Story and photos by Shabna Ullah
Mathews Ridge, North West District with its hills, mountains and pristine rainforest is magnificent, its people are friendly and hospitable, but the community has a common problem – the state of its main road.
Large trucks, residents said, contribute to the destruction of the road but they are aware that there is no other way to transport goods and fuel to the community.
The deplorable road is suitable mostly for 4×4 trucks and all-terrain vehicles (ATV).
As we left the airstrip, it appeared as though it would be smooth sailing, but less than quarter of a mile away reality struck. We encountered a section where we thought the minibus we were travelling in would have never made it through. We were even more disheartened when the driver informed us that it would be like this “right through.” However, we eventually made it safely to Hell Hill without being stuck.
As we stood on the road in front of the Shell Nic, Nell Hotel, a resident told us, “Over here is Hell Hill and over there is Heaven Hill,” referring to two sections of the community.
One man explained that Heaven Hill was named for residents who had biblical names while Hell Hill was named for the rowdy and aggressive people who moved into the area.
Onika Anessa Smithet is employed at the hotel that is owned by Lloyd La Cruz, who also operates a
