Family lives in fear of large tree falling on house

The members believe constant rains will bring the tree, loosening soil and shrubs down on the house due to poor water run-off.

When Newsday visited the home yesterday, some of the family members said they had not slept since Monday because of the worrying situation. The home has eight people with three being children.

One family member, Jerome Neptune said, “As the rain comes there could be further landslides.” Dion Rogers, another family member, said he too did not sleep as he was worried of another possible landslide bringing the tree down on the house.

Althea Norman says the problem has been like this for the last five years with each year becoming “progressively worse.” She said the family has made numerous calls and visits to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) which, through the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, came to cut down one of the trees but was told by tenants residing on the adjacent property that they did not want them on their property. One tree was cut down but the others were not.

“This is dangerous to life and property,” Norman said.

The family has once again reported the matter to the ODPM which said the corporation was responsible for removing the tree.

However, when the corporation was contacted via telephone in Newsday’s presence, an official said to Norman that he was unable to send a worker out as it would be a risk to the worker’s life. Norman was advised if she was willing to pay someone to do it, then the corporation could assist.

Norman said the family’s next step is to apply for a grant to construct a retaining wall.

ODPM’s relief officer Capt Neville Wint told Newsday the matter was a local government issue.