I was driving down from Southfield late this evening and drove through pouring rain. When I got to TB it had eased a bit and I thought I would check out how the canal was holding up. First I drove to the part of the canal I assumed was the lowest which was the road going to the sea near the beach. I was dismayed to see the water was about one foot away from cresting over the road. Please note the section on the other side of the road that goes to the sea is not completed and not open to the sea.

I then went to the bridge located next to the Women's Group where I ran into Keith Stone and Miss Dolly Taylor, neighbor to the canal, standing on the bridge and checking out the situation.

To my greater dismay and a bit of disbelief, I saw the waters which were collecting in the canal from all the rain running the opposite way. Yes, that is right, the water was running towards Great Pond! The second photo is a close-up from the first, distinctly showing which way the waterfall is falling.





I turned around and took the next two photos again showing water running from the canal towards Great Pond.





I then asked Keith how his house was faring and he offered to show me. The following is what we saw.





I asked if there was a way we could go see how the dirt separating the pond from the canal was holding out. We drove as far as we could go, then walked through some muddy fields and came on the following. Yep, photos don't lie, the canal waters are now flowing into Great Pond. The second photo is a blown-up image taken from the first photo to show the direction the water is flowing.





At this point it was starting to pour once again and it was getting dark. If anyone from Great Bay is reading this, maybe you can let us know how high the pond is at this time. Otherwise, I will head out early tomorrow morning to go and see how close the pond is to the road.

I know there have been many accusations flung and excuses given, but I really have to say shame on you NWA! We are still recovering from the blow Dean left us with and now, thanks to your lack of action, we have to worry about flooding! You can give all the excuses you can think of but the bottom line is if the canal was completed as promised none of this would be an issue and we would all be grateful that flooding would not be a worry to the Great Bay community. Now any quick fix will mean damage to someone's home. Anytime you have to act in an emergency you are compromised and compromising someone else.

Furthermore, why are the waters flowing into the pond? I'm no engineer, but isn't the whole idea to have the canal sloped towards the sea?

I am sorry, I usually do not let my feelings show, but this is just too much. Come on NWA we deserve some attention and action. As my mother always said, "Enough already!"

FYI, once again the press and government officials have been notified and sent these photos.

Well said I could not agree more! This is just bad. Am really sorry for those who live in the way of the pond and who has to interact around the cannel on a daily bases e.g. my sister. This is really poor work NWA.

I've just heard from someone at the NWA who says he is on his way here to look at the canal. Gee, if only they had done that two months ago.

We need more than a look and words. We've heard the talk, we now need to see the walk!

Jamaica Observer


No major flooding event' on south coast

Garfield Myers
Saturday, October 13, 2007



MANDEVILLE, Manchester - Disaster relief personnel in the south coast parishes of Manchester and St Elizabeth yesterday reported "inundated" and blocked roads but no "major flooding event" as heavy rains continued to lash sections of the island.


TUFTON... says there was severe damage to the Round Hill and Greenfield roads
In Manchester, the parish's disaster co-ordinator, Claudia Coley, said the blockage of Bonitto Crescent in Mandeville for several hours on Thursday night led to firemen having to be called in to rescue "a number of persons" who were trapped in a church.

Attempts have since been made to clear blocked drains which apparently led to the flooding of the crescent, Coley said. A number of roads in and around Mandeville were also temporarily blocked by the flood waters.
According to Coley, there was word from south Manchester of inundation of the Cocoa Walk main road as well as the Downs to Alligator Pond main road in the vicinity of the New Forest gas station.
In St Elizabeth rising waters from the Black River blocked the Middle Quarters main road forcing motorists to use the alternate route through Craigy.

Disaster co-ordinator for St Elizabeth, Yvonne Morrison, said roads through Dalintobar and Fustic Grove in Brompton had also been rendered impassable.

Member of parliament for South West St Elizabeth, Dr Christopher Tufton, also reported severe damage to the Round Hill and Greenfield roads. He said he had also made contact with the National Works Agency (NWA), following reports that water was backing up from the sea into the incomplete drainage canal at Treasure Beach.

One resident in Treasure Beach told the Observer by telephone yesterday that some roads had been flooded in the community, including a few with no history of such occurrences.

Dozens of families in the Great Bay area of Treasure Beach had to flee their homes two years ago after rains from Hurricane Wilma transformed the waters of the Great Pond and satellite ponds into a massive lake. That incident triggered the then government's decision to build the drainage canal.

Up to yesterday afternoon, there were no reports of flooding in New River, close to Santa Cruz - an area with a long history of being overtaken by waters from the Black River during and after heavy rain. But residents were reportedly expressing some concern at rising water levels.

