Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor
Left: Hugh Johnson, businessman of Cave Valley in St. Ann is worried that the area will flood if blocked sections of the riverbed are not cleared.
Right:
From the police station on the hill, Cave Valley sits silently below. Flood waters rose from Hurricane Ivan rose to the height of the Texaco sign and Mr. Johnson's second storey building on the adjoining complex. Post Ivan recovery is still to materialise. - PHOTOS BY IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE SMALL community of Cave Valley in St. Ann has not been the same since Hurricane Ivan swept through in 2004. Back in 2004 when Lifestyle visited the flood ravaged town, Hugh Johnson of H&M Cash and Carry was in the process of clearing away all his $10 million investment that had been reduced to mud.
People had arrived in droves by boat to see the devastation. Water rose to a foot above the floor of his second storey building.
When we spoke to Mr. Johnson, who also operated the Texaco gas station in the square he said all four pumps had been put out of service.
Three weeks ago, when Lifestyle re-visited Cave Valley, we saw a town that looked a shadow of its former self. H&M Cash and Carry was closed and Mr. Johnson did not exhibit the optimism he showed in 2004 after the flood.
"We have still not recovered from Hurricane Ivan; we did some renovation to the building, but I had financial problems because it required more money that I had in mind to spend. I am now planning to switch to a more lucrative business. with staff," Mr. Johnson said.
INSURANCE INSPECTOR
From his small restaurant next to the empty wholesale, Mr. Johnson said the insurance inspectors did not arrive at his place till November 2004. The flood took place in August of that year. By then he had repainted the place. The gas station was back in operation in November, but he is now feeling the impact and having not accessed the financing necessary to get back on his feet.
With the hurricane season upon us, Lifestyle asked Mr. Johnson if the community feared a repeat of the disaster.
"It could happen again. The area where the river sinks has not been cleared and the disaster preparedness people have done nothing about it. The river starts in Aenon Town and ends at the bridge in Cave Valley at Bog Hole. If the course is cleared, we might not have a problem but it is now dammed. They have to move fast," he said, adding that grown men who live in Cave Valley now, remember when they could walk through the blocked area as little boys because it was free of debris.
Since Hurricane Ivan, business people in Cave Valley who experienced its wrath, scurry to move whatever goods they have to higher ground at the first threat of heavy rains. Barclay Brown, a hardware dealer, now carries very little stock in his store. He showed the Lifestyle team the height that the water reached in 2004.
NO MONEY
"I had no insurance so there was no money to get back on my feet. I lost most of my inventory. I had hoped to refinance the business but loans are too expensive," he said. But he also pointed out that financial agencies do not view them kindly and Government assistance to affected persons in Cave Valley was a meagre $7,500. He lost over $800,000 worth of goods at a time when he had just computerised his system and bought a large quantity of cement.
For this hurricane season Mr. Brown plans to elevate his stock at the threat of rain. "We will track the speed of any new hurricane because the longer it stays over an area, the more rain we get," he said.
The entire community now lives on high alert and at the first sign of rain, begin to pack valuables up.
And as for Mr. Johnson, he is disappointed that some of the dealers he did business with did not keep their promise of debt relief. Neither did banks offer much help.
"The $7,500 was a joke and insuring the buildings in this area is like putting comprehensive coverage on an old car."
