The other side of the Maskall Controversy

There are allegations and counter allegations from two residents of Maskall Village. In one corner is the chairman, Michael Jones and in the other is David Lambert. The complaints will be settled in the courts but in the meantime, both have turned to the court of public opinion with their versions of the stories. News Five’s Delahnie Bain has an update from Maskall where tension is brewing.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

Maskall resident, David Lambert, alleges that Michael Jones and his family attacked him and his wife at their property months ago. But while the matter will go to court, Lambert feels that the field is not level because Jones is the Village chairman. Jones, however, gave a different version of what transpired between him and the Lamberts.

Michael Jones, Chairman, Maskall Village

“He mi want dump wa load ah sand right eena di access driveway right yah and I come and tell ah ih can’t dump it yah, ih have to dump it deh, ih have to put it more to di back out ah di driveway. Den afterwards I di talk to ah and ih wife come and jump afta me wid wah knife and den my son, Delroy just shub she weh and from deh thing just get out ah hand. I walk out pan di road so I noh know like weh he di talk bout how I beat he and dis and dat. I noh touch dah man none, none at all.”

Delahnie Bain

“Well, he claims that at least eight of your family members were out here attacking them.”

Michael Jones

“Only me mi deh out yah, my son and my nephew. Dat dah my only family members fi me. Di rest ah people weh mi di deh out yah da mi just people weh mi di pass by, di truck driver and ih wife.”

Michael Jones

According to Jones, there have been several issues in the village involving Lambert, including a stone wall that he built obstructing the flow of the river.

Michael Jones

“Whenever yoh come and talk to ah bout di stone wall and dis thing weh ih have right yah, dis dah wah bus shed weh ih build and dis dah wah culvert leading right cross di road. Wah culvert deh, deh weh tek di wata from di school yard and when yoh tell ah bout dis stuff yah dah like all ah dehn thing deh cause problem. Den ih have wah stone wall dah back deh weh dam di river. And apart from di stone wall weh yoh si right deh, straight cross di river like dat ih have tires eena di river wid stones hold up eena di tires right across di river.”

The blockage is especially problematic when it rains because it causes flooding in the surrounding areas.

Michael Jones

“I used to be chairman before and from den before we used to try get help. Other chairmen tried it, I get back een again and den people complain because whenever ih rain, di school yard get full; di wata can’t run off. Den due to di stone wall weh ih build up deh, ih full all di way up to di Vacarro’s weh have wah lee business up deh. All dehn place deh full up wid wata; before dah stone wall di wata used to run right through.  I born and grow yah and from I know dis place, dis dah mi access driveway fi everybody. Whenever anything wrong wid di bridge or dehn di repair di bridge or anything, all di vehicles dehn pass right through yah and go right through and go cross to di other side.”

And to top it all off, Jones says there is a health hazard in the way Lambert’s septic system is set up.

Michael Jones

“Underneath di bottom ah ih house right deh ih have wah wata tank between, wah soak away and wah septic all join eena one. Di soak away and di septic run wah pipe straight to di river and dat dah di place weh everybody go bathe right down deh.  When health mi come, dehn walk round—I neva deh yah fi actually mi show dehn what dah di problem so dehn only walk round and seh nothing wrong and dehn gone and lef it like dat. Dis dah my village, I dah di chairman and I want si things done right so dats why den deh dah my concern. And dat dah weh he noh like and dats why he di try put me eena dis dat I do dis, I do dat, I dah noh wah good chairman, nobody can’t come live eena di village. I noh see it, nobody see it.”

There has also been contention in the village over the display of a marijuana leaf carved on the front of Lambert’s house, which is immediately facing the Maskall Primary School. Delahnie Bain for News Five.

Lambert had also claimed that he was arrested over false information given to police that he was an international fugitive, but Jones also denied any involvement in that report.