AN ABANDONED HOUSE in Pegwell, Christ Church, has been turned into a mini dump by a “paro”, residents say.
They say he has occupied the house for many years and has turned the property into a health hazard.
“He collects garbage from all over the place and dumps it here,” an upset neighbour said as she pointed to a pile of garbage containing old mattresses, rusty appliances and other discarded items.
She said the man had grown up in the neighbourhood but had become a nuisance.
“He has claimed the house and whatever garbage he finds he brings it out here,” she said.
The residents also claimed he was loud and abusive.
“Early on mornings he has a hammer and he banging and banging,” one said. “He keeps all the noise talking to men that only he can see and he likes to fight, always running into his house for a cutlass.”
The resident added that even the police had difficulty controlling him.
“When the police come to pick him up he goes into his house and rubs faeces on his feet and tells them ‘well wunnah know wunnah don’t want me inside the police van’,” she said.
She had also complained repeatedly to environmental health officers at the Randall Phillips Polyclinic, especially since her family was unable to open their windows because of the stench emanating from the dump.
“They told me that they would come and clear the garbage and push down the house; that was three weeks ago and it getting worse. Out there in a state.
When contacted, John Watts, principal health officer at the polyclinic, said they were aware of the situation.
“We have that area flagged. We have started an islandwide programme from Monday and that is one of the areas that we covered last Thursday. You also know resources are extremely slender and we have to rely on resources outside of this department but we have that matter under active consideration,” Watts said.
mariabradshaw@nationnews.com
