Flood repairs stalled by lack of funds
published: Thursday | January 22, 2004

By Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer

OCHO RIOS, St. Ann

THE ST. ANN Parish Council is seeking nearly 100 million dollars from the Ministry of Local Government to carry out repairs to roads, drains and retaining walls in the parish which were damaged by flood rains during the month of December.

According to Arthur Hosang, Superintendent of Roads and Works, sections of the parish, particularly the coastline, were devastated by the flood rains. He said that most storm water drains and gullies overflowed their banks causing flooding of some homes, blockage of roads and severely affecting the infrastructure.

Mr. Hosang said that based on a recent survey of flood damage in the parish, it is going to require over 99.2 million dollars to undertake the necessary rehabilitation work. He stated that he was in the process of clearing some of the affected roads from money the Council holds as emergency funds but that this was only a drop in the bucket.