Ham Walk the forgotten community

The soothing sounds of the Rio Cobre don’t mask the distress of residents of Ham Walk in Riverside, St Catherine, who have lost sections of their cherished homes to the turbulent flow of the river when it is in spate.

In the midst of a peaceful community with scenic views of hilly terrain are locals like Sandrae Williams and Trudy Ann Stewart, who have had first-hand experience of how dangerous the roaring river can be, especially during the Atlantic hurricane season which runs from June to November.

Enormous boulders have blocked the river’s exit.

Williams said this has contributed to more frequent and devastating floods, diverting the course of the river into neighbouring yards and homes.

“When the water wash down the debris, it get stuck between the stone and pack up the water,” he told The Gleaner, pointing to massive rocks that have fallen from the hillside.

According to Williams, the debris is washed down from two rivers flowing through the towns of Pear Tree Grove and Golden Grove before merging at that point.

Because of this, persistent flooding which is experienced after days, or sometimes a week of rain, has caused Williams to relocate to the other side of the road, a proven safer spot for now.

At nightfall, the experience becomes more terrifying, said Williams, with residents sometimes awakening to high levels of floodwater in their homes.

“Imagine 12 o’clock at night you sleeping and you find yourself a wet up in your own bed,” he remarked, expressing that his neighbour’s house was also affected by water damage. The old man who once resided there has also had to leave the waterlogged board structure.

Stewart, who lives with her two children and her elderly disabled mother who is ailing with type 2 diabetes, has also suffered greatly from the ordeal. This has resulted in many of her and her family’s belongings being swept away by the river.

“Mattress gone, a lot of things we lose,” she said.

Now she lives in a rented home, as her house, located less than a minute down the road from her current location, has become uninhabitable. This has now caused Stewart to incur more costs as she and other residents have been forced to seek safety and shelter elsewhere.

“I want to live in my own home!” she exclaimed.

Residents say that St Catherine North East Member of Parliament (MP) Kerensia Morrison has not assisted in getting the boulders removed. In her last visit, locals said, Morrison informed them that she would report the issue to the relevant authorities.

Approximately three months later, no help has come to the steep roads of the seemingly forgotten community to remove the boulders and assist affected families.

“The MP did come and look and tek picture,” said Stewart.

Morrison has not responded to questions from The Gleaner sent in October.

asha.wilks@gleanerjm.com