I know that Jamaicans do not usually seek outside political involvement, but the canal has been a multi-year debacle. Is there anything that nonresidents can do to help move this along?

A few community members met with NWA representatives at the canal yesterday.



Ainsley Davis, the Assistant Parish Manager for the NWA and Mr. Hendriks, the Community Relations Officer told us due to the change of government an audit is being done on this project. We pointed out that no work has been done on this project for several months. We were told funding was the issue. While gathered our new Minister of Parliment, Dr. Tufton called and spoke with Mr. Davis asking for an update on the situation.

We were assured the plan included the sides and floor of the canal will be concreted. However, if there are no funds now, how is any of this work going to be done unless a large amount of funds are allocated to this project.

Mr. Hendriks said now that they have investigated this situation a report will be filed. Someone asked him how many times he has investigated this situation and how many reports have been filed and his answer was, "Several Times".

It seems to become more and more apparent every time this issue come up. The canal is way to big for what we need, money was spent foolishly on this huge ditch which now no one seems to be able to find the funds to complete, so it just sits there.

The good news is when I went into Great Bay yesterday, the pond is still very far from the road. We are still having rain, but not the downpours of the last two days. Let's hope Mother Nature will allow us to avert a disaster as we certainly cannot depend on the NWA.

Canal full in front of Marblue.



Further erosion by bridge.

Rebecca,

When Mr. Hendricks said a further report will be filed, did he indicate that he would then follow up with you or any of the other community members with a firm plan or time frame? Or will this filed report just be another of the "several" reports filed?

I am just curious what the action plan is by the M.P.

It is well and good that he has surveyed and filed reports, but as you have indicated, there needs to be a firm committment and action plan by the M.P. and government to once and for all get this job done.

It is literally a crying shame for all those affected in the Great Bay area. Time is money. For all the extra time wasted, there will be further costs for people who have damage from flooding, or further costs to repair where the erosion has occurred which would not have occurred had the canal been completed in a timely manner, etc.

The only information I did not get from your report is whether Mr. Hendricks gave you a time frame for the report to be complete, and for firm plans to be made? If not, is there an appointed person from the community who will be making daily enquiries?

Your report is very poignant and clear, and kudos to you and the other community members for taking the M.P. and new government to task. This has been a disaster waiting to happen from the the first bandaid being applied way back when!

Please, in talking with officialdom, remember the advice of our houseguest Drake Wilson, a retired senior officer with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He said concreting would be very costly, and that the same result could be had using "gabons" (square coffin-sized, wire baskets of rocks) -- not only much less costly, but also a project that could be done almost entirely with local labor. There must be an old thread in which he spelled out his ideas?

Please note, we are not taking the MP and new government to task. We are taking the NWA to task. The community is actually looking forward to working with Minister Tufton to find a solution to this matter as the NWA has proven to be very ineffective to this point.
A firm commitment and action plan are wonderful things to ask for, but promises have been made many times. We will only be appeased when we see action.

When I first saw the photos Rebecca posted—and read her description of what was happening, I didn’t even know what to say. (Actually, I had some choice words, but I knew they were not fit for printing.)

Not being an engineer, the idea of the canal seemed to make sense to me, especially after so many knowledgeable people made positive remarks about it. Having an appreciation for what makes things look good, I was aghast when I saw photos of the canal—and even more so when I saw it in person; it is one of the ugliest things I ever saw, especially in a residential neighborhood. But I kept thinking it would look much better when it was finished. Nonetheless, I felt exceedingly sorry for anyone in the area of the canal because they had to stare at ugliness each and every time they passed the canal or looked out their window. I cannot imagine how owners of properties such as Marblue must feel with something so disgusting almost at their doorstep. How are they supposed to attract guests with such an eyesore right in front of them?

The when it got finished seemed to become some sort of joke—as if Treasure Beach and its residents had become forgotten. Or perhaps the NWA thinks Treasure Beach’s people are not important enough to have a professional job performed for them. I actually recall some newspaper story which quoted an NWA official saying something to the effect of “the canal would be built in phases.” Phases ??? If one were building a bridge, would it be built in phases? Would one-third of the bridge be built—sticking up into the air, unpaved, going nowhere, surrounded by piles of rubbish and unused heavy equipment? What kind of idiocy would that be? When something is built, there are supposed to be plans, a schedule, and proper funding.

I am beyond disgusted with the empty excuses of the various government officials who actually seem annoyed that concerned human beings are justifiably complaining about such an intolerable situation.

I have heard wonderful things about our new MP. Can’t he possibly get involved and help get something done quickly and efficiently?

