By Michael McLean, Gleaner WriterSANTA CRUZ, St. Elizabeth:
A NUMBER of business owners in Junction, southern St. Elizabeth, say they have suffered huge financial losses as a result of torrential rains associated with Hurricane Charley.
They pointed out that between Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday morning, their businesses were flooded, causing major damage to their goods.
When The Gleaner visited Junction on Thursday, employees and some angry shop owners were seen mopping up floodwaters from their business places. Most of them blamed the flooding on poor drainage, adding that too many buildings were going up in the town without proper town planning.
Businesses located at the underground floor of Intown Plaza were some of the places worst hit.
The owner of an affected store, Mrs. Dione Curtis, lashed out at the builders. "How am I going to supply the over 500 uniforms to schools by September 6? She blamed the parish council for doing what she termed 'a shabby job'.
Meanwhile the owner of Sampak Photo Studio Mr. Errol Steadman said that all the water that flooded the shop came from the main road and according to him, whenever it rained, his shop was always flooded. The fire station and the market were also flooded and watermarks were still evident on the walls of the buildings up to 20 feet.
Member of Parliament for South East St. Elizabeth, Lenworth Blake, in an interview yesterday, said he was seeking funding to rehabilitate the over 33 roads, which were damaged by Hurricane Charley. "We need a lot of money... about $150 million to fix the roads", the MP said. He also noted that about 80 per cent of vegetable crops were damaged.
