Farm Town's rocky roads are a source of grief for residents of the Discovery Bay, St. Ann, community. - photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

WHAT'S NOT WORKING?

Like many other communities in Jamaica, Farm Town district in Discovery Bay, St. Ann, is crying shame on the authorities for neglecting their roadways.

In a visit to the community last week, residents made their disgust very clear regarding the deplorable condition of their thoroughfares, further adding to Tyrone's Watch's incalculable tally of highlights.

SYNOPSIS OF THE SITUATION

Farm Town district is a quiet community, almost hidden in the hills of Discovery Bay. But one thing that stands out is the holes and cracks that litter their roads.

Verrick McKoy, Farm Town resident of 28 years, said that the roads in the community were far better than they currently are but an operation by the National Water Commission (NWC) over five years ago changed all that.

"The roads were OK because we got some help from Kaiser Bauxite Company and we did work on it, but NWC laid some pipe in the area in early 2000 and they dig up the road and neva pave it back," McKoy said. "Since then, the road just kept getting worse and worse. We voice our concerns over and over but up to now the situation remains the same. Wethe residents have to mix concrete and do our own little patching."

Brian, another resident, argued that the district had been slighted, saying that work was recently done on the main road, a to the Queen's Highway, but other corridors in the area had been neglected. He added that he was entirely grateful for the work done by the NWC, but is angry at the resultant inconvenience.

Conclusion

Farm Town seems to be between a rock and a hard place - literally. It's a shame that neither of the messages left with the parish council's roads and works department received a response. Nor was there success in reaching any of the officials in that department with more than six carefully-timed phone calls.

However, this is indeed a twist. Usually, the parish councils would say work cannot be started as yet because they are awaiting the availability of funds. In this case the funds have apparently been granted almost two years ago. But work is yet to commence.

Well, let's just say we really look forward to hearing from the St. Ann Parish Council.

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, Kingston; Fax: 922-6223, Telephone: 922-3400 Ext. 6364 or Email: tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com.

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

National Water Commission (NWC) and the St. Ann Parish Council.

WHAT'S THE STATUS?

Charles Buchanan, corporate public relations manager at the NWC, said that in October 2005 the agency paid over $5.4 million to the St. Ann Parish Council for the effecting of repairs to roads in the area that had been affected by their pipe-laying project.

He further noted that he had knowledge that this was confirmed in the minutes of the St. Ann Parish Council as well.

Several attempts to get official word from the St. Ann Parish Council were unsuccessful. One representative, however, verified that the council was in fact responsible for the Farm Town roads.

Farm Town citizens are appealing to the St. Ann Parish Council to urgently address the rugged roads in the rural district.