– Residents protest dust pollution from incomplete Dennis Street works

By Alva Solomon

DURING rush hour traffic on Tuesday morning, residents of ‘C’ Field, Sophia placed several discarded materials — including old chairs, tyres, wood and drums — across a section of the Dennis Street roadway, restricting the flow of traffic from both ends as they cited dust pollution caused by incomplete works on the dry roadway.Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, told this newspaper at the scene that the ministry is undertaking infrastructural works to the roadway, and a foundation issue is being rectified. “So works have been temporarily halted”, she explained.

Works to the entrance of Dennis Street, near the Sophia Exhibition complex, were undertaken earlier in the year.

Ferguson said the residents are not against development of the road, but are negatively affected by the dust which emanates from the thoroughfare, especially whenever vehicles traverse at a fast rate; therefore they are protesting the dusty conditions.

She said the contractor was in the process of sourcing water from one of the canals in the area to wet the roadway. “It’s just to wet it, so the dust would not be so heavy”, she explained.

‘C’ Field resident Mr. Fortune noted that the dust has been affecting him for almost a month now. He said his bedroom is filled with dust, and he rubbed his hand against his bed frame then opened it to show the amount of dust it had collected.

Another resident, Christine, said that works to the road started early in May and the dust began to affect residents shortly after. “We started on Sunday [protesting], and Minister [David] Patterson went in and spoke to the residents, and he promised that vehicles will go into there to wet the road”, Christine said. The roadway was wet soon after, she said, but the dusty situation returned on Tuesday.

Several policemen were in evidence as numerous young men and women stood around and vehemently disallowed vehicles from passing the blocked section of the roadway. Minibus traffic to other sections of the area and to the East Coast of Demerara had to be rerouted through Sophia.

Several officials, including Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry, visited the Sophia residents on Tuesday morning to ascertain the extent of the situation.
A request was made for the Guyana Fire Service to wet the roadway, and Minister Ferguson said she was advised by her technical team that work on the roadway should be completed within another two and a half weeks.