NEIGHBOURS of the Mangrove Pond Landfill say the court-ordered compensation package for enduring years of stench is not enough.

Indications are that each household at Arch Hall and Bennetts, St.Thomas, would be given at most $6 000 following a settlement of $900 000 approved by Mr. Justice Frederick Waterman , last week.

"It's chicken feed," an irate Arch Hall resident told The SUN on Saturday, yesterday. "If that's what they're bringing they could really carry it to the dump."

"That money can't even pay the medical bills my family had to pay for all these years," said another middle-aged man who asked that his name not be published.

The man who lived at Arch Hall for eight years, said Government should either close the dump immediately or offer to foot the bill for relocating residents.

"It doesn't make sense giving people down here a measly $6 000 (and) keeping the dump open; because although it's not as bad now, you never know when it will act up again," he added.

Mildred Holder, a pensioner from Bennetts, said the pending pay-out "ain't no money but I would still take it".

She added: "We had to go through a lot of sufferation for nuff years. I even had to move my grandson to Westmoreland because that nastiness was killing him. But a little with content is great gain," Holder said.

One of her neighbours said she was advised by a lawyer who lived in the area, that she should not accept the money until the dump was closed.

"I really would like the piece of change, but he is a lawyer so he would have to know," she said.

The landfill is expected to be replaced by one at Greenland, St. Andrew sometime this year.