Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter

The temporary Bailey bridge scheduled to be opened last night to replace the collapsed Hope River bridge in Harbour View, St Andrew. The original structure was destroyed by Tropical Storm Gustav, which lashed the island last week. - Norman Grindley/acting photography editor

Last night's scheduled completion of a Bailey bridge in Harbour View, St Andrew was expected to provide welcome relief for marooned commuters in eastern Jamaica starved of health services and food in the wake of Tropical Storm Gustav.

Prior to the completion of the Bailey bridge to accommodate vehicular traffic, doctors had to be flown in and and patients flown out from Princess Margaret, the main hospital in the parish, which is located on the eastern side.

Claudette Lewis, parish manager for St Thomas Health Services, told The Gleaner yesterday that in preparation for the storm, arrangements were made for helicopter services to be made available to the hospital.

"We know that if there is a hurricane or storm, the parish is usually cut off, so we had prior discussion to have the helicopter service available," said Lewis.

Since the storm, at least four emergency cases were flown from the Type C hospital to a Corporate Area facility.

Yesterday, three doctors were transported by helicopter to the facility to report for duty. With regard to medical supplies, Lewis said there were adequate amounts in stock and preparations had been made.

Died later

Yesterday, one man believed to have been suffering from asthma and unable to get medical attention, collapsed near the Hope River bridge and was later pronounced dead.

Another crippled sector was the gasolene industry in St Thomas, as people living as far away as Harbour View travelled to Yallahs and Morant Bay for fuel.

Checks by The Gleaner showed that up to 5 p.m. yesterday, the two service stations in the western side of the parish were out of petrol. Of the four gasolene providers in Morant Bay, only one had ample supply of the three main types of petrol.

"We were told as soon as the bridge (is) fixed then the tankers would come and fill us up," said one proprietor.

Some supermarkets and whole-sales were also running out of groceries. One in the capital had a limited supply of pastries in stock, while another was only selling flour and rice in small quantities.

D.D. Warmington, of Classic Super Shop in Morant Bay, said he was hoping the temporary bridge would open to vehicular traffic by weekend so his delivery men could collect commodities from the Jamaica Flour Mills in Kingston.

"Is rice and flour the problem. We have everything else in sufficient supply," he said, noting that his meat suppliers travelled through neighbouring parish Portland and delivered yesterday.

The banking sector in the parish also received a rush on its services at the start of the week. The queues at the automated banking machines were long with customers in some instances having to wait around 30 minutes to get cash.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com