Residents of Bamboo River in St Thomas are appealing to the authorities to schedule regular cleaning for a gully which runs in front of their houses as the stench from it has become unbearable.

Additionally, when it rains, their yards flood as a result of the large amount of debris which prevents water from running off to the sea.

Nicole Spencer, who recently returned home from hospital after giving birth, complained to the Jamaica Observer that the stench rises up mostly at nights and she is concerned for the health of her newborn.

“You might nah smell it now but when later come down you can’t stay out here suh. It smell real bad and it raw. It come down mostly at nights. When it clean we nuh have no problem. My neighbours, when they feel like it, they push out the bush and garbage out of the gully. When rain fall the whole a here so flood out. It nuh look good and it nuh good fi we health none at all,” said Spencer.

“We have young baby and not even garbage truck come down here. We have to make rubbish heap and burn dem. Some people take it to the dump which is not close by while some people take the garbage and throw it into the sea but mi nuh like the idea fi bring it by the sea side,” added Spencer.

Another female resident chimed in explaining that, “The place want to clean up fi true. Big, big Christmas just gone and nuh work nuh gi out fi cleaning. We need to see the Member of Parliament, Dr Michelle Charles, so we can tell her how we feel,” said the woman who asked not to be named.

She was supported by another female resident who recommended that a system be put in place where the gully is cleaned at least once at the end of each month.

“When the rain falls, the rubbish that people throw in it from further up, comes down and affects us. The water used to run straight to the sea but nowadays, it doesn’t run so freely these days,” the woman lamented.