is a need for an urgent justly intervention, attention, and rectification of this wrongful created dangerous situation, Please have it righted, and send a clear message that wrongdoing of any kind. must cease in Barbados.
I thank you, God bless you Prime Minister.
Your faithfully,
Alden Blackman
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