RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann — Twenty years after the Belle Air housing development welcomed its first residents, it is still without running water and, naturally, homeowners are fuming.

Their anger has grown even worse because of property damage caused, they said, by infrastructure improvement works undertaken by the developers.

According to Errol Stewart, president of the Belle Air Provident Society, promises were made for the completion of the water infrastructure in August and December 2012, and again in March of 2013.

“We are having a challenge because we have to buy water, and even though we buy, sometimes the truck does not come on time,” one female resident complained.

“It is too costly for householders to buy water. We would love to know what they (the developers) are doing,” another resident stated.

The residents also raised concerns about the proposed site of a sewage treatment plant, as they are yet to receive any communication on the matter.

“We are lost as it relates to the infrastructural developments and this is definitely as a result of a breakdown in communication with the authorities,” Stewart stated.

He said the residents are calling on the relevant authorities to come forward, be honest and outline when they will have water in their pipes, and to address their many other concerns with urgency, among which is compensation for property damage.

Belle Air is being developed by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), with China National Compete Plant Import and Export Corporation (COMPLANT) as contractor.

The residents say they welcome the improved infrastructure, but they are not happy with the many inconveniences created.

Stewart said when many of the homeowners bought their properties years ago, the place was not fully developed. Persons were told that infrastructure would be added later. However, they did not bargain for the many problems that came.

The president complained that boundary pegs have been removed from properties, building materials have been contaminated and horticulture suffered damage. Several driveways were also reportedly converted into ditches and have resulted in many homes now becoming prone to flooding.

The residents are upset that they were not informed prior to these activities, but they are even more upset now as they are finding it difficult to be compensated.

“Without my permission, my back fencing was removed and survey pegs were removed,” said Alicia Marshall. “I would like compensation for my fencing and for the survey to be redone. It is very inhumane to disturb our property without dialogue.”

The residents believe they have been cheated by the HAJ and said the developer should have examined premises before instructing workers to knock down walls and fencing, primarily to gain access for the laying of sewage pipes and water drains, some of which the residents believe have not been properly done.

“Rather than consulting or notifying residents of things happening, they just went ahead and carried out works, not bearing in mind that Jamaica is a democracy,” one angry resident said.

Although major works on Phase One of the housing development have been completed, residents say they are still battling with challenges as many persons are finding it hard to enter their homes. Many residents, who previously had driveways to their properties, now have to park on the roadway.

They believe that the HAJ, through COMPLANT, “having created the problem, should fix it to allow residents to enjoy the comforts of their homes”.

Several residents have also reportedly suffered injury and damage to their motor vehicles.

According to one resident, on his return home one night his car fell into a ditch, which was not present when he left for work earlier that day.

A car in which a lady in an advanced state of pregnancy was travelling, also reportedly fell into a manhole created overnight and there was no sign erected to warn persons of the potential danger.

Another issue which has left residents irate is the presence of two metal poles almost in the centre of one of the main roads.

“These are indeed indigenous to Jamaicans and possibly should be a tourist attraction,” Donovan Lyon, public relations officer for the community group, said sarcastically.

The residents are also concerned about the rebuilding and improving of their recreational area which was converted into a storage area by the developers.

According to Stewart, numerous letters have been sent to the HAJ, the member of parliament and to COMPLANT. However, the residents are yet to receive favourable responses regarding their several challenges, and now feel that the authorities have ignored them and have treated them with “blatant disregard”.

As a result, many persons are considering taking legal action as they believe they deserve to be compensated.