Unsightly and unhygienic: A view of one of the polluted potholes in the Torrington Park community in St. Andrew. - photos by Marlon Vickerman

WHAT'S NOT WORKING?

Terrible road conditions have been plaguing the community of Torrington Park in St. Andrew for more than a decade.

Like the people, the roads in the inner-city community, which is situated off Slipe Pen Road, near the border of Kingston and St. Andrew, are dying. Contaminated water fills the huge cracks that have eaten up the roads in the community.

SYNOPSIS OF SITUATION:

When the Tyrone's Watch team visited Torrington Park last Thursday the tension in the air was thick enough to be cut through with a knife. A few residents watched with cautious eyes as the news team was escorted through sections of the community by a couple of their fellow residents.

The two who were willing to speak made it clear that they desperately wanted the road to be repaired.

Marcia Scott, one of the two, said she has never seen the authorities doing any repair work on the roads in the community.

"I live here 14 years and I can't recall seeing road works (being) done 'round here," she said. "That just cause the situation to get worse because over the years the pothole get bigger," she added.

Another resident, who has lived in the violence-torn community for 19 years, said that the situation rapidly deteriorates when it rains. The resident, who declined to give his name, explained that some sections are rendered impassible after a heavy downpour.

The roads, he said, are transformed into mini rivers or ponds while the sidewalks are oftentimes submerged.

While they believe that the violence that has plagued the area is perhaps a major reason for the lack of proper maintenance over the years, the residents are not pleased with what they describe as the virtually non-existent level of communication on the part of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC).

The resident who informed our news team about the poor state of the roads said that taxi operators have refused to go beyond the entrance of the community.

"It is costing me a lot, because I have to keep reparing my shoes. Recently I trip in the pot hole. When you are walking and you walk in one of those potholes to get back out seems like your walking over a mountain fi real," read a section of the email that was sent highlighting the conditions and pleading for help.

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

The Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC)

WHAT'S THE STATUS?

Norman Shand, city engineer at the KSAC, said the council had no specific knowledge of the current conditions in Torrington Park. However, he said that they were aware that the roads in that section of the municipality were in need of repairs.

While Mr. Shand pledged that the KSAC would look into the issue, he was unable to say when remedial work would begin, as that was heavily dependent on the availability of funds.

Slowly but surely: A motorist carefully and unhurriedly manoeuvre through one of the menacing potholes in the community of Torrington Park in St. Andrew.

CONCLUSION

Yet again we are met with the all too familiar slogan of "waiting on the availability of funds."

However, this points to the root of a serious problem. The issue trickles down to the process of infrequent road upkeep and a breakdown in communication.

Residents say the roads have been deteriorating for over a decade now. If proper maintenance was being done over the years the roads would not have declined to its current state. Simply put, if the corporation had a maintenance schedule and abided by it, then it would not have to wait on the availability of a lump sum to carry out major repairs.

Secondly, there needs to be effective communication between the corporation and the residents. This is essential and is an issue frequently raised in these articles. But then, could it be that the member of Parliament and also the councillor for the division are not making representation for the residents?

In summation, the roads in Torrington Park need to be fixed immediately, so the KSAC and other political representatives for the people of Torrington Park must get cracking and stop slacking!

- Done by Marlon Vickerman, Gleaner Writer

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Tell us about problems in your community. We will visit and help to lobby for action. Write to: Tyrone Reid, the Gleaner Company Ltd., 7 North Street, P.O. Box 40, Kingston; Fax: 922-6223, Telephone: 922-3400 Ext. 6364 or Email: tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com.