Diego Martin resident Lisa Maraj is calling on Works and Transport Minister Colm Imbert, Diego Martin Regional Corporation chairman Lindon George and any other relevant authority to help her save her home and those of eight of her neighbours from collapsing into the Diego Martin River.

As the heavy rains that have besieged the Diego Martin area and much of North Trinidad since Thursday continued to deluge the area, Maraj and her neighbours fear that ongoing erosion of the river’s banks is threatening the very stability of their homes.

A tree that fell into the river threatens to exacerbate the problem by blocking the flow of water and increasing erosion of the river banks.

When the Sunday Express visited Maraj’s home yesterday, a man, clad in a short pants and wearing no safety equipment, was standing on the tree in the river and cutting at its branches with a cutlass, as the muddy brown waters flowed rapidly all around him.

Maraj and the others, who have been affected by the growing strength of the river’s raging waters, live in an area that is behind the Diego Martin Taxi and Maxi Stand (the Turn Style) at the junction of St Lucien Road and the Diego Martin Main Road.

Maraj, who has lived in the area since 1973 and has a letter of comfort for her land and said she has been paying building taxes, was fearful that her house could collapse into the river if nothing was done to prevent it.

She said she and her husband, Shawn Radoo, who is a calypso historian, spent about $50,000 of their own money to build a retaining wall with tyres supported by metal rods and reinforced with concrete at the back of their home where the river flows to keep their home safe. ’The retaining wall that I did is being underminined constantly,’ she said.

Maraj said she called the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, seeking assistance, and has also been trying to get in contact with Imbert who is MP for the area, but said that as of yesterday, neither Imbert nor anyone from the Corporation has visited her community.

The Sunday Express was unable to contact Imbert by phone, but was told that he was in the Diego Martin area yesterday, inspecting areas that experienced floods and landslides.

George said he had spoken with Maraj and was aware of her plight and once the rains ease up, he will send resources to remove the tree today.

He said he could not send any regional corporation personnel or contractors into the river while the waters were raging since they could be put at unnecessary risk.

’With regard to the erosion of the bank, I told her she should speak to her Member of Parliament, who happens to be the Minister of Works, because what she wanted was to put tyres and a number of things, which it is outside the jurisdiction of the Regional Corporation,’ George said. -Juhel Browne