Pointe-a-Pierre MP wants answers on Claxton Bay landslip

Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee has called on the Government to stick to its promises and help his Claxton Bay constituents affected by the major landslip at Diamond Road.

A release on Saturday from the opposition MP said, a mere month after a family of four lost their entire home, nearby state-approved quarrying resumed, and others are facing the same fate.

Lee called on Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat and officials from the Estate Management and Business Development Company Ltd (EMBD) to immediately tell affected residents it restarted.

He referred to the affected area as the Belle Vue disaster zone in Pointe-a-Pierre.

"On Thursday, I witnessed a worrying first-hand account of residents' homes slipping away yet again due to the EMBD-sanctioned resumption of activities at the Coco Road quarry," Lee said.

"Minister Rambharat must tell residents and the national population why despite his commitments in the Senate that all operations at the Quarry would be halted pending an investigation by the EMBD, inclusive of a geotechnical expert, quarrying has now resumed."

Lee said to this day, neither he nor residents had been briefed on the findings of any report.

He said the "contempt and disregard" shown by the EMBD to residents were unacceptable and claimed the state company failed to consult residents on the resumption of activities.

"Officials such as EMBD’s acting CEO have been callous to the pleas of residents who are seeking their intervention on this latest occurrence," Lee said.

"As the MP, I reject the public statement by the EMBD that the quarry was reopened after 'due diligence'."

The affected families have been "totally disregarded" throughout this crisis, he said.

Lee said to this very day, no housing accommodation or relief had been provided to them.

He said since Social Development Minister Donna Cox visited and gave a commitment of accommodation assistance for residents on September 19, nothing has materialised to help the families.

On September 15, retiree Giles Garcia and his family lost their home when it collapsed and slid down a hill.

Five other nearby properties are directly affected, and the land continued to move up to Saturday.

When Cox met the affected families, she promised her ministry would work with other ministries to co-ordinate relief efforts for them.

She also offered temporary relief in the form of counselling and rental assistance grants for three months, which the residents rejected.