Angry homeowners in a western subdivision are threatening to take legal action against a development firm if it does not address a number of sanitation and infrastructural problems.
Vonette Cochinamogulos, spokesperson for the Laville Subdivision Homeowners, told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that residents in the area are swamped with problems after the Diamond Investment Developers Co Ltd allegedly left them to fend for themselves. Ms Cochinamogulos explained that for four years, the subdivision’s homeowners have heard nothing but empty promises, and are advising the owners of Diamond Investment to tend to their cries before they strike back.
“If we have to go to that next level then we are prepared to do so,” she said. “If we don’t see anything happening then we will definitely take the next step.”
Ms Cochinamogulos added that the company gave them a November 13 date for when the work would be completed, but she insisted that the home owners would be delivering court papers if nothing was done by that time.
About eight homes are affected by over-running septic tanks in a subdivision that is only about five years old, she said. And since there is no central sewer system in the area, all the residents have been forced to use alternative methods, which oftentimes overflow because of the sizes.
When it rains, she added, the problem intensifies.
“Because the water is seeping out of the tanks, it’s overflowing and it’s not going down,” she said.
“The dirty water is always coming up through the tubs and sinks. Wherever we have a drain hole the sewer water comes up because there’s nowhere for the water to go.”
In addition to the “unbearable” sanitation problems that have been neglected, the private developers have also allegedly turned their backs on the subdivision’s infrastructure. According to Ms Cochinamogulos, all that has been left for them to drive on is a dirt road littered with “huge” potholes that has damaged a few cars and floods when it rains.
Now, even Fort Charlotte Member of Parliament Alfred Sears is calling on the company to get the work started.
Ms Cochinamogulos added that it is only right that the government intervenes because “they should have made sure the developer met all the requirements before they granted them approval.”
But John Taylor, former part owner of Diamond Investment, said he has since handed over the Laville Subdivision issue to another “party,” whom he did not name.
Mr Taylor said that when he was dealing with the issues, he was only aware of the shabby roads but blamed the alleged sewerage problems on nature.
“The whole of West Bay Street is low-lying area,” he said. “I can’t control that and these people knew it when they bought the land.”
Ms Cochinamogulos said the residents were never formally introduced to a new developer and were only given the “run around” when trying to reach Mr Taylor.
She added that the angry residents would now sit back and wait until the November 13 deadline to see if anything changes. If not, she added, Mr Sears has promised to step in.
By: IANTHIA SMITH, The Nassau Guardian
