Dear Editor,
While the construction boom in Guyana is a welcome development, the attendant attitude of contractors and potential building owners leaves a lot to be desired. A major consequence of the attendant attitude of contractors is reflected by ongoing construction activities for a building sited in the private development, Plantation Houston Estates. The contractor has continually blocked the sole entrance to areas located south of the construction site with building materials. In one instance a mixture of sand and stone was left lying over the entire western half of the road for a period in excess of ten days.
The aesthetics of the development have been blighted over the past year by a blue container sited immediately on the road shoulder. Several entreaties have been made, all to no avail, to both contractor and owner over the last one-and-a-half year of construction activities to both keep the roadway clear and to better manage solid waste generated by the construction activity. There is now a permanent dump situated immediately opposite the ongoing construction which is lit every day to regale myself and my family with the emissions from the burning of styrofoam food boxes. I have attached a picture to demonstrate the encumbrances.
The most recent episode occurred on February 8. There is a mixture of sand and cement occupying one-half of the roadway. This coupled with a large red pickup truck, imposes a requirement for people, myself included, who live south of the construction activity, to drive onto the shoulder of the road to go past the construction activity. The owner and contractor’s attitude to other home owners is aptly demonstrated by their preference for the mixing of aggregate on the road as opposed to the treasured concreted driveway of the property.
At this juncture I have had enough. I have consequently opted to bring the gravity of the situation to both the owner and contractor’s attention by parking my vehicle immediately adjacent to the bed of sand and cement on the roadway. I have also opted to use this forum to bring this matter to the attention of both the City Engineer and the Ministry of Public Works to emphasize the need for the enforcement of the laws as they relate to the blocking of public access. Further the Environmental Protection Agency may consider the necessity of becoming involved in requiring the contractors to file blanket management plans to ensure construction activities do not impact the quality of life of people located in the immediate environs of those activities.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address
provided)