Residents of Lower Fort Road and adjacent areas have united to address matters of concern in their community relating to its upliftment and the safety, health, and well-being of its members.
The catalyst for this is the recent appearance of two chattel houses on the main road leading to Fort James, a heavily trafficked tourist route. This has shocked the public and alarmed the residents. Enquiries indicate that the houses allegedly have been moved there as part of the relocation of Booby Alley residents to accommodate the government’s modernisation and beautification of the Lower North Street/Pointe Area, given its proximity to the new tourism cruise port.
Regrettably, the residents of Lower Fort Road and adjacent areas, many of whom have resided in the area for several decades and have vested interests as property owners, have never been consulted on the government’s intentions for the area. Over the past few years, the government has implemented a housing development in the area. When concerns have arisen leading to formal queries by individuals and groups, the response received from the authorities has primarily been silence.
The residents of Lower Fort Road and its environs appreciate the importance of improving The Pointe area and empathize with its residents for the unimaginable stress and upheaval that relocating has caused them. However, the question must be asked, should the government seek to rectify the issue by creating a problem in another community?
In a letter dated May 27th, 2023, and addressed to the community’s two Parliamentary Representatives the Prime Minister, Mr. Gaston Browne, and Mr. Charles Fernandez, the Minister of Health, Mr. Molwyn Joseph and the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda, residents laid out their concerns. They noted that the chattel houses lack acceptable standards for modern sewage disposal and do not conform to decades-old standards related to residential housing in the area. Residents are concerned that with no adherence to basic health and building standards not only will the health of the community be threatened, but also the property values of residents’ homes would be at stake. Additionally, the government’s housing project in the area, has left litter strewn on the sides of the roads and waterways clogged with material. Overall, there has been a general decline in aesthetics, issues relating to noise pollution and an increase in untidiness, including the poor storage of construction materials. Unfortunately, the Development Control Authority (DCA) whose remit it is to address many of these matters, appears to lack the ability to do so.
Residents’ alarm and concern over the manner in which the government is handling matters in their community is clear. A petition signed by over 40 members of the area (Lower Fort Road, Old Runway, Dry Hill, and Villa Area) was included with the letter submitted to the two Parliamentary
Representatives, the Minister of Health, and the Cabinet. The petition asks for the decision to relocate chattel houses into the community to be rescinded.
Residents envisage the Lower Fort Road neighbourhood as a model, admirable community en-route to the historic and popular Fort James Beach. A request has been made for the authorities to meet with the community to discuss its concerns, share ideas and plans, and arrive at solutions acceptable to all parties. To date, as in the past, there has been no response from the government to the letter, the Petition, or the request to meet.
In the meantime, community members have embarked on developing a Neighbourhood Watch to address increasing break-ins and robberies in the area, as well as enhancement and beautification initiatives for the neighbourhood. Persons interested in learning more and/or supporting the community can email: [email protected].
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