Dust choking Campbell Town

A dust nuisance in Campbell Town in the Corporate Area has disrupted the livelihood of the residents and small business operators within the space.

The dust is caused by road repairs being carried out in the community. Among those affected are Nicholas, a shopkeeper, who said he now has to close his doors for hours throughout the day.

"As soon as the wind start mi have to shut down because everything in the shop get white. A mostly snack mi sell so yuh know how that go. My customers are getting less because no one wants to inhale all this dust just to come buy food. A lot of times the snack stale up on mi because mi can't open the way mi normally could," Nicholas said.

Benches that were usually laden with hungry customers under a tent outside his shop are now empty, and Nicholas said the lack of sales has left him with many spoilage and a hole in his pocket.

"Mi use to make all cornflakes and sell but can't do that now because that a go be cornflakes and dirt. Mi baby mada use to sell 'fry fry' but she have to pack up her tings dem and stop because you know say is outdoor it cook, and dat can't gwan again," Nicholas said.

As he watched a tractor heap a pile of dirt, Nicholas acknowledged that despite the inconvenience, the work being carried out will be beneficial to the area when it is completed.

"At the end of the day, we nah bash anyone but a just the dust a mash we up. Road a fix and pipe a lay so that is something positive. Mi know we gonna have to bear it until the project finish but in the meantime, mi a beg the authorities to just [get] some water and wet up the place because it nuh nice," Nicholas said.

Sandra Walker told THE STAR that her household has been plagued with the common cold and sinusitis over the past year.

"Nobody don't come with truck come water [the ground], so we mostly have to depend on rain to water the place. And, when the rain fall, the place get really muddy because the road dig up, but we rather the rain still," she said.

"Whenever the breeze blow, it nuh nice. If you ever see on the house sometimes it looks like we live on Riverton Dump the way the place full a dust, and mi feel like Riverton better than that too. All mi grandbaby full a rash and is the dust cause that," Walker added.

Michael, another resident, said that cooling out in the yard is a thing of the past.

"We nah tell nuh lie, the place terrible. If yuh feel a joke, just go inna any one a the house dem and just draw yuh finger on the furniture dem and yuh will see what mi a talk bout. Dust a go all inna we body. One time we could come outside when the place get hot, but for a while you can't do that now or else you will transform into white," he said.

THE STAR tried unsuccessfully to get a comment from the relevant authorities.