Copyright jamaica-gleaner
As dark clouds gathered over Bull Bay, St Andrew, several residents in flood-prone communities refused to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Melissa, insisting they would weather the storm from their homes despite government warnings. On Saturday, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie urged residents in vulnerable communities, such as Taylor Land in Bull Bay, Rocky Point in Clarendon, Port Royal, and New Haven to evacuate immediately, warning that the government may move to implement mandatory evacuations. The minister said he would be seeking approval from the prime minister based on recommendations from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM). However, when The Gleaner visited Taylor Land on Sunday, many residents were unmoved. “Nobody naa move,” declared Kayode Mothersill, who was seen exiting his car outside his gate. “Normally the elderly dem would go, but from morning mi nuh see no bus.” Mothersill, who lives with his grandfather, uncle, and nephew, said he felt safe because the Chalky River, which often floods during heavy rain, was recently cleared. “From inna the week, dem have tractor a clean out the gully, so we nuh have no major problem,” he explained. Having lived there all his life, he recalled only one major flood during Hurricane Ivan. He added that no one had visited the community to issue an evacuation warning “If anything serious happen, mi just jump inna the car and drive dem out,” he said, noting that he had just returned from the gas station where he filled his tank. Two women nearby also said they intended to stay put, trusting in God for protection. “We are just hoping for the best,” one of them said, adding that once the gully is clean they will likely be safe. SCEPTICAL ABOUT SHELTERS They were, however, sceptical about the state of the shelters. “Where the shelter deh?” one woman asked. In Weise Road, a neighbouring community perched directly beside the gully, and more prone to flooding, residents expressed greater concern. They feared that only minimal cleaning had been done. “If dem did clean the gully, we wouldn’t need fi fret,” one man said, while urging the team to look for themselves. Despite their fears, most residents said they would not leave their homes unattended. “We can’t leave, through the storm we just a go deh a watch the gully,” said Sushana, who lives on the gully bank with her mother, who has one leg. “Nobody naa sleep, ’cause the gully have a way fi sing when it rise,” she added. “We no worry ‘bout storm surges, we worry bout de gully,” Nish added. Meanwhile, in downtown Kingston, the mood was mixed. A few vendors were seen trying to sell off their produce before the storm. “Mi drop di price from $500 to $400 fi try get rid a di tomato dem before dem spoil,” one vendor said. On Darling Street, barber Vivian Andrews continued business as usual, grooming customers as the rains loomed. “It’s my day-to-day activity and every Sunday mi open,” he said. Andrews added that he planned to ride out the storm in his barbershop, confident that the structure was strong enough and unwilling to leave his valuables behind. Along King Street, a few homeless residents sat under the corridor of the new court building. Many said they preferred to stay put rather than go to shelters, citing poor conditions and safety concerns. “Me nuh like man and woman a mix up, and nuff a the man dem a thief and rapist,” whispered Audrey, 57, who lives on Orange Street. “Mi prefer stay a mi place.” Sherry, 61, who has lived on the street for a decade, agreed. “Dem no have no bed inna the shelter, and mi naa go in deh wid di man dem and dem nuh clean and smell bad,” she said. “Me like people wey smell fresh and clean.” Both women said they plan to find other accommodations if the storm comes. The men shared similar views, stating that poor hygiene and overcrowding were the reasons they stayed away. tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com
