Dear Editor,

Saturday, June 5, 2021 and Tuesday, June 8, 2021 will be two days and dates that shall be etched in the hearts and minds of Jamaicans, in particular the sons and families of the two ladies who plunged to death, one allegedly by suicide and the other by accident in the Rio Cobre near the infamous Flat Bridge.

These incidents are not the first, second, third or fourth such mishaps. There have been several devastating accidents and loss of precious lives in the deadly Rio Cobre. Though the water looks shallow, it is very deep, and only those that are considered licensed and/or professional divers/swimmers go in and come out alive. I have known two people — one a family friend — who met their demise at Flat Bridge when vehicles crashed in the vicinity and went into the river.

Ava Thelwell’s situation is a very sad one. Approximately within four hours she might have hoped to have received some assistance in some way or another from anyone who may have suspected something gone or going awry. Or, had someone been alert enough she could have been helped. We can also ask or wonder, in the aftermath of all this, if she had reached out for help from someone she trusted.

Fragile and vulnerable are the many others now behind the masks. Many people suffer depression, doubt, fear, hurt, oppression, rejection, suppression, or abuse in silence, and the list is very long. When there is no one to speak with — even when there are many people around — we should always remember that there is a God; we can communicate with Him. Certainly He will answer; probably not immediately, but you must always believe that my God is an on-time God. The answer may not be the one you want to hear, but never forget that His answer is always right.

I call on the governor general, Government, Opposition, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, the Church, the National Integrity Action, public defender, all Jamaicans: Have I left out anyone? Please, I am appealing to the powers that be in our beautiful island of Jamaica to establish a most urgent task force, whatever is the right procedure or institution to immediately immediately draft, plan, develop a plan for the construction of the entire perimeter of the frontage of the river along the roadway leading to and away from Flat Bridge.

Get the Chinese involved, if we must, they have built us fabulous, sturdy highways and toll roads. They can now help us to construct some tunnels for the total stretch of the Rio Cobre, especially that of the areas near and across the Flat Bridge to end a recurrence of monstrous nightmare. We should wait no longer. The current pandemic must not be an excuse to delay.

C Dionne Cassie

cassiecamilledionne7@gmail.com