Francella Knibbs and Sylvester Ayre, both 70, residents of Bottom Village in Sligoville, carefully make their way up the road in their community.
WHAT'S NOT WORKING:
The road that runs through the quiet community of Bottom Village in Sligoville, north-east St. Catherine, is in dire need of repair. The road that connects Bottom Village to the rest of the country has been reduced to rubble.
SYNOPSIS OF THE SITUATION:
Frankly speaking, there should be laws against a road being this bad. The residents are frustrated, and rightly so. They lamented that the road, which was reportedly constructed in the 19th century (1835 to be exact) but asphalted some 35 years ago, has not been properly maintained over the years. The glory days for Bottom Village road ended in the early '80s. Ever since then, the residents have had to be contending with a roadway that has waxed worse and worse.
The discouraged residents said that their constant cries to Member of Parliament K.D. Knight and Councillor Owen Stevenson have fallen on deaf ears. At one point, the residents resorted to fixing the road themselves. Sadly, that did not last.
A DISGRACE
"It is a disgrace and an indictment against politicians who claim to represent this area," said an incensed resident.
They claim that Mr. Knight visited the area and examined the road 10 years ago while Councillor Stevenson did the same a few years later. Nothing happened. They said that April 2006 was the last time they received a pledge from Mr. Knight to have the road fixed.
Francella Knibbs, 70, told our news team that she has to walk with two pairs of shoes when going to church - a flat pair for the rocky road and her regular pair for church. At nights, Mrs. Knibbs said that her daughter helps her get home safely with the aid of a flashlight, which is used as "a lamp unto her feet and a light unto her path", to ensure that she does not fall along the rugged roadway.
WHAT'S THE STATUS?
The residents said that the Bottom Village road is also known as Parish Council Road #56. However, checks with the parish council revealed that their #56 is not located in Sligoville. Despite efforts to describe the location of the road, the Roads and Works Department at the council was unable to identify it. As a result of the confusion, the parish council was unable to give us any information regarding the reconstruction of the road.
First and foremost, it must be said that the parish council, particularly Councillor Stevenson, must accept liability for this madness. However, MP Knight does not escape some responsibility. It is sad to note that a stone's throw away from Bottom Village a $248 million sports complex, police station and post office is being built.
However, the pleas of the residents for a proper road have been sidelined for over two decades. Let us hope the residents benefit from the establishment of the state-of-the-art sporting facility, that is, if they do not injure themselves travelling on that rugged and rocky road.
It is pathetic to consider that the MP, who was able to negotiate the project for his constituency with the Chinese Government, has failed miserably to provide his constituents with basic infrastruc-ture such as a parochial road.
Once again, some seemingly hopeless citizens have been driven to believe that blocking roads and burning tyres is the only way to secure some help for their situation.
Shame on you, MP Knight and Councillor Stevenson.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Tell us about problems in your community. We will visit and help to lobby for action. Write to: Tyrone Reid, the Gleaner Company Ltd., 7 North Street, P.O. Box 40, Kingston; Fax: 922-6223, Telephone: 922-3400 Ext. 6364 or Email: tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com.
