Residents of Grays Hill are expected to benefit from improved visibility and safety following the clearing of overgrown vegetation that had been identified as a potential hiding place for criminals.

Education Minister Daryll Matthew, the Member of Parliament for St. John’s City South, said the work was carried out after residents raised concerns during recent town hall meetings about robberies in the area and the role dense bushes were playing in providing cover for offenders.

Matthew said action was taken after listening to the concerns shared by residents.

“After listening to the community, steps have been taken to have the area cleared, improving visibility and helping to create a safer environment for residents,” he wrote in a social media post.

Photos shared with the update show heavy equipment clearing thick vegetation and opening up the previously overgrown section of land.

Residents had pointed to the dense bushes as providing convenient hiding places for individuals involved in robberies in the community.

The clearing effort is expected to reduce those risks by improving sightlines and removing areas where criminal activity could occur unnoticed.