Let's stop this invasion!

The Editor, Sir:

It is now approximately midnight on Easter Monday and I am just arriving home, and am most disturbed, not because I came home and had a quarrel with any member of my household or even a disagreement with my neighbours, but because of the pain and suffering I had to endure getting home.

As a resident of the Hellshire community in St Catherine, I have had to endure long hours sitting in traffic while others go about their way, either to or from the Hellshire or Fort Clarence beaches to their parties or other such events. Years ago, I attempted on a Monday morning to go to work and was prevented from leaving my community by unruly, indisciplined and downright selfish motorists attending the then annual 'Fully Loaded' stage show. With a loud outcry from the residents, the show was shifted to some other venue and we could literally live in peace.

To our surprise, however, today we were made prisoners of our homes or shut-outs by these thousands of non-residents, who no doubt believe that their enjoyment is more important than our peace of mind and, indeed, the right to freedom of movement.

Police of no help

What is even more disappointing is the apparent inability or possibly incompetence by the police, the Portmore Municipality and the Urban Development Corporation to get together and organise the proper flow of traffic for the patrons attending stage shows and other activities at the beaches. It took me in excess of one hour from Braeton to get to Hellshire between 10:30 p.m. and close to midnight; a journey which normally takes five minutes. My neighbours tell me they suffered in the traffic lines for over three hours earlier in the day trying to get home.

If, in fact, these state agencies cannot ensure that the residents of Hellshire can enjoy their investment called home, and that dances and stage shows are more important than we the citizens being able to move about without hindrance, then we might have to think twice about living in Hellshire. As a resident for as long as I have been, I have no intention of giving in to this state-sanctioned anarchy and will seek to use all legal means at my disposal to resist this madness.

I call upon all residents of Hellshire to, once and for all, unite to put an end to this invasion.

I am etc.,

Garth Jones

wstaj@hotmail.com

Hellshire, St Catherine