Sewage turning away tourists from Trench Town

Residents in the community of Trench Town in western Kingston are scared the recurring eruption of a sewage line on Collie Smith Drive may prevent them from reaping the fruits of the seeds that reggae legend Bob Marley sowed.

Trench Town, which has been immortalised by Marley in one of his hit singles Trench Town Rock has attracted tourists from the four corners of the world, providing an avenue of employment for many persons who live there.

But the blocked main that caused raw sewage to erupt every two days, according to the residents, may deter tourists from visiting community and those who benefit from the their visits are timid of the impact such a reality may have.

DECREASE OF CUSTOMERS

Bar operator Ishawna Hunter, whose bar faces the troubled manhole, told THE WEEKEND STAR that the number of customers who visit the bar decrease dramatically whenever the manhole erupts.

"Business slowed down big time," Hunter said. "The vehicle dem can't come over here because them affi go pon di other side of the road. Sometimes dem park pon the other side fi come give me a support, but mi waan the road fi free up so that dem can just drive come and give me a support."

Beside Hunter's bar, Ian Beckett runs a restaurant. "Every time it burst, mi always block it, not because I have the restaurant, but the kids them affi pass," he said. "More time, mi affi have a youth a direct the traffic because it cause accidents sometimes."

When THE WEEKEND STAR news team visited the community yesterday, members of the National Water Commission (NWC) were busy trying to rectify the problem.

While stating clearly that he was not informed about the specific case, head of communication at the NWC, Charles Buchanan, told THE WEEKEND STAR that he suspects persons in the community are throwing debris into the affected manhole or others close to it.

"Nine out of 10 times those problems are results of persons throwing boards, clothes and other debris into the manholes," Buchanan said.

He said, hence, the NWC, cannot promise to permanently fix the problem.