While most people are tonight securing their home from the winds and rain that might come with Hurricane Felix, Valdemar Varela is tonight wondering how he’ll save his house from a BEL lamppost. Varela lives at the corner of Jabiru and Jane Usher Boulevard. For the past three weeks Varela says he’s been asking BEL to fix a lamppost which is hanging by a thread over his home. With the threat of Hurricane Felix, he is fearing the worse.
Valdemar Varela, Jane Usher Blvd. Resident
“Everyday every day I call two to three times a day. All they tell me is that the trucks are busy in Corozal and Orange Walk. I agree with that but come on, it’s been two weeks now and they haven’t gotten any headway. Now the next hurricane is coming on top of us and this lamppost will drop on top of my house, definitely with the wind. But I don’t know what the situation is with them right now. if one day you miss your light bill, what will they do, they will disconnect you so I want them to fix the post before the hurricane comes.”
Keith Swift,
But I see they braced it here with this pole.
Valdemar Varela,
“Well they came here the night and they put this red pole here to hold up the post. They told me that as soon as the thing passes, they will come back and deal with the posts. As you can see, it is two posts and up to now I am not getting anyway headway.”
Keith Swift,
Mr. Varela what is your worst fear?
Valdemar Varela,
“Well I believe, as a citizen of the country, paying my tax, BEL should fix lamppost because we are paying electricity. They are not giving us electricity free so I believe that BEL should come immediately and fix the post because if this hurricane catches us tomorrow or Wednesday and this lamppost drops on my house who will pay me? Insurance won’t pay me.”
We couldn’t get a response from BEL because the company closed its offices at noon.
