The New Amsterdam Town Council is calling on citizens to be vigilant after several recent incidents of vandalism, including the destruction of the unused $19.2M abattoir.
At a recent press briefing, Mayor Claude Henry said the washroom facilities at the Esplanade Play Park have been vandalised and announced that that the facility has been closed to undergo repairs. The Kiddie Corner at the park is currently being rehabilitated by Digicel. However, persons have been scaling the fence and destroying the play area that has been designed for exercise and recreation activities.
The fence at the Burnham Park has also been destroyed. The once popular park had hosted a Chinese acrobatic delegation and national sport events. Since then, efforts have been made by overseas-based New Amsterdam citizens to restore the ground but they are being hindered by vandalism.
Acting Town Clerk Merlyn Henry noted too the destruction of the $19.2M abattoir that had been rehabilitated in 2010. The facility had been condemned and though it was renovated to the tune of $19.2M, with the town spending $1M to help repair it, it was commissioned in 2006 but was never used.
The mayor also noted the indiscriminate dumping of solid waste along the access road to the dump site. The recently repaired road is used primarily by trucks travelling to the dump site which is some distance off the main road. However, residents continue to dispose of refuse along the roadway, resulting in unsightly piles and causing additional work for solid waste managers. The mayor cautioned that should this practice continue, warning letters will be issued to offenders and thereafter they will be put before the court.
