Where and to Whom in Barbados can a Barbadian Black man from the blue collar working class (now an old age pensioner) complain to and seek redress from, pertaining to illegal actions by a White British ex-pat who in 2002 created a private road across, within and along a watercourse bed.
Even if such actions were carried-out with permission from the then BLP Minister of MTW, the procedures were still wrongful and illegal to effectively block an essential part of a watercourse. This means that the Minister of MTW, would have had to an abetor to an obvious violation of the Barbados “Prevention of Floods Act Cap 235”. Due to the fact, that the private road created the conditions that caused recurring rainfall run-off to redirect from an original course to my home, caused damages to my property and forced me to make some changes to prevent rainfall run-off from entering my home which is situated South-West of the illegally altered watercourse. From 2004 all of my legitimate Complaints and pleas to Officials at MTW&M for a remedy to the created at risk flooding situation are still persistently disregarded not only by prolonged inaction to remedying, also the relentless discriminatory manner that showed favouritism towards the White Ex-pat.
BLP, and DLP Government Ministers at the Ministry of Transport, Works and maintenance (MTW&M) who are entrusted with the authority under the “Prevention of Floods Act Cap 235” as it pertains to watercourses – Top Public Servants at MTW&M in general who never ever showed the courtesy of acknowledging a letter of complaint far less responding, and in particular MTW&M Chief Technical Officers who are entrusted with responsibility for the correct functioning of watercourses.
The named persons below have contributed to relentless discrimination against this Barbadian Black man exposed to the risk of flooding situation by Top Technical Officers, CTOs Frank Thornhill, and Nash Lovell. The Present Deputy CTO Philip Tudor, who would have acted as CTO at times, and CTO Cheryl Bennett-Inniss. The Ministers, Hon. Gline Clarke, John Boyce, Michael Lashley. The present Hon Minister Dr. William Duguid The Top Public servants, PS Bruce Alleyne, and acting PS Simone Rudder. The present PS Mark Cummins.
MTW CTO Frank Thornhill and Deputy CTO Philip Tudor to whom I complained and pleaded over the years, acknowledged and stated that the private road is the cause of at risk flooding. They confirmed the road contravened the “Prevention Of Floods Act Cap 235”. The CTO is entrusted with the duty to carry-out the necessary flood work to remedy such at risk flooding situations. That said, CTO and Deputy CTO, Officially verbally pledged to remove the boulders and restore the watercourse. Yet those two top Technical Officers reneged on their pledges to carry-out the functions of their responsibility clearly stipulated by the “Prevention Of Floods Act Cap 235”.
After enduring, all the unfairness and discrimination against this Black community by the last DLP government, I was looking forward to the new seemingly improved BLP government to do the right thing. Before the 2018 General Election, I sent an email to MP. Symmonds reminding him of the worsening situation at the watercourse, that email was copied to non other than the now, Hon. Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley who quickly replied. She asked for more information on the matter, (which was forwarded) and made promises to address the at risk flooding situation if successful at the polls. She also asked to support Kerrie. MP Kerrie Symmonds response to the email was to contact me. He visited and made overworked promises, that he is “still trying” to get a remedy to the watercourse. He reinforced that promise with another visit to inform me that he and Mia visited where the watercourse is altered and they agreed to prioritize the fixing of the flooding situation if successful in wining the Government. He also used that 5 yearly visit to promised other Residents affected by the at risk flooding in Clarkes Road.
One year after the BLP 30-0 victory at the polls, the Hon. Kerrie Symmonds clearly resumed his purported representation of the Black Residents of Clarke’s Road. When I called upon the Hon Minister, the Minister stated he is “still trying” to get the much needed remedying to the watercourse. When reminded that he was seeking a remedy from 2006, Minister Symmonds took cover by stating that Barbados is financially embarrassed, the public Officers are not well equipped, and “if I continue my agitation in public”, it will not advance a remedy, he said, it actually makes it harder for him to get Public Officers to work towards remedying the watercourse.
How much equipping the Public Officers need “other than integrity”. The CTO of MTW&M is entrusted with the legal responsibility to carry-out, authorize the Deputy CTO or Officers to Carry-out the functions of the clearly spelled-out stipulations of “The prevention Of Floods Act Cap 235”, pertaining to the White British Ex-pat clear contravened actions, that altered, and placed the private road across, within and along a watercourse in 2002.
The Hon. Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, seems not to have the need now to show the respect of replying to this Barbadian Black man, as she did before the 2018 general Election, far less intervening.
Alden Blackman
Resident of Clarke’s Road, St. James.
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