The yard at Lot 15 Delph Street, Campbellville, where octogenarian Celestine Neils has resided for more than 30 years, has turned into a pool of filth, which she believes is caused by the city’s poor maintenance of the alleyway located behind her.
Planks placed along the walkway to the house, which is located at the back of the lot, lead the way into the now permanently waterlogged yard, where moss has made its home along the concrete-built yard, and where even the fish seem to have found a place.
It was the only yard observed in the surroundings that was flooded when Stabroek News visited yesterday. The gully, located in the backyard, which is intended to drain excess water, leads straight to the alleyway, which is currently overgrown with vegetation.
Neils said that the yard has been that way since local government elections last year and according to
the 86-year-old, the alley has not been cleaned in 13 years and the yard, consequently, has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Neils stated that she made three visits to the City Engineer’s Depart-ment about the situation and was told someone would come to look into the matter, but no one has done so yet. She said that even with local government elections being held, she is unaware of who is in charge of her constituency and, therefore, who her concerns should be taken to.
“I know with local government people must come around and see, nobody ain’ come. I ain’ know who representing me. I don’t know who to go to,” Neils stated. “I can’t get them fuh dig the alley, I don’t know why they won’t dig the alley. Thirteen years it ain’ dig,” the woman added, while emphasising that the water is “not moving,” and alluding to the fact that the conditions will only worsen if, by chance, it rained later yesterday.
