“We lock up in fear” – Timehri residents fearful of bee infestation

Residents of Alliance Road in Timehri are pleading for help as they are claiming to have had enough of an ongoing bee infestation that has plagued their community for over 16 years, and it’s currently still ongoing.
According to one resident, who chose to remain anonymous, the situation has now escalated to the point where children are being chased off the road, homes are being locked down in fear, and families are left vulnerable to both bee stings and chemical treatments used nearby.
Speaking with this news publication in a recent telephone interview, the resident relayed that the situation is only getting worse, putting the safety of persons in jeopardy.

“It just keeps getting worse, they would come dressed in full gear, do their thing with the bees, then leave—and the bees would still be flying all around the place. It’s dangerous.”
The land across from the resident’s home, she explained, is being used for a long-standing, honey-harvesting, business-like operation.
And while the business may be legal, she stressed that its impact on the community is not being properly regulated.
“You can’t even pass sometimes. Bees are swarming the road. Schoolchildren have to detour through the neighbourhood just to get home safely,” she said. “I have videos in my phone—this morning they were out there again, and the bees were all over.”

She added, “We don’t even know what chemicals they’re burning; I had to run inside and lock up with the baby. Even one of the beekeepers had to run into his vehicle after getting stung—so imagine us without protective suits.”
She recalled a particularly troubling incident when her young daughter, while being taken to the police station, was stung multiple times in the head. “Her whole head got bite up. It was terrifying,” she worryingly stated.
Despite repeated reports to the police, the national emergency hotline (911), and efforts to contact the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and other relevant authorities, residents claim that no concrete action has been taken.

“I even posted on Facebook begging for help, people just keep saying they’ll call back, but no one ever does. My neighbour’s kids have summer classes; they had to walk upstairs and lock themselves in because the bees were swarming the street.”
Frustrated and fearful, other residents are pleading for urgent intervention—either by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, or relevant authorities—to find a solution that ensures community safety while respecting business rights.
“We understand it’s a business, but this is a residential area. Our children and elderly are exposed daily. We can’t live like this anymore,” she implored.