Dear Editor,
Six weeks ago we voiced our concerns about a humongous billboard that was being erected quite near to our house. We submitted an official letter of protest to the Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI). We never received a direct response to our letter but the works did come to a standstill. Sections of the billboard and other material were left behind and are still there to this day. That’s why we came to the conclusion that the billboard owners were busy negotiating with the ‘powers that be.’
Last night there were some heavy gusts of wind during which we heard a very loud bang followed by rain. We checked our house but saw nothing amiss so assumed it must have been a thunderclap. This morning we went – as usual - to buy The Daily Herald from the newspaper seller who sits near the base of the billboards that run alongside our wall. That’s when we noticed that a big sign which had previously been attached to the billboard in question, was lying on the ground near the road and blocking the walking path. We knew then that this had been the cause of the loud bang we heard during the night.
Just imagine if this had fallen on a pedestrian, or on a car or on our roof. Who would have taken responsibility for any injuries or damage caused by this object? In 2008 during Hurricane Omar our roof was damaged by debris that came from the construction site next door. Pieces of lumber and a wooden shed which went through our roof were evidence enough that the damage caused to our property was due to negligence of that business owner and not “an act of nature” as it was termed at the time by the then Prosecutor. This time, however, we will not be victims again.
We know we can’t compete with the pull of the mighty dollar and don’t intend to, but neither do we intend to roll over and play dead. Our house was built in 1982 and has withstood many storms, including the catastrophic Hurricane Luis. People seem to have a short memory because most have taken up their old habits and do not secure construction sites or take down objects that can become dangerous projectiles during a storm. The row of billboards that has popped up like mushrooms alongside our property since then is a disgusting sight. They stand “proudly” between weeds with garbage thrown in between.
This is a road where many tourists walk by daily and government should see to it that it’s kept clean. We used to pay someone out of our own pocket to keep the area clean but stopped that practice after government gave permission to ghettoize it with billboards. Two years ago with Hurricane Gonzalo one of these signs landed against our wall and hung precariously over on our side. Why are the wants and greed of some put above our right to live with peace of mind in our home that was built here years before permission was granted to place these billboards? Those in government apparently value filling their own pockets above protecting law-abiding citizens. This time, however, we will not be counting our losses and go away quietly. History has taught us that one cannot rely on someone’s conscience but there is something called Karma.
Rita and Harry Halley