Finally, thank you so much, Rebecca, for all you are doing to bring this situation to the attention of the public. Perhaps if the government is embarrassed enough, something will finally happen.

I have noticed that the NWA has stopped blaming land owner for the delay as we had come to an agreement a long time ago and they had taken position of the land without paying one dime.
Last time I checked I was told no money.
(BOWL)

Here to assist The INEPT NWA in canal building. I was doing some work on an overpass bridge here in Naples FL.
and saw them put in place these Gabion's in the canal that runs under the over pass. they are very inexpensive and very effective retaining walls,they would work perfectly if used in the canal for great pond to prevent the walls from breaking in from the water passing through,I only hope that some how those INEPT PERSON AT THE NWA CAN GET THIS INFORMATION. here are some links
WHERE GABIONS CAN BE SEEN .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gabion.jpg
http://www.gabionbaskets.net/GABION%20LIT.pdf

The land taken for the canal and drainages has to be compensated for, by the government. You guys that are affected need to team together, get a lawyer and fight for your rights. Ask him or her to take the case on contigency bases, that mean when he secured the funds he gets paid for his or her work out of the proceed.Noone can build on goverment land without purchasing the lot or it will be demolished, so then the Government or NWA should not, claim eminent domain without a just compesation.
I regards to the"POND OF SHAME" AND THE CANAL THAT LEADS NOWHERE: We all need Dr. Tufton contact telephone numbers and e-mail addresses so that we can keep the pressure on . He can use his influence, contacts, positions and connections to get this job done,. NWA wants to audit, What? the contract that has been given out and funded and supposed to be in PHARSES or in FAILURES. This will take another one year with fingers pointing to every Tom ,Dick and Harry and nothing on the long run will be resolved and get done.
What type of an idiotic engineer or contractor, do half ass job and the drainage that goes backwards.
Rebecca, if Dr Tufton is representing Treasure as an MP, he has to be taken to task as well, one of his mandate is the welfare of the people of his constituency. The change of governmant did not stop the officals, governmnet workers and a host of people working at NWA from getting paid their salaries, the change of government or MP should not stop this project.
The finishing of the canal that leads nowhere is way past due and made right. This mess had beeen in the works for years with a bunch of unfulfilled promises.
It is an outrage that noone in particular can be assigned to see this job get started and finished with and be held accountable.
It seems like it has to a distaster, lost of live, lost of homes, business and properties before something get done.
While this may sound harsh, Mr. Aisley Davis and Mr Hendrick need to resign or be fired for such a lousy job of this canal and pond business, If this were private business, and profit and accountability suffers, I know they would have been gone. At what point do they take respoonsibility for all these inadequacies, shift of blames and utter nonsense. People of Great Bay, Treasure Beach and all the vicinity that are affected deserves better, It is a terrible shame. Dr.Tufton the ball is your court, we need you more than ever. ACT Now please. There most be a date certain this unfinshed business.

Was money not granted or 'found' to finance this project long ago before they dug the hole? You don't start a project without first identifying the sources of funding. Where did the money go? or was it all smoke and mirrors?

FYI Marlon, we have brought this suggestion up more than once. The last time was on Friday at the meeting. We were told the stones could not be found locally and it would be cost prohibitive to transport them here from another area of Jamaica.

Granitic rocks, not the sedimentary marlstone and seastone found in the immediate area, are indeed costly. The recent transformational retreat in Great Bay, for its sweat lodge, spent about US$350 for 60 hand-selected rocks, driven in from Porty, since local rocks would explore and/or
emit toxic fumes under great heat. But gambions work quite well with cheap seastone and marl limestone, available locally if not in Mandeville. Similar gambions
of chicken-wire rip-rap baskets filled with stones have been used successfully in Cave/Westmoreland to anchor land prone to floods
(the Army Corps, not NWA, did the work).

Earl we need you to help Treasure Beach again... maybe consider working with Mr.Tufton to get some exposure to this Canal problem.

We should\nt have to be dissussing this ,it should\ve been done and forgotten ,its a shame that need and the well being of the people is of no importants . We are very lucky that we got this rain after the hurricane, we\ve been flooded out again , anyway not because the previous administration has failed ,lets get Mr Tufton working ,take no excuse for an answer ,we need a canal not a hole in the ground .

Was it too many cooks?

Slapdash?

Poor project synchronisation?

Misunderstanding/s?

Bad mind?

Obeah?

Taino duppy?

Cyaan badda?

Thing is: will it be a lesson learnt that will

improve current and future projects?

Or, whirlpools of blame and scapegoating?

Hope this gets solved.

I am curious to hear from Axel @ Marblue Suites, with his architectural/structural background & the German exemplar of LIFE-CYCLE engineering,i.e., concerned not only with short term costs, but long term cost savings & durability, on the NWA Canal debacle so far.

