THE EDITOR, Sir:
ALEX CHAPMAN Bridge in Palm, St. Catherine (as children we called it Chack-Man-Chick Bridge) has been washed away for several decades. This bridge connects northwestern St. Catherine to northeastern St. Catherine. This bridge was, and is necessary as a very important link in gaining easy access to neighbouring communities such as Mountain Pass, Recess, Mango Grove, Bonnett, Bermaddy, Treadways, Mullouch, York Street, Top York Street, Savannah, Cheesefield, Bump, Wallens, Time & Patience, Russell Penn, Byndloss, and Linstead.
MAINLY PEDESTRIANS
Children attending Mountain Pass Basic and York Street Primary Schools cross the bridge on a daily basis. Before the death of the bridge, in the early fifties all communities within these areas comprised mainly pedestrians, one or two tractors, some horse-drawn carts, two trucks. Along with the two trucks there was one bus that services the general public with various activities from market higglering, school excursions, and church-going on Sundays.
The trucks were also available to assist community members with the supplying of building materials for construction such as sands, stone, marl and cement. To my knowledge there were only two cars then. There were other owners, who were community czars and owners of property in Palm. It must be noted that these men, to my knowledge then, never did anything great to benefit the community apart from the labourers who worked on their properties, but they had the privilege of good roads to go to and fro.
NO EASY ACCESS
We are now in the 21st century and these communities now have many owners of trucks, mini-vans, car, buses, and vibrant taxi services that serve all the above-mentioned communities in various capacities, and there is no easy access to move from point A to point B because of the destruction of the bridge. Instead all drivers have to move around in a merry-go-round fashion to gain access to communities that are cut off by less than a quarter of a mile of roadway.
The transitional connection that this bridge provided before its demise is more necessary now than at that time. Simply because in advancing with the progress of time citizens of the community become more affluent acquiring more vehicles for transportation not only for pleasure but the movement of goods and services across the several communities. The absence of the bridge creates an impediment to progress and development of the area. That is why the bridge should be resuscitated to enhance development. The many great improvements and developments that have been put in place by members of these communities can only be accelerated by connecting the Northwest to the Northeast thus revitalising the entire area.
RUSSELL PEN BRIDGE/
CULVERT - RUSSELL PEN
Russell Pen Bridge/Culvert in the community of Russell Pen has been deteriorating for several years and needs immediate attention before a major catastrophe takes place. I refer to it as bridge/culvert because it is a low-lying construction that enables water to flow from one side of the street to the other hereafter called the 'Russell Pen' bridge. This bridge in Russell Pen is on the main road that leads from Linstead to several communities, namely York Street, Top York Street, Palm, Mountain Pass, Mango Grove, Bonnett, Cheesefield, Wallens, Savannah, and Time & Patience. It should also be noted that children attending Russell Pen Basic School and York Street Primary School cross the bridge on a daily basis.
FLOODWATER
For decades when it rains heavily several gullies that lead water from most of the above-mentioned communities comes together at this junction and cause the bridge to overflow. With the wear and tear of the floodwater over the years the bridge is now sinking and parts of the concrete are breaking away. If we should refer to one of our old Jamaican adages "A stitch in time saves nine" it will be prudent for the powers that be to look into the matter and have it corrected before some catastrophic situation occurs.
There are about 35-40 thousand people living in these communities and it is about time that something positive be done. "Alex Chapman Bridge" is already dead and "Russell Pen Bridge" is on the verge of dying so action is needed now before a major problem sets in. The Honourable Robert Pickersgill and Abe Dabdoub are our Members of Parliament for the area. We are asking them, to use their good offices to address these problems and find a solution to rectify the two bridges before we have a major disaster that may lead to deaths, and at the same time open a floodgate of opportunity to progress.
I am, etc.,
ELAINE ANDERSON
COLEMAN
coleme@pfizer.com
Jamaica, NY, USA
Via Go-Jamaica
