The gully behind Lydgia Davis' house in Vineyard Town, Kingston. - Norman Grindley

AS PART of our mission to be the People's Paper, THE WEEKEND STAR has been highlighting problem areas across the island. Our reporter, Carolyn Johnson, along with photographer Norman Grindley, will focus on a particular area until the problem is fixed. We will then have a rough idea of how long the relevant authorities take to deal with some of the problems affecting our country.

Having survived Tropical Storm Gustav, we are left with many roads in desperate need of repair, gullies to be cleaned and drains to be cleared. We do hope the National Works Agency (NWA) and the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation will work quickly to get these done.

But while they address these issues, Ms Lydgia Davis, continues to struggle. Last month we met Davis and her family who live in Vineyard Town, Kingston. They have been living at the mercy of a gully since 2005 as during the heavy rains in that year, the wall, that had separated her yard from the gully, was washed away. All that remains is a large hole through which water and debris wash up into her yard, now an extension of the gully, threatening to wash her out.

Really bad

This almost happened during Tropical Storm Gustav two weeks ago. "Water come in. We sweep water till we weak. It was really bad cuz all the drum outside it wash wey, it (the water) come up really bad, it come up all on the verandah. Supposed yu see how much a me land wash wey gone," Davis said. "But a de neighbour me sorry fa, dem get it worse tru dem inna di deep corner. De furniture jus a float pon di water in the house. Everyday dem haffi a sun dem mattress".

Frustrated

Davis said she is tired and frustrated by the situation as it seems nothing is being done. "Every minute you see somebody jus a look and a write down, jus a look an a write down. The amount a people wey jus a come and measure," she said sounding upset.

The last THE STAR heard from the NWA, was that an estimate was currently being prepared. With the recent storm, however, and further damage, we fear that the estimate may again be delayed.