Residents of Bayshore, Marabella, are appealing to the authorities to demolish a dangerous derelict foot-bridge and replace it with safe structure before someone is either seriously injured or killed.
Earlier this year the steel and concrete bridge, built in the ‘train line’ community overlooking the Gulf of Paria over 100 years ago, was closed by the San Fernando City Corporation, but residents, including children, still take a chance to walk or run across the structure as it is the only access point to their homes.
Other residents, who refuse to risk their lives on the precarious bridge, are forced to walk along a narrow track on the edge of a drain, through a dark, bushy area to get in and out of their community.
The force of the crumbling bridge is also causing the road to cave in very close to the home of an elderly resident Monica Hicks.
She complained that she tried calling her parliamentary and local government representatives but have not gotten through to them as yet. Fearful that her home will be damaged, Hicks said: “The cracks already reach in my yard.”
Another resident, Evelane Glasgow, 59, said the bridge was not being properly maintained.
“Is a good while the bridge bad, it breaking down, is a hazard to pass. Is life and death,” she complained. She said before the bridge was closed officials came and took photos and measurements, but nothing else was done.
“No vehicles could pass on the bridge to get to us. So in case of an emergency we in trouble. Everybody have to pass through by the edge of a drain, children, babies, but it dangerous,” said Glasgow.
A mother of three, who did not wish to named, called on the authorities to demolish the bridge and rebuild it.
“I don’t allow my children to use that bridge, but I have seen children crossing that bridge to go to and from school. It is in a terrible state and is very dangerous,” said the mother.
Attempts to reach councillor La-Verne Smith and San Fernando Mayor Junior Regrello were unsuccessful.