By Dale McNish,
Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
SUCCESSIVE TWO-DAY-LONG roadblocks by residents protesting against deplorable road conditions in various Hanover communities have taken their toll on the police, says the Parish Superintendent.
"These demonstrations have tapped into our limited resources and manpower ... in some areas we have to maintain a 24-hour presence," said Parish Superin-tendent Carlton Smith.
"Our men have been overworked and they have complained of being stressed out."
In the last three weeks residents in at least four communities have mounted successive roadblocks, each lasting two days. The police have been kept busy clearing large trees, boulders and other debris used by people in Cascade, Chester Castle, Glasgow, Greenland and their environs to block stretches of roads.
The most recent disturbance took place last week Tuesday, when hundreds of Cascade residents blocked the Kew Bridge to the Lucea main road. Up to Thursday night the police were still maintaining a presence along that busy thoroughfare which is used by many motorists, including several tour companies transporting visitors to and from the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
An irritated Superintendent Smith told The Gleaner that he got no assistance from the Public Works Department (PWD). "I had to take my personal money and buy petrol to put in the front-end loader and with the assistance of Bosung who loaned us a truck we were able to clear the blockage."
He also chastised the Members of Parliament for not interfacing with their constituents which, he said, would have prevented people from taking to the streets with their concerns.
"The residents do not want this type of confrontation with the police because of the cordial relationship that has been established, they just need to see more of their political representatives so they can address their concerns," he said.
The Hanover Parish Council has taken a hands-off approach, saying roads, which are the responsibility of the PWD, do not fall under their purview.
In recent months residents in St. Mary, St. Thomas, Portland, St. Catherine and various other areas across the island have blocked roads to vent their frustration and anger at poor road conditions and lack of water and other resources.
The protests have left commuters stranded and have kept police and other authorities busy. In the most dramatic event last month residents of St. Johns, St. Thomas for hours prevented their visiting Member of Parliament Fenton Ferguson from leaving the community because the roads had not been repaired as promised.
