Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

Residents walk along a gravelly path overlooking the ravaged road below. - photos by Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

EVEN before they could fully soak up the news that bread prices have again been increased, persons who traverse the Hall's Delight main road in St. Andrew, have again been called upon to further loosen their wallets.

The closure of a section of the main road, which collapsed last October, will mean that they have to pay more for taxi fares. And among those to be affected are students who are returning to school today after the Christmas break.

It normally costs an adult $50 to journey from Papine though Kintyre to Dallas via the Hall's Delight main road. For the same journey, children are required to pay $20. However, with the closure of the temporary road, they will now have to pay double.

"I am sorry for the children," a teacher who doubles as a part-time taximan told The Gleaner yesterday. According to him, the parents of many students who attend Dallas Primary and Junior High cannot afford their education.

Hurting the children

"Many of them get $100 per day. This is going to hurt them," he added.

The ills of this roadway surfaced a few years ago after heavy rains and flood waters made it impassable. The National Works Agency (NWA) said it needs millions of dollars to rehabilitate it. However, following the passage of Hurricane Dean, it went crashing again and for many weeks residents were marooned.

A narrow, single lane, temporary track had to be constructed by the NWA, bu it was dangerous, motorists still took their chances on it.

However, in recent times, this section of the road has become increasingly dangerous with a few vehicles sliding off the treacherous track, causing scary moments for many passengers. One elderly woman, who has a heart condition, was scared out of her wits recently when a driver found that he could not properly negotiate the road, and passengers jumped from the vehicle, leaving the frightened old woman alone.

But as dangerous as travelling on that temporary road was, the move on Sunday to close it has ripped though the pockets of many commuters.

No known commence date

The main road leading from Papine to Dallas in rural St. Andrew is now impassable as the road has been cut away from June last year. Residents told the Gleaner that they will now have to pay four fare to get to Papine and back.

The NWA was unable to say when work will begin on the road. Stephen Shaw, the communications manager at the agency, told The Gleaner yesterday that the section of the collapsed road is now the subject of an extensive review.

"There are some major things happening underground which are the subject of an investigation and until these investigations are complete we cannot proceed with any work," Shaw told The Gleaner.

Shaw was unable to confirm if the blocking of the temporary road yesterday was done by the NWA. Attempts by The Gleaner to contact the Member of Parliament for the area, Joseph Hibbert, were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, residents of Hall's Delight and other persons using the road cannot wait until the restoration work begins.

"We need it to be fixed urgently, it has been in that condition for too long," said one woman. She then held her breath and watched anxiously as a car driver defied the roadblock by driving over a heap of sand placed at one entrance, proceeding perilously over the narrow roadway.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com