Several area residents of Heathcote Hill, Sandys near Sound View Road were, this week, up in arms over the dumping of a host of refuse laden trash bags on the roadside on Monday, after garbage collectors had left, leading to the influx of rats, cats and other manner of creatures to the ‘bonanza’, as well as a cascading stench.
Much of the entire surrounding the nasty situation, that had potential to encourage the spread of disease and create an unholy mess of trash, was directed at a once prominent public servant, who was found to have authorised workers removing left-over items from his vacated rental property, to place them at the gate.
The woman told TNN that the landlord had asserted that those placing the bags on the roadside had done so with “permission”, but refused to disclose exactly from whom nor where such permission had come.
“When I left home (Monday) the trash was gone, meaning that our neighbourhood trash had been picked up,” explained the disgruntled woman. “So, when I came back after 11, there was the most foul smell when I drove in the gate and all these bags of trash were just thrown all over the place.
“My neighbour, who has a trash can she puts out and usually makes sure that every thing’s tidy at the gate, was talking to a young man, pushing a wheel-barrow, with some smelly, ungodly trash in it.
“I asked him, ‘Did you put out all this trash?’ And he said, ‘Yes’. Do you live around here? ‘No’.
“And I told him that the trash had already gone and that the other lady was likely going to call the police about it (dumping).”
Even as the police arrived, the woman explained how her fellow neighbour had followed the worker to the source of the garbage and found out that it was being taken from the residence of one of her relatives’ rental properties, with the relative in question, the one-time public official.
“The police went to the other lady, because she had taken pictures and it was found to be 18 bags of trash that were dumped at the gate,” continued the woman. “So, here I am talking to the police, and who comes strutting down my drive-way, chest poked out, but him.
“He was talking some foolishness about a neighbourhood watch and asking, ‘What you gonna do. I don’t know why you’re worried about that trash’, and telling the (police) about all this property he owns around here’.
“He said that the worker had permission to put the trash to the gate.
“But, just how does he know so much about this young man? And who gave him permission to put it there after everybody’s trash has been picked up?
“Evidently, he did know about it, because the trash came from one of his residences.”
A clash of words were said to have ensued between the pair, before the woman decided to end the conversation and went inside her home, leaving the police to deal with the alleged perpetrator, who, while owning property in the area, was said to reside elsewhere.
The woman added that a third neighbour had posted details of the situation on social media and that the man had responded, noting that the trash would be removed.
The third neighbour revealed it to not have been the first time the same man had clashed with residents over unsound property management and the apparent belief that he was entitled to do whatever he liked, due to his former ‘status’ in the public sector and vast area land ownership.
“It’s not the first time this individual has gutted his apartments and put stuff down there,” explained the third neighbour. “He does not live in this area.
“Yes, he does own houses up here, which he made known, as he spoke, but other people own houses as well.
“He does not have to deal with the rats and the smell from down there. It’s not acceptable.
“It’s ridiculous and to give me that bs smile is just not acceptable.
“He just needs to get that trash up, because it’s not the first time!”
Returning, the first woman also delivered an ultimatum, adding that if such had not been carried out police would be again called to apply pressure and/or use their powers of enforcement to have the refuse removed and consequences applied.
“That stuff stinks,” she said. “It’s a health hazard that attracts all sorts of nasty animals and creatures.
“And, on top of that, they’ve added more to the pile since this morning
“I’ve had to move house before and get rid of stuff in the process, but, like most people, I got a truck to move my trash.
“Because that’s what people do in these kinds of situations, where a tenant may be moving out or a landlord has to get rid of a former tenant’s things.”
To date Friday February the 3rd the 18 bags of trash remains at the Heathcote Hill location.
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