By George Henry, Gleaner Writer SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
THERE IS currently growing concern among residents of the community of Rock in the Toll Gate division of South West Clarendon, over the state of the road in their area.
Councillor for the Toll Gate division at the Clarendon Parish Council, Joel Williams, told The Gleaner that despite several demonstrations in the area over recent months to have dilapidated road conditions rectified, not much effort has been put out to ease the discomfort of road users.
Mr. Williams stated that a repair project started last October on the Rock road following heavy rains during that month, but the contractor, Henry J. Building Construction, from May Pen in the parish, pulled his equipment and has not returned since to continue the work.
Since then the road has become worse and has been making life uncomfortable for residents, said the councillor. This, despite numerous appeals to the National Works Agency (NWA) to get the project going.
AT RISK
Mr. Williams stated that due to the state of Rock road, the lives of thousands of residents are now at risk, and if efforts were not made to have the situation corrected with urgency, it could lead to serious consequences.
He pointed out that an elderly man from the community who took ill a few weeks ago, died before a doctor could reach him to administer attention. "An elderly man took ill a few weeks ago, his family called in his doctor who was on his way, but had to turn back when he reached the poor section of the road. As a result the poor elderly man died, because the doctor was unable to drive on the road."
Mr. Williams also noted that a pregnant mother from the area, was on her way to the May Pen Hospital to give birth recently, but was unable to make the journey due to the state of the road. He said she gave birth in the vehicle in which she was travelling, along the Rock road and the infant died, as the vehicle was not able to drive on the bad road.
He added that the poor road condition in the area has also led to other problems. Mr. Williams pointed out that with the prolonged drought now affecting sections of Clarendon, and with the area being severely affected, residents were having difficulty getting water, despite trucks being available to transport the commodity there.
The councillor added that no water truck was willing to go to Rock, for fear of damages due to the roadway. Residents, he pointed out, have been forced to travel up to ten miles to Mocho while incurring huge costs to acquire water.
"The only option I have now, is to lead the people to Osbourne Store and do like what Michael Manley (late Prime Minister) did in the 60s and lay down across the road," said Mr. Williams.
The councillor said he got in touch with personnel at the National Works Agency recently, and was told that the NWA was dissatisfied with the progress of the work at Rock and that there was a move afoot to have the contract terminated.
FLOOD RAINS
Communications manager at the NWA, Vando Palmer, confirmed this. According to Mr. Palmer, Rock road, which belongs to the Clarendon Parish Council, was damaged during the flood rains over two and a half years ago was being repaired under a Caribbean Development Bank flood damage programme.
He stated that the work was contracted to Henry J. Building Construction firm, but the company had made very little progress with the project, despite several warnings from the NWA, as it relates to poor performance on the job, but nothing satisfactory has been done.
"We are not satisfied that the contractor has done anything to improve the status of the work, and therefore the contract is going to be terminated," said Mr. Palmer.
Mr. Palmer noted that as soon as the contract is terminated, the NWA would go back to tender and seek to acquire the services of a new contractor to continue and complete the work.
