By Devon Evans, Freelance WriterST. ANN:
FOR THE third time in the past three weeks, residents of Cuffie Ridge district, in South West St. Ann, demonstrated in their district on Friday over, what they claimed, is an unbearable dust nuisance.
The residents reported that marl, which was placed on the road more than a year ago, as part of a resurfacing exercise, has been making life very uncomfortable for them.
Apart from damaging household articles and various crops, the residents charged that the dust is now causing serious health problems, such as respiratory illness and skin rashes within the community.
Upset over the lack of response to their two previous demonstrations, the residents got together on Friday and mounted a massive roadblock on the Alexandria to Cuffie Ridge road, halting the flow of traffic for several hours.
The resurfacing of the road is being done on behalf of the Government by the Kingston-based Construction firm Surrey Paving and Construction and the residents say repeated attempts to speak with a representative of the company have been unsuccessful.
During Friday's protest, newly elected Member of Parliament for South West St. Ann, Ernest Smith, visited the area where he expressed sympathy with the residents and also informed them that he had already taken steps to have the problem addressed.
Mr. Smith said he has been having difficulty contacting the contractor for the project for several weeks and was only able to make contact with him that same morning. Mr. Smith, however, told the residents that he had instructed the contractor to immediately begin watering the road regularly to keep down the dust and to have the resurfacing work completed within the shortest possible time.
Mr. Smith agreed that the dust from the road has become a health hazard and assured the residents that he will be doing all he could, including leading a protest, to ensure that the nuisance is eliminated.
Mr. Smith said he wants to make it clear that while the main contractor is Surrey Paving, this company is not at fault. He said the blame for the delay must be placed on former M.P. Glenville Shaw and the subcontractor.
