August 25, 2013Dear Sir,I write this letter on behalf of all of the affected residents, drivers, riders, passengers and all others who have had to endure the road closures on Marsh Folly since March, and Angle Street since April, of this year. I find it difficult to comprehend how the Government of the day would allow this situation to go on as if it is business as usual.In March, in referring to the Marsh Folly/Perimeter Lane problem, a statement made by a spokesperson for the Ministry of Works and Engineering warned the public that the closure could be a long one as the responsibility was that of the homeowners and not of the Ministry. It is a fact that, if the road did not have to bear the weight of government buses, licensed tractor trailers, etc, there would be no need for the type of retaining wall that is required to prevent such collapses.My view is that the points made by Opposition MP Michael Weeks, published in the March 28 issue of The Royal Gazette were sound. In essence he was asking for the repairs to be done as soon as practical with payment and schedules to be worked out with the homeowners and, while work was in progress, traffic should be restricted to one way going West in the mornings and one way going East in the evening. It is obvious that two good suggestions were not given support and acted upon. Let’s hope that it was not “political”.Then in April, to compound the situation, a road closure became necessary at the junction of Angle Street and Cedar Avenue. This is a much smaller issue then Marsh Folly and yet we have the similar inability by the powers that be to move quickly to remedy the situation.A reopening of the road is scheduled for October after school starts. Incredulous!!As a result of the first road closure, a number of vehicles used Parsons Road to get to the west part of the city. With the second road closure, much of this traffic began using Happy Valley. Those of us living in these neighbourhoods are being forced to endure the extra traffic, noise and pollution.I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if these collapses had taken place in one or two of the more affluent areas in Bermuda. I hope I am wrong but I have the feeling that some remedy for the situations would have been found and acted on in a far more urgent manner. I sincerely hope that our Government is not operating on the old “the back of town and it doesn’t matter” philosophy.CHARLES H JEFFERS