Herstelling residents accuse Trini. Company of damaging roads, noise nuisance

Jun 09, 2021 News

The machinery that parks along the road.

Kaieteur News – Several residents, who reside within First Bridge, Herstelling, New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), are complaining about a Trinidadian construction firm that has been damaging the roads and causing a major disturbance within the community.

Sand at the side of the road.

The state of the road along with the truck in the distance.

A parapet that has been destroyed by the trucks.

The company, “Junior Sammy Guyana Inc.”, has been in operation since last year, but has been conducting routine work in the area for the last three months, according to the residents. One of the residents, who spoke to Kaieteur News, stated that he has had to spend over $300,000 to reinforce his home, due to the frequent passing of the company’s sand trucks which he says caused cracking in his house.
He stated that other houses in the community suffered similar damage and also needed to be reinforced. The residents stated that they contacted the Little Diamond/Herstelling National District Council (NDC) about the situation but was told that the area is yet to be handed over by the Ministry of Housing to the NDC; hence, the Council was unable to intervene. They were reportedly informed that in order for the area to be handed over to the NDC, it would have to be populated over 75%.
Kaieteur News understands that the residents also contacted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and explained the current situation to them. Officials from EPA reportedly visited the area and took complaints, but there has so far been no follow up from the agency, while the company still carries out its activities. The residents said that the company is now beginning to store raw materials such as sand and stone at the front of their homes.
One of the persons who spoke to this paper complained that his daughter, who is preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary School Examination, is having a hard time studying because of the amount of noise the trucks emit. The man also stated that the diesel fuel is also an issue, because he would have to inhale it whenever the trucks are being refueled since he lives next to where the trucks are parked.
The residents told this publication that they made several attempts to speak to the employees of the company about the amount of damages and discomfort they are currently going through, but have seen no changes in the company’s activities.