A resident of Crooked River prepares to remove a piece of tree limb used to block the road while another attempts to collect money from the approaching motorist. Other residents look on. - dwight nelson

Tropical Storm Gustav was apparently a blessing in disguise for some residents of Crooked River, Clarendon, as they made big bucks, extorting money from motorists travelling through the community.

A community bridge, which acts as the only link between Chapelton and Frankfield, partially broke away from the road during the storm, but residents, using boulders and sand, filled the cut off sections so motorists could pass. This however, came at a price.

The residents began collecting up to $200 for their efforts. To ensure that no vehicle rushed across the bridge, a big piece of tree limb was placed in the road. As soon as one motorist paid, the board was removed and he was allowed through. This caused traffic to be backed up on both sides of the bridge. At least 30 vehicles were allowed through the area for the short time THE STAR was there.


Extortion
The Chapelton police while not having knowledge of the incident, said it amounted to extortion and promised to look into it.

Noel Nembhard, the councillor for the Kellits division in which the community falls, dissuaded the residents from collecting money from motorists but as soon as he left, they started again. "We need a bridge to contain a greater capacity of water at this time however it has been air marked to be fixed by the Ministry of Transport and Works," he said, when contacted later. "It's so unfortunate that the bad weather came before work started."

One resident told THE STAR that "every time we have flooding the road cut weh from the bridge and a wi have to fix it. The last time we have flooding some people washed away inna dem car at the bridge".

The residents also showed THE STAR several huge logs that they had placed between the road and the bridge during the last flooding in order for vehicles to gain access. Another resident told the STAR "we nuh want nuh more bridge like this because its too small and it cannot contain the amount of water flowing through the gully when we have heavy rains".