MAJOR ROAD work along Washington Boulevard, Kingston, is being hampered by the demand for jobs there by warring factions from the area.
On Tuesday work was halted because of a stand-off between the job-seeking factions. The police are maintaining a strong presence in the area, but it remains tense.
The Constabulary Communications Network said the Duhaney Park police reported a disagreement between groups in the area over distribution of the work. To prevent an outbreak of violence, the police carried out a raid in the area and have been maintaining a presence at the worksite.
Leo McEwan of the public relations department, Ministry of Transport and Works, said he was told by project director Karl Martin that work was suspended on Tuesday after a flare-up of violence on the site. Attempts by The Gleaner yesterday to contact Mr. Martin were unsuccessful.
Gleaner sources in the area attributed the flare-up to an on-going feud between rival gangs from the Sherlock Avenue and Brooke Valley areas of Duhaney Park. The dispute which began over two months ago has resulted in at least four persons being killed. The police have raided the warring communities and at least one man has been taken into custody on gun-related charges.
Work on Washington Boule-vard is the second phase of a project which also includes major improvements to Mandela Highway between Six Miles and Ferry. The work which began in March was awarded to Surrey Paving and Aggregates Ltd, in a $264-million contract and is slated to last 12 months.
The road work on the Boulevard extends from Duhaney Park to the intersection with Molynes Road, and will result in the widening of the road into a dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction, including a bus lane. Construction of a 30-metre two-lane addition to the bridge over the Constant Spring Gully will constitute Phase Three of the project.