- Norman Grindley/Staff Photographer
This young woman was caught on camera, as she squeezed through a hole that the residents had cut in the newly erected fence, skipped over the rails separating the lanes on the Old Harbour bypass, and then darted across the highway. Residents have cut the fencing several times to get to the other half of the Gordon Wood Community, St. Catherine, which is divided by the Old Harbour bypass.
Teino Evans, Staff Reporter
RESIDENTS OF Gordon Wood, St. Catherine, have been cutting holes in the wire fence put up by the authorities to prevent pedestrians from endangering their lives along the Old Harbour bypass.
With scant regard for their lives they have been darting across the road which allows motorists the maximum speed of 110 kilometres per hour.
The residents who said that they felt "penned in", and that their freedom of movement had been restricted since the opening of the toll road, were oftentimes trying to get to shops on the other side of the road.
According to Christina Brown, one resident in the area, "Dem nuh want wi walk pon di road."
Residents complained that some of them were forced to walk almost a quarter of a mile to the overhead bridge which had been established for pedestrians who wished to cross the road.
They said the walk to the entrance of the bridge was far too tedious, and some admitted to walking under the bridge, although they knew it was not safe.
Ms. Brown said, "People cut out di fence because under di bridge too dark a night time."
She said it was more convenient for them to cut holes in the fence and cross the highway from where they live, as they needed to have easy access to shops and other conveniences located on the other side of the community across the highway.
When questioned about her fear of being arrested by the highway patrol, Ms. Brown simply responded, "mi run cross di road when mi ready, mi nuh response bout dem...dem nah hold mi."
On Friday, three persons, Leeden Mitchell, Denzil Powell and Joseph Ridge, were arrested by the Ferry Highway Patrol for breaches of the Toll Road Act.
Two of the persons were attempting to cross the highway, the patrol said.
Their reports also state that one of the persons detained had been charged for resisting arrest, malicious destruction of property, assaulting a police officer and being in possession of an offensive weapon.
