A potentially tragic incident in Goodland Gardens has ignited urgent calls for infrastructure reform across Barbados. Seventy-two-year-old Lolene Rawlins survived a harrowing fall into an 87-foot well concealed by overgrown vegetation on Monday, prompting immediate rescue operations by the Barbados Fire Service and Roving Response team.
The near-fatal accident has exposed critical gaps in public safety monitoring, particularly regarding abandoned and unsecured wells throughout the island nation. Ministry of Transport and Works crews responded by implementing temporary safety measures at the incident site, including plywood covers and caution-taped wooden barriers.
Local residents revealed this was not an isolated case. Edwin Denny, a community witness, cited multiple previous incidents including a fatal 2019 case where 18-year-old Kyrique Boyce died after a well cover collapsed. “This isn’t the first person,” Denny emphasized, noting similar accidents in St. James where individuals have fallen into uncovered wells.
The community has initiated grassroots efforts to identify hazardous sites, with resident Christopher Alleyne advocating for collaborative action between citizens, authorities, and media. “Instead of sitting back and talking, you can get involved and do your little piece,” Alleyne urged, promoting community-led hazard reporting.
However, frustration simmers among residents who believe warnings were historically ignored. One visibly angry resident questioned the reactive approach: “Nobody speaks about it until somebody has jumped in there, so who next is going to die in there?”
Ministry officials acknowledged systemic challenges. Drainage Supervisor Troy Jones admitted many wells remain undocumented due to their secluded locations. “Sometimes it takes a situation like this for us to be aware,” Jones stated, confirming the incident would improve future mapping and identification efforts.
While temporary measures are being deployed, officials note that permanent solutions require coordinated long-term planning. The incident marks the latest in a series of well-related accidents, including a 2019 National Conservation Commission worker’s survival story and a 2022 case where a young man survived a 42-foot fall with minor injuries.