Has Axel, privately or in community planning venues, weighed in regarding the NWA (Old Wharf-Great Bay) Canal in terms of DESIGN(i.e., gambion cage liners using non-granitic stones; LOCATION/DIRECTION (i.e.,easing the Canal as aesthetically and geologically contour- sensitive into the TB LANDSCAPE that would involve anchoring in also drought resistant ( and, if I might add, pointilistic "dots of colour".)

If this blighted condition now exists, just outside yu yahd, Axel,
could the immediate design-build lag have been anticipated or now ameliorated into a hopefully short future? ...Of course everyone has right to their privacy, and perhaps their wish to operate anonymously behind the scenes, but community resources in small villages are so few, other "entrenched" points of view and points of "attack" would seem welcomed...Zed

Maybe I'm wishing too much for something good to happen, but I keep thinking something positive will happen now that Mr. Tufton is the MP. Has there been any progress on this mess at all?

If anyone is interested in viewing the work of a talented landscape design/planner, for inspiration, whose mantra is ART CAN HELP TO HEAL THE EARTH, and that even a SEWER can underlie an almost biological/zoological beauty to our Mother Earth...her website:
www.patriciajohanson.com

See especially her micro-environment, "Endangered Garden" (1987) above a Sewer & imagine a low-tech version of a lovely Walkway that the NWA Canal might have or still might become with Citizen Action...Zed

Ah ZED, interfacing with Parish Councils and such
requires patience and persistance beyond what most of us have available. I believe this is not a local community project, pity it is not!

I would encourage Ms Johanson to have a look at this, I'm sure she would find welcome and support.

For sure this could be a meandering stream with little islands. The occassional croc would cause a stir, water lilies, maybe the passing manatee would find a place here....calm, charm, quite.....more lignum vitae and sandalwood etc.

And I dream on.....

Has anyone mentioned khus khus or mat grass, it is not only an excellent soil binder but the roots
provide a wonderful essential oil. It is available in many parts of St Mary, planted there in colonial times as a bankside stabiliser.

Sally, has Mr Tuftons eyes been opened to Treasure Beach (and surroundings)? If not a weekend stay could be the thing.

Best wishes.

Let's have a meeting.

Axel-Marblue

Now that NWA has located the Land owner who was so reluctant,and they came to an agreement. what is holding up the project? I would like to hear that the people involve,'re paid for their property,and the project gets on its way.
Treasure Beach people,deserve more than to've a big mess,in their,community.
NWA Shame on you Shame on the Goverment of Jamaica,for allowing this to happen.

Very Consern.

There will be a meeting held on Friday afternoon at 3:00. Everyone will meet up at Kingfisher Plaza and then will travel down the road to see the canal. I understand Minister Tufton and the head of the NWA will be in attendance.

Everyone is welcome, so please come and hear what they have to say.

If my memories serve me right , i think Great Pond is much lower than the sea ,if i am correct , the water wont be able to drain on its own, ,also the danger of the sea flooding the area ,they may need to install a lock and pump mechanism to make the system workable.

T.B., I think the water may be able to drain on it's own (gravitationally) if the canal has the right depth relative to the pond's depth, and if it is graded properly. I do however agree with you that locks and pumps may be necessary to prevent the Sea from advancing inland (otherwise, without waiting on global warming, some folks may suddenly discover that they own beach front property).

People are understandably and justifiably upset about this deplorable situation.

I doubt there will ever be total agreement on exactly how the canal should be completed. I hope people are willing to put aside their differences and agree that the canal must be completed in a manner that is both correct from an engineering perspective and aesthetically pleasing.

Working together, MP Tufton, the head of the NWA, Rebecca, and concerned citizens may be able to bring this matter much farther along when the meeting is held tomorrow. (I hope the meeting is a meeting -- and does not turn into a demonstration, even though residents have an absolute right to be extremely angry about what has happened.) Though no one expects instant results, MP Tufton should not let the NWA off the hook by allowing them to run useless studies, have numerous meetings, and do other things which will serve to confuse the matter and delay the project even more. The NWA should take responsibility for what they have done and be held to a strict schedule, after which there will be serious and public repercussions. This is a situation in which MP Tufton can demonstrate his leadership and his ability to accomplish long-term, positive results for the citizens who worked so hard to elect him.

