By Onika Campbell, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
DESPITE CLAIMS by the Hanover Parish Council that nearly half-million dollars was spent in an ongoing drain-cleaning programme in Lucea within recent times, residents are still expressing serious concerns about the unhealthy state of the drains.
In an interview with The Gleaner, Mr. Alfred Graham, the secretary/ manager of the Hanover Parish Council, said the Council's drain cleaning was going well as the allotted money is being spent in areas such as Miller's Drive, which is considered one of the main problem areas in the town.
According to the residents, despite the recent spending by the Parish Council, the drains are still infested with maggots, garbage and stagnant water, and still giving off an obnoxious odour.
"The drains are rather unsightly, especially the drain that runs in front of the East Sun Supermarket, which is in an extremely bad state with the black murky water," said Errol Cox, a resident of the town. "This is threatening to our health as vendors are selling fruits and vegetables in close proximity to these open drains."
Barbara Lee, another resident of the town told The Gleaner that the problem is not limited to the area close to the market but to the entire town of Lucea. According to her, stagnant water regularly settles along Main Street, which is the main thoroughfare between Montego Bay and Negril.
To compound the problem, Miss Lee said manholes are often left uncovered and the town is littered with incomplete curbs walls, which prevent water from running freely, contributing to the nightmare being experienced by the residents.
While not insulating the Parish Council from blame, Graham said the residents should take some of the blame for the situation. According to him, the failure of residents to properly dispose of their garbage leads to clogged drains and is a big part of the problem.
"The drainage problem in Lucea is an ongoing situation and the residents should bear some of the blame for what is happening," said Mr. Graham. "It is therefore very difficult to keep the drains properly maintain if the residents don't take greater care in disposing of their garbage."
Graham said he was urging residents and visitors to Lucea to use the garbage bins that have been provided to dispose of waste. He also warned citizens who live on the outskirts of Lucea to desist from dumping garbage in the gullies as when it rains, a significant amount of garbage is washed into the town, creating the problem of clogged drains.
According to Graham, plans are on the way for the Council to collaborate with the public health authority to implement a public health education programme as it relates to garbage disposal and environmental management.
