Neighbour Complains Once Again About Thelma’s Kitchen

Two days ago, we went to Thelma’s Kitchen on Caesar Ridge Road, but it wasn’t to do a story on her fabulous meals. Our visit was to inquire why there seemed to be a smoke issue that her next-door neighbour, Betty Bradley says is affecting her. Bradley said that the breeze blows the smoke from Thelma’s barbeque grill in the direction of her house at times and it has become a nuisance over the years. Thelma explained to us that she does all her cooking now on commercial stoves in her kitchen and the only days she uses the grill is on Thursdays to boil the plantains for her hudut and on Fridays to boil the pigtail for her boil-up sale. She told us that she has had disputes with her neighbour in the past and that she is convinced that the complaint was solely out of spite since the grill is all the way around the corner and is shielded by a wall. So today, the grill was again in use and News Five was called out again to hear another complaint from the neighbour. Marion Ali reports.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Two days ago, when Betty Bradley called us to complain about a smoke problem from her neighbour, Thelma Arana’s barbeque grill, the grill was not in use. But earlier today it was when Bradley called us to say that the problem remains the same for her: the smoke that the grill produces makes it difficult for her to breathe. The grill is located around the corner of the lane and behind a wall that prevents much of the smoke from drifting to the other yard. But Bradley said when the breeze picks up, the smoke goes right into her house, and she wants it to stop. Today, she called representatives from the Belize City Council to address the matter and they called the National Fire Service to respond.

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley, Caesar Ridge Road resident

“They come yesterday and talk to the lady and everything, and the lady say, how ih wa close down the fire hearth and everything, right? But then, this morning, I get up eena peace from six o’clock, say I wa get up and do my lee washing and thing, and when I di wash everything, I see big smoke. I called the City Council.”

 

Marion Ali

“Okay, and what happened?

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley

“And it seemed like city council send the fire department.”

 

Marion Ali

“The fire is still lit, so I think the fire department…”

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley

“Soh when the man them come out I asked ah “Sir, did you make the lady out the fire hearth? Ih say that da nuh fi dehn job fi out the fire hearth. So, weh you come do?”

 

Thelma Arana told us that she does not use pinewood and took us to show us the fire that she had lit. She explained that there’s little to no smoke that goes around the house to the neighbour’s yard, but that she has agreed to make whatever necessary adjustments to channel all the smoke through a chimney.

 

Thelma Arana, Owner, Thelma’s Kitchen

“Da nuh pinewood. I nuh use pinewood. We use the coconut husk and the shell. That da weh I use. But I wa end that soon because I need to build like a chimney, a long chimney.”

 

Marion Ali

“Okay. And will you have anybody come and inspect it to ensure that it’s approved?”

 

Thelma Arana

“As soon as I finish, I’ll make the fire department come and check it out and see if it’s okay.”

 

Marion Ali

“And the city council?”

 

Thelma Arana

“Whosoever come by, I’ll let them see if it’s alright.”

 

Thelma says that Friday will be the last day that she will use the grill to boil pigtails for her boil-up before making the adjustments because that will require an investment and time to get it done. Bradley says she can cope with one more day without the chimney.

 

Marion Ali

“How soon will that happen? Because the neighbor is saying that it’s really affecting her.”

 

Thelma Arana

“That’ll be maybe Monday. Monday. “

 

Marion Ali

“Okay. Come next week Thursday and Friday, as you have explained when you need to boil your stuff, that won’t be an issue anymore?”

 

Thelma Arana

“No, that will be no more. This is the last time. Tomorrow will be the last time.”

 

Marion Ali

“She’s saying she will only do it for one more day, which is tomorrow.

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley

“So I fi sacrifice me and mi life.”

 

Marion Ali

“She’s just asking for one more day.

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley

“I don’t have nothing with that, mammy. I don’t have nothing with that. This lady could buy ih things tomorrow. Ms Thelma, please, I nuh have nothing against you, Ms Thelma. Please, I’m begging you, all I want to do is to live, to breathe for me and my children them could live and breathe the same fresh air that you guys breathe in.”

 

Marion Ali

“So she says that by Monday, that problem will be solved.

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley

“So tomorrow wa be ih last day?”

 

Marion Ali

“Yes. Is that okay?”

 

Voice of: Betty Bradley

“It’s okay with me. See, I still di give ah that, Mammy cause me know everybody got to live, Miss.”

 

The two women, who admit they have had differences in the past, have both expressed that they want the bickering between them to stop. Marion Ali for News Five.