CITIZENS and their associations,that is what it is all about...definately not Tufton,Head of NWA and Rebecca, this will not be hijacked it is an issue that has to remain with the full participation of those most affected by this problem.No need to chide us about how to keep a meeting as opposed to a demonstration thank you.

that seemed to be a mean thing to say to some one who sounds like they would like this to work out for every one

Rebecca IS a Jamaican citizen. She lives close enough to the canal to be affected. She does not hijack; she facilitates. She has a level head. MP Tufton cares very much for Treasure Beach, and we should see if his actions can equal his words. He has done nothing to show that he does not have Treasure Beach's interests in mind. Mrs. Kennedy does not live in Treasure Beach, but she has done good things for the community for many years. My read on what she said is positive. EVERYONE wants this to come out for the best. These angry words are unnecessary. Pulling together is what will do the job.

Rebecca, could you tell us what happened at the meeting yesterday. Are there positive steps being taken as a result of it?

Wow, where were all the strong comments when Mr Buchanan was the MP who was supposed to be fixing the roads and the canal? Now that things have changed and the shoe is on the other foot we can't even allow Dr. Tufton the time to meet with the citizens before we start talking about hijack. I wonder if some posters even realize how hollow their statements sound in light of the history of this project. But it is all good because the present set of leaders know that they have to listen to everyone because they are there to work for the people.

The meeting was held yesterday in front of a good crowd of residents.



The Minister of Works, Mike Henry, our Minister of Parliment, Christopher Tufton, and the CEO of the National Works Agency, Milton Hodelin addressed us.



Mr. Hodelin said $21 million was spent on this project to date and $9 million is currently in the budget assigned to the canal. Obviously more funds will need to be allocated for the completion of the project.

Members of the press were out in force, so I will depend on the professional reporters to give us more in depth details of the meeting. We should see something in the papers either Monday or Tuesday.

My personal take on the meeting was the right promises were made. The right words were spoken. Now all we need is the right action. The talk was "talked", now meek we see de walk.

Didn't the canal look lovely yesterday!?

Thank you for the report, Rebecca. I will be looking in the Gleaner and Observer at the beginning of the week to see what they have to say. Most importantly, let's see if our politicians now act in our behalf. I also agree with Labor Pains in that I feel comments made by some were unnecessarily harsh. I hope those people are not representative of the community I am proud to call my home.

This may be the wrong string to add my comments to. If so, I apologize.

Rebecca, are you saying that water from all the rains caused by Gustav is now going back INTO the Great Pond?

Please provide us a report when the rains have sufficient slowed. Thank you for letting us know what is happening.

Basically, there are currently two unfinished sections of the canal. The one you see in the photo above is located between the Taylors house and the TB Women's Group House. I was standing on the bridge taking that photo. When you turn around on the bridge this section continues under the bridge and out to the road located in front of Marblue. Picture this as like a big unfinished swimming pool. When the rains fall the pool fills up with water. The part of the canal nearest to Great Pond is lower than the part nearest to Marblue, so as the water fills the canal, it runs back towards Great Pond. Fortunately, the rains yesterday ended just before the water broke through the canal and entered into Great Pond. However, that did happen last year after we experienced a great deal of rain.

The second unfinished section is located next to Marblue and runs where the road used to be. This is now basically, just a big hole in the dirt with the exception of the cement structure you see in the photos. So now when we have heavy rains all that dirt is washing right into the sea (along with all the debris left by the construction workers like wood planks with nails, garbage, plastic, etc). This has the potential to seriously damage the reef and could replace the nice sandy bottom sea with muddy silt.

I hope that gives you a more clear picture. If not, let me know and I will try again and thank you for your interest.

We are looking now over 2years in this disaster!Nothing changed-nobody is willing to put this thing in pipes-Why not- less money to earn?!The next disaster will come-ruin the reef and calabash bay

THIS is what happens when things are built in PHASES. When something is planned, 100% of the necessary funds should be ready and available. When work on a project commences, it should not stop until it is completed - and it looks good - and it works exactly as intended. It is also my opinion the community should approve something of this magnitude that will affect the entire area - if it is needed, how it looks, where it goes - and this should happen BEFORE the first shovel of dirt is removed.

The people who planned this canal and who built what is there do not have to live near it or pass by it every day. They do not have to suffer any consequences. They do not have to take responsibility for what they did or what they did not do. They can make lame apologies, say there is not enough money to keep working, say they have to study the matter AND DISAPPEAR.

As I write this, it has been three years since Hurricane Katrina ruined New Orleans and that is still not fixed. People are evacuating there right now - running for their very lives from Hurricane Gustav. We do not WANT this kind of thing to happen in Treasure Beach. Even if the canal worked, we do not want something so horribly ugly in Treasure Beach. Finish it, fix it, beautify it, and leave us alone from any more half-baked ideas.

