Vessigny under dust curfew

The dust, the parents said, is caused by excavation work on the Union Industrial Estate for the proposed location of the Alutrint Aluminium Complex. Dust raised by trucks carting away the soil is also adding to the problem, residents said.

The situation is so bad that residents said they were living under a virtual dust curfew in that if they want to be safe from the dust, they have no choice but to stay indoors and seal all spaces of their doors and windows.

Yesterday, scores of residents braved the hot midday sun to gather at Square Deal Junction where they protested their “dusty” experience, which they say was bordering on “barbarism.”

They claimed the dust was causing them, their children and animals (domestic and livestock) to fall ill. Affected resident Patricia Quashie, 38, a mother of eight and grandmother of three, complained to Newsday that a lot of money was being spent on doctor’s fees for medical treatment.

“The dust affecting us badly. All the time I have to go to the private doctor or the hospital to seek medical attention,” she moaned.

Living with her in the house are her seven-month pregnant daughter Alana Quashie and her grandchildren whose ages range from three months to one year.

The residents all said the dust left them choking and suffering from asthma attacks, fever, nasal congestions and other afflictions.

When Newsday visited the area yesterday, a dust cloud had enveloped the area and several persons were seen with their entire bodies covered as they tried to prevent the dust from getting to their skin, eyes, ears, nose and mouth.

They later told Newsday that this is the normal apparel for villages as they go out into the street to carry out their daily routines.

Kurt Nathaniel said the dust problem began two months ago when excavation work commenced at the site. “We have to go through this everyday, Monday to Sunday, from about 7 am to 6 pm.

We are disgusted and fed up and our health is the biggest concern in our minds at this present time,” Nathaniel said.

He added that for the past few weeks residents were forced to block their windows to their homes, keep their doors closed and try to seal every available space.

Nathaniel claimed that several reports were made to the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the La Brea Industrial Development Company (LABIDCO) about the problem, but he added that nothing was done to alleviate the problem.

“No one from the EMA or LABIDCO ever came to us to enquire about what we’re experiencing or how this experience has impacted our lives. I am saddened by that. Our children’s lives are at stake,” Nathaniel said.

Another resident, Elizabeth Hannaway yesterday complained that the excavation works were destroying her house. “The foundation cracking along with the walls and the ground. Just now I might not have a house to live in,” she said.

When contacted yesterday, EMA corporate communications officer Kirk Jean Baptiste promised to look into the residents’ complaints and promised to send EMA officials to the area for an on-site assessment.

LABIDCO coordinator Michael Roberts told Newsday the company was aware of the situation and assured that the dust issue was being looked into.

“We have people working on the dust situation. We have told the contractors to have the site watered as often as possible, so the dust level would be controlled. We are very sensitive to the situation and we are doing our best in having it controlled,” he said.