IAN ALLEN, Staff Photographer -
A section of the Rio Minho in Clarendon where there is evidence of sand mining taking place.
PEARNEL CHARLES, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) spokesman on local government, has called for the implementation of a systematic sand mining programme to mitigate flooding in several areas across the island.
Mr. Charles, who is also the member of Parliament for Clarendon North Central, was speaking on 'Independent Talk' with host Ronnie Thwaites on Power 106 FM yesterday.
He noted that blocked riverbeds are a major cause for concern in the parish and if not addressed quickly, the results are likely to be unpleasant.
"All of May Pen may soon wash away because the water can no longer find a path that was naturally prepared for it from the hills of Clarendon to the sea below. Because (the rivers) have not been dredged for 30 years and the coast is now totally filled up, the water is finding its way into cane fields and people's homes," said the Clarendon JLP MP.
RESTRICTED
Mr. Charles added that some residents of Clarendon have attempted to remove sand from riverbeds, but were being restricted.
"There are several shovel miners who would like to go and scrape the sand off the land and back into the river course, but every time they do this, police lock up 16 or 17 of them for mining," he said.
The MP noted that a supervised programme, which permits these residents to clear the riverbeds without interference, should be implemented, not only in Clarendon, but wherever there are blocked riverbeds across the island.
Walton Green, a mechanic who lives in Alley, Clarendon, said he, as well as several members of the community fully endorse Mr. Charles' call. Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Mr. Green said his home, which sits about 200 feet from the bank of the Rio Minho, is often affected by water escaping from the river. "Whenever time rain fall hard di river come over quicker because di place nuh line up properly. Di whole a di sand need fi clean up properly and put back where it belong. If di government line we up, we will line up di river," he said.
The Rio Minho in Clarendon is the largest catchment area for rainfall in the island.
