NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On Plainfield Road, cars can be seen lining both sides of the street, surrounded by old engines, scrap metal and piles of garbage.
For residents like Leagester Charlow, it’s more than an eyesore. It’s a problem he says has been allowed to “grow for far too long.”
Leagester Charlow – Resident
“The authorities need to come and deal with this because this been here too long. Een nobody need this in this neighborhood cause all it doing is pulling down people property. You go look behind them cars you see all kind a engine, all kind a foolishness.”
The problem may be getting worse, as Charlow claims more vehicles were dropped off as recently as Tuesday evening.
However, beyond the clutter and complaints about property values, he says his biggest concern is what could happen if one of these vehicles catches fire.
Leagester Charlow – Resident
“You get all kind a rodents and ting around here, all kind a rat in these car and ting round here, it seems as if they wan another fire like we happen on Joe Farrington Road when all the sun or whatever cause a combustion and you get a big fire..”
Charlow is not alone on this issue, as his neighbor tells us for years she hasn’t understood why nothing has been done about the issue.
Resident –
“In the mornings you can’t even get out the gate, but then all the place is not being kept and I just annoyed at it.”
“If I could keep myself, my place clean and I 74 years old, the young people in the area should be able to do the same thing.”
Neighbors pointed us to a nearby property they claim is the source of some of the debris.
We tried to get a response, but were told no one was home.
Meanwhile, Environment Minister Zane Lightbourne has acknowledged that manpower and resource shortages have made removing derelict vehicles from communities a challenge.
Leagester Charlow – Resident
“People who in charge they need to come deal with this. Tell Mr. Zane Lightbourne all that talk talk talk we wan see action.”
So, until those vehicles are removed, residents are asking: how much longer will they have to wait?