To Plenty Angry, I say AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. Fix the Canal. Stop the Sports Park. Enough!

thank you(Plenty Angry)but NWA will never listen.In our case-in front of Marblue-we are really tired to see that mess-a minefield-a disaster-

Where does the buck stop re the canal project?

The buck stops nowhere. No one is held accountable. People involved, assuming one can find them, offer feeble apologies and point the finger at someone else. This is what has happened with the canal and what I predict will eventually happen with the sports park.

The canal has been a fiasco from day one. First and foremost, it did not need to be twenty feet wide and twelve feet deep. A six-foot diameter concrete or steel pipe with gates at either end and covered back over with topsoil would have been sufficient and the project would have been done YEARS ago. Instead, bulldozers arrived to dig this massive trench. It seemed every dumptruck in the parish and beyond was here hauling off the dirt and selling it for as much as $5000 per load. I never saw so many trucks lined up in one place before. Plenty people saw a way to make a whole heap of money and the trench just got bigger and bigger. Now the NWA says it ran out of money. They should be ashamed of themselves for ever starting the project with such poor planning, and we're left with a monstrous eyesore that may never be completed.

Ever heard of a mobius strip - no beginning and no end. That's where the buck stops. Nowhere. For fun with a mobius strip see http://www.metacafe.com/watch/331665/no_magic_at_all_mobius_strip/

If there is no one that takes responsibility for this and any project, half-baked, or other we are lost!

If we are lost:

Did we ever know the way? if it was known what is it?

Are we willing and enthousiastic enough to implement the processes necessary to regain the way?

I believe the world is waiting to see in what other areas we are champions.

Even without this encouragement we owe it to our collective self esteem and health to regain the secrets of Appropriate Development which embraces the fields of Organic Farming, Alternative Energy, Alternative Medicine, Community Co-Housing, Permaculture etc.

I'm waiting on no one, a one man show can be lonely but the flexibility is recommended.

If these skills are not encouraged from every level of schooling, our children are missing being on the cutting edge of the emerging so called 'Green Technologies'.

Plenty Angry laid out the correct developmental pathway in his/her post. We have not been following this for many reasons.

I encourage focus on the pathways, the consultations, the long term effects on man and nature and the learning process that is unfolding as a result.

Turey,
I must say that I do admire when you wax poetic on so many issues on this website. Your writing is lyrical and often obtuse to be sure. But instead of giving suggestions all the time wouldn't be great if you actually picked up the ball on one of these issues and ran with it.

The first step to enable oneself to handle power or, to allow THE POWER to handle one, is to take responsibility for ones actions.

One of the perils of starting otherwise is enslavement in one form or another.

There are enough resources, opportunities and jobs for all of us, not as crabs in a barrel, more as wise ants building their domain, together.

Thanks Mean Well, I have learned by experience that the last straw breaks the camels back.

My Muses have loaded me well over the years with ideas and I have taken many of the inspirations and ran with them. Some projects are dust, some put my children through school and paid for my TB land.

When I do reach Ja, my activism will be to do it. Action speaks louder than words and I, like most of my countrymen are not short on talk. In the meantime, I hope some of my posts here are helpfull or at least make some sense.

Inherent in all the threads in this forum is a desire to maintain the specialness of TB and to grow in wisdom, health and wealth. My work in any community encourages all the above.

I have stated my approach to development here. I am preparing my toolkits and means of operating; on my land in TB, or wherever fate appoints. My hands will do the talking and if the patterns that emerge are sensible, then this work will have meaning.

I do not intend to make the guitars all myself nor tend the tree suckers on my own. I will need assistance to select photovoltaic systems and guidance with the integration of the parts that hopefully will make a functioing whole.

I am prepared to continue my one person show, but hope others will be inspired by what they witness as I have been inspired by others and carry on developing this idea with me or elsewhere. There are similar projects happening in various places around the world.

Sorry for the wordiness, just trying to lay out my approach.

Hi Turey how are you doing.

Hi TB Native, I'm training the pumpkins, tomatoes etc that have a will of their own since I gave them Brother G's Mendicine (spelling correct).

Otherwise trying to stay in the here and now.

Jamaica sound well Irie, looking forward to the Rock.

The "big meeting" appeared to be held on October 27, 2007. (See Above.) It seemed as if something meaningful would actually happen as a result. It now seems as if this was done for show. Rebecca, exactly what has to happen to get results? Elsewhere in this Forum, a person from Canada asked how to get in touch with MP Tufton. I don't know if he/she wants to write him about the canal. IF it is about the canal, it would seem he already is well aware of what has happened and what has NOT happened. What ARE we to do?

Hi Turey it will be getting very cold soon in Canada.So maybe you could work up some of the Brother G medicine for a lot us with arthritis.All the best to you take care.

