This house in Cold Spring, St. James, is coming apart at the seams after heavy rains and soil erosion have taken their toll. - photo by Tennesia Malcolm

COLD SPRING, St. James:

Zelia Waite has occupied her home in Cold Spring, St. James, for 26 years and her husband, Alphonso, 14 years before. There is no doubt they had envisioned living out their golden years together there, but their dreams have now been literally eroded.

The problem of soil erosion, after winning its 25-year battle against the roadway, has now begun to take its toll on the house.

Following Hurricane Dean and subsequent heavy rains, the roadway has completely broken away. That which was once the main thoroughfare from Elderslie in St. Elizabeth to Montego Bay now lies a mere overgrown path with its major distinction being a gaping crater. That crater has forced persons living in the ageing community of Cold Spring to abandon all vehicular transport in favour of long walks home, the trek rendered all the more treacherous with the lack of proper street lights.

The elderly, who form the nucleus of the community, live in constant fear of becoming seriously ill as there is no way out.

Immediate danger

But for the Waites, the situation presents immediate danger as they are confined to one room, a safe haven, which they hope will stand should the rest of the house collapse in the middle of the night.

"We called the National Works Agency (NWA) and they came and placed boulders there," explained Mrs. Waite. But to no avail, as these too have begun the downward trek with trees that once stood across the street from the Waites.

Those now lie a few chains away in a newly enlarged gully.

A representative of the NWA, identifying himself as Mr. Clare, confirmed that they were aware of the situation, but claimed it was like "a waste of time".

It's a long-standing problem. We've been there over and over packing boulders in the road, but it just keeps slipping." The last time they did this was two months ago.

In the meantime, Mrs. Waite expects the worst for herself and her ailing husband, and is pleading for help as she fears she will be forced to leave her home.

"I don't even know of any new developments going on now. There's nowhere to go," she said worriedly.

And then there is the financial strain of having to repair the dwelling each time it gets damaged.

"This is the third veranda we've built recently, as each time the road breaks away, it takes the veranda with it." A retaining wall that was there has also disappeared.

But, according to the NWA representative, the Government agency is also feeling the pinch.

Mr. Clare explained that the use of boulders was just a temporary measure and a costly one at that, as they spend at least $800,000 to rebuild the road each time it collapses. A more permanent solution would run the works agency's bill into millions of dollars.

Evacuate the area

This permanent solution, the works agency spokesperson explained, would involve excavating the area and laying pipes to redirect water from a spring which is allegedly causing the slippage. Then reconstruction work would have to begin from the ravine upwards, a fact confirmed by the Public Defender to whom Mrs. Waite also made representation.

"We gather from the NWA that they are dealing with it," Earl Witter, Public Defender, disclosed.

In the interim, the Waites watch helplessly as their home goes to waste before their very eyes, hoping the next heavy downpour will not mean total destruction.

The Gleaner has since learned that the Waites' veranda, their fourth, has completely broken away and the house's electrical system has become compromised.

- Tennesia Malcolm