'No water here nor any toilet' - displaced Coopers Pen families raise health concerns

The health and sanitation conditions facing families displaced by Tuesday’s demolition exercise in Coopers Pen, Trelawny, are coming under scrutiny, with the Opposition calling for urgent intervention before the situation triggers a public health crisis.

Dennis Meadows, chairman of the People’s National Party (PNP) Northern Trelawny Constituency, is urging the Trelawny Public Health Department to investigate the conditions in which displaced residents are now living.

Meadows said families who were forced from their homes and provided with tents are without basic sanitary facilities.

“I am calling on the Public Health Department to look into the non-availability of sanitary convenience for the people who were given tents to sleep under. There is no water nor electricity. The Health Department must act swiftly before any threat of diseases break out,” he said.

About 40 families were affected by Tuesday morning’s demolition exercise, which saw approximately 20 houses destroyed in the community.

Among those now displaced is Nadetta Jones, a mother of three who said she had lived in Coopers Pen for 15 years.

Jones said the assistance provided so far has left her struggling to figure out where her family will go next.

“I am desperate to find a place to go. All I have gotten is a tent and some food stuff. There is no water here nor any toilet nor bathroom. The heat is killing me,” she told The STAR.

Residents were left scrambling to gather their belongings following the early-morning demolition, with many now sheltering in tents.

Meadows said the absence of toilets, water and electricity could pose serious health risks, particularly as families remain in the area.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Chief Public Health Inspector were unsuccessful.

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