Turey, are you going to run for Mayor of TB anytime soon? I am ready to vote.

Hi Turey, you sure would have my vote.you're alread elect & select by 90% of all TB Native.God bless you.

Brother G has arthritis himself and relies on pain killers , positive thinking and the joy of teaching TB Native. He has his mixture of white rum and green kushumpeng for external use.

Lord #1 Supporter, a duppy from town to be the Mayor? Do, mek mi stay an advisor nuh!?

Turey I wish you would put your name- youa re such a brilliant writer with so much information.

Meaning no disrespect to Turey or his fascinating posts, would someone please be kind enough to tell me what is happening with the canal. Exactly what does it take to have this eyesore completed? Exactly what will it take to assure us the canal works as intended when there are heavy rains, including rains from a tropical storm or hurricane?

The citizens of Treasure Beach do not ask the government for much. In fact, they often seem unwilling to do so because they appear to feel as if even a TOTALLY REASONABLE request such as completing the canal will land on deaf ears. If the government cannot meet its promises on something so OBVIOUS as this disgusting canal, how can we even think someone in government, even our MP, would seriously consider the many objections there are to the Sports Park?

You know regular reader is not so much that a fraid mi fraid, it's more my enjoying a break from my personal history getting mixed up with my insights. Less stressors, more the Muses visit.

Some on the forum that know me will confirm that I have a real existence and am not a duppy in real life. A sistrin in TB once told me ".... yu clean!".

It is trying to be tested for soundness in each community I stay in. Regardless, each lesson reveals another part of myself that may never have been opened and shows me for who I am in their space.

It also reminds that we on the Rock have inquiring minds and are protective of our communities. As in "A who dat at Maas Joe bar, a wha dem waan?".

I wish I had an answer for you Plenty Angry. We've written letters, spoke to many persons from all parts of the chain of command, informed media, held meetings, and repeated the above process several times.

Sorry for my pessimism, but I wonder if a disaster is the only thing that will make them move, and even then I'm not sure.

I heard there was a backhoe on call during Gustav and if the canal waters started to flow into Great Pond the backhoe would have then cut a path out sending the muddy, litter strewn water directly into the sea. I don't see this as a viable solution but just adding another problem to this issue.

A friend emailed me the following comment the other day, "how about just
putting in a prefab concrete sewer pipe in and calling it a day!" I have to wonder why this wasn't done in the first place.

I think they should close up the holes they dug and find another solution.

I know the Sports Park could never ever look like that UGLY canal because the Henzels care way to much about how things look to let that happen. Anyone whos been to Jakes knows that. but this Sports Park is not really a private place like Jakes is and they wont have people there all day and night fixing the gardens and sweeping and making sure all looks pretty. I could not imagine they would have allowed ironwood to be just taken down at Jakes. So already we know no one is watching whats happening at the Sports Park all the time. i know the Sports Park will never be another CANAL I would feel better about it if we was kept informed. I just went to the BREDS website to look for the info I thought was going to be there on the sports Park progrest and there is nothing said about the sports park at all. I don't want something UGLY to be built. I don't want loud noise and lots of traffic and drugs. I want my family to stay happy. i know most change is good and people have to make progress. But not all change is good.

God Bless.

Maybe this wouldn't work, but could the community raise funds, buy pipe, and everybody show up to bury it....plant native plants and call it a day? I'd do my part.

Count me in.

If the community does this, wouldn't they then have liability in case something went wrong? I'm not saying the government would necessarily accept their liability in case something goes wrong with the current configuration, as they do not even seem inclined to complete what they started.

When my firm undertakes a building project, we will not guarantee the work if the client decides to change something and does the work themselves. I realize this is a totally different situation and I am used to working in the US, but it seems risky for private citizens to work on something of this magnitude with such a large possibility of failure.

Yes V L-W, a catch 22. The community in attempting to minimise the errors of the project could be burdened with liabilities from the attempted correction.

The project as it stands now has the following attributes that need correcting.

Danger to people and animals especially at night.

Possible enviromental upset if seawater enters pond/s or if soil is washed into the sea.

Eyesore.

Mosquito, croc etc attractant.

A community stressor.

There seem to be solutions within our collective reach. Lawyers?

It could also create a local politrical tension
through no fault of the community. This disconnect between public servants and the public is a correctable fault in our social evolution. What is so sweet about it that we resist reforming is to our NEEDS?

A meeting will be held at the TBWG house on Thursday evening, September 18 (not sure of time, but will let you know)with the NWA and Minister Tufton.

I encourage all to attend.

