A four-foot caiman caught lurking in a resident's yard is cause for renewed panic in the neglected community of Lodge Street, La Brea. Although countless appeals for assistance to rid the area of caimans and mosquitoes have fallen on deaf ears, residents yesterday made another appeal to the authorities. "Are they waiting until someone is seriously injured? Are they waiting until someone dies from dengue?" said mother of two Kim Mike. Years of neglect resulted in Lodge Street being transformed into a swamp-like area with huge ponds among the bushes. Residents have no choice but to pass through one another's yards to get to and from their homes.
Mosquitoes and caimans breeding in the ponds have invaded the community. Ten years ago a man drowned in one of the ponds. Mike, who is expecting a third child and also cares for her stepson, said they were watching television around 9.30 pm last Thursday when they heard the dogs barking. She said the dogs sounded as though they had cornered something. "Marlon (her husband) looked out and realised it was a caiman." She said he armed himself with a cutlass and stones and went outside. When he got close to reptile, however, she said it "leap and fly at Marlon throat." She said Marlon escaped its jaws, and with the help of other villagers dealt with it.
She said recently she sent a letter to Works and Infrastructure Minister Jack Warner pleading for help but they were still awaiting a response. Attached to it were the signatures of 21 other residents. Mike said they also made verbal and written complaints to the Siparia Regional Corporation, their local representative and Member of Parliament Fitzroy Jeffrey with no results. She said there were several children living in the community, many of them including her own, having encounters with the caimans.
She said they have self imposed a curfew which involves locking doors at sunset. "There is a dengue problem in the country. Recently a young girl died. We are scared and begging for help. Please help us!" she pleaded.
