Email

Print

The villagers say that - over the years - had a dozen people have lost their lives while attempting to get across. They organized a protest this afternoon to demand that the Government installs either a speed bump here, or a pedestrian ramp, so that it becomes easier and safer to get home. Our 7News team was there for the demonstration, and Daniel Ortiz has that story:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
This afternoon, Crooked Tree Villagers gathered under the only bus stop at the junction to prepare themselves for their protest in the late afternoon heat. But, they came prepared with an assortment of posters each with a powerful message.

They have lost 6 people to road traffic accidents on this stretch of road at the junction, and they want something to force drivers to slow down to a stop, so that people can safely cross the road.

They gathered at the spot where 20 year-old Alma Flowers lost her life on Sunday night, and as Alma's mother stood at the spot where she died, the pain was clearly still fresh.

On each side of the road, the villagers gathered with their messages in hand and tried to get the support from motorists passing by.

Some did give them an encouraging honk of their horns, but others simply blew by, completely ignoring the crowds on the shoulders of the highway, and the danger that someone might try to cross unexpectedly - which only served to underscore the problem

The organizers are hoping that the Government will take notice and put speed bumps here.

Dana Perriott - Crooked Tree Resident
"The residents of Crooked Tree came out here today to voice their opinion. They feel in their heart that its way overdue. We've been asking for a bump for at least 8 years and its seems like it had fallen on deaf ears and it takes 6 people to lose their lives out here; 2 were not from Crooked Tree and 4 was from Crooked Tree. We are all family back here in Crooked Tree and the village mourns this late Alma Crawford."

Nicolette Montez - Cousin of Deceased
"Alma was my cousin, she lives in the same area as me. We go to school together. Every night we came off the bus that goes to Crooked Tree from UB. We travelled every night. We've been doing that and it really hit home, because Alma was a very vibrant young lady, full of life. She didn't deserve this to happen to her and it had to take her life for someone to notice the village of Crooked Tree that needed a speed bump. I still can't comprehend this loss."

Dana Perriott - Crooked Tree Resident
"We have 60 people here today, 60 villagers for Crooked Tree all concern about their children wellbeing. School will be opened in about a week or two from now and high school has orientation and when they have orientation, school is over at midday. That way Crooked Tree bus leaves Belize City 10:50am. Our children will have to catch a northern regional bus and get off here at Crooked Tree junction. Some of them it's the first time they will be leaving their home to catch a regular bus. They are new to this and we feel in our heart that a pedestrian ramp or a bump will be a big help to the community. The villagers will feel much safer, having their kids come off here knowing that a bump or pedestrian walk is out here."

The Chairman of the village told us that his council has requested speed bumps on this stretch of the road, but that plea has so far gone unanswered, and so, he hopes that the Central Government will listen to these demonstrators.

John Gillett - Chairman, Crooked Tree Village
"It is a protest. It's not organized by the Crooked Tree Village Council, but it's organized by a group of very concern villagers. So they are showing their presence out here this evening, because if you notice many of the placards are stating that they need a speed bump or a pedestrian ramp or something to that effect across the road, because we know that quite a number of lives have been loss out here due to traffic accident over the few years already."

"The council has already contacted the Area Representative Hon. Castro, the council has already contacted Mr. Lennox Bradley, the chief engineer, Ministry of Works and we have also gone over LOVE FM Tuesday morning to echo the same concern that the villagers of Crooked Tree are echoing out here today."

The community is hoping to get this road safety measure installed before the start of the next school year, so that the children starting school in September will not be at risk.

Nicolette Montez - Cousin of Deceased
"Its very hectic sometimes, because when the bus leaves us out here we have to like look left and look right and the vehicle are just going zoom, zoom - like crazy and sometimes we have to hold hands and run cross so we don't get hit. It's very crazy out here and by the government putting 2 speed bumps, I think it's going to help a lot, especially me that have my 2 kids and we just move up here 3 years ago. I have 2 of them that is going to Belize school and they are going to be new to this going off the bus and my cousin got her death out here, I don't want my children to be the next victims or anybody else children."

Dana Perriott - Crooked Tree Resident
"With time the people will understand and get to acquainted to us being here and not everybody drives the sense and knowledge that people crosses this highway to go into Crooked Tree. So we here today, we are trying to make a statement and hopefully he minister had promise us that he will give us a speed bump shortly and we feel in our heart that we are supposed to come out here and stand our ground and make ourselves known to the country of Belize that we need this for our younger generations."

Several residents say that after Alma Flowers died, Area Representative Edmond Castro promised that he'd put a speed bump at this location. We could not reach him for confirmation.