As so few of the people from TB are on Internet, is it possible to spread the word via signs, via anything else except computers -- even one of those obnoxoius vehicles with the loudspeakers? It's essential lots and lots and lots of people attend this meeting and let MP Tufton know what has happened is absolutely unacceptable.

I wish all the best for his meeting and hope as many people that are affected get to attend.

MP Tuton and NWA reps are to be congratulated for making this step.

We are either one Country and one Family or are still in Fantasyland. We are in this together, Gov, NGO'S, Private and All.

The canal is but one project.

The recreation of Jamaica as the domain of The Earth Mother, Yamaye, is being cheered in all known realms!

Go de Family.

Please Help,I totally agree that this all is unacceptable. I remember the first meeting with Mr. Buchanan and that is exactly what the audience told him. Three years later and still nothing.

A meeting will be held at the TBWG house on Thursday evening, September 18 at 6:00 pm with the NWA and Minister Tufton.

I encourage all to attend.

Best of luck and hope you get some answers!

PLEASE EVERYONE TRY AND ATTEND THIS MEETING SO WE CAN GET THIS MESS FIXED ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Peopel call your family and spread the good news

The meeting regarding the status of the canal was held last night. Minister Tufton was unable to attend as he was called to Kingston for a meeting with the Prime Minister. He called as the meeting began to convey his apologies.

George Deleon chaired the meeting. Roger Smith, Manager of Technical Services for NWA and Mark Richards, Environmental Engineer for NWA were in attendance. Mayor Palmer, Mayor of Black River was able to join us for a short time as he had another engagement to attend.

Soooo, where do I begin? Lots of discussion, lots of explaination - no definitive answers. That is my take anyway.

According to Mr. Smith, the $9 million allocated by Minister Henry for the canal was specifically allocated for the completion of the culverts. This has been done. A new estimate was made and submitted to the Ministry of Finance earlier this week for $50 million for the completion of the rest of the canal (sea gate, cement lined, landscaping, etc.). There can be no time frame given to us as to when we may hear back from the ministry on the approval or denial of that proposal.

When asked why we just didn't put in 5 foot culverts, bury them, put in sea gates and done, why this huge canal, the response was upturned hands and shrugged shoulders. When further pressed, the answer was, "An open channel is a more efficient way of water distribution and easier to maintain."

We were told Mr. Smith and Mr. Richards were the engineers and had no authority or knowledge on the financial end. We were told Minister Henry was the person to contact for this. It was suggested we ask Minister Henry to another meeting. Many of us moaned as we are very tired of meetings and want action.

Another very good point brought up in the meeting was the fact of many roads coming down from Southfield and Round Hill have had drainage ditches and culverts which channel the rain water directly into Great Bay. This is creating a greater problem of flooding. Mayor Palmer blamed drains not being cleaned and new construction as causes but offered no solutions.

I cannot speak for anyone else, but I can tell you I left the meeting feeling frustrated as none of the questions I went into the meeting with were answered. Bottom line, we still have no idea of when work will commence on this project and we are helpless to do anything about it. Many of us wondered out loud to each other if we had 9 million to spend on the completion of the canal what we could have accomplished with it.

Sorry, the photos did not come through in the previous message. Please see them below.

What is the measurement of the drop from the base of the canal as it leaves the pond to the point where it enters the seas? Or the slope in degrees? I think the point of the canal is to drain overflow from the pond to the sea? So the slope has to be down to the sea. Yes?

A quick stabilisation that I think was discussed before, is the planting of appropriate plants with deep and spreading root systems.

Matt grass or Khus Khus grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) was planted on some roadside banks to stabilise the soil in St Mary etc.

It is also the source of a locally known essential oil and roots that are sweet smelling and suitable for plaiting into fans etc.

I'd interplant with local things like wild rosemary etc.

Caution. Once matt grass takes root it will take a bulldozer to remove.

Pity the canal did not have a meander. Water likes to twist, churn and spiral and never leaves a straight path in nature.

For a smalls red bulletwood etc bridges could be assembled by local carpenters. Replant say X 10 what was removed for this project.

How much responsibility is the community allowed by the NWA and how much responsibility does the community want to accept?

I hate to bring this up again, but it seems to make sense now that we are talking about doing what we can to save Treasure Beach. Every once in awhile I see a bulldozer doing something near the canal for a few days and then it is gone, gone, gone. How could the government come into our community, start something like this and then merely walk away. Is this some kind of an experiment to see how ugly they can make it? I'm betting the tourism people won't be featuring a picture of this canal in their Come Back to Jamaica commercials.

Too funny. Not. I can see the canal in a Jamaica commercial. It could be a new tourist attraction.

What IS the progress on the canal? I am being serious.