Water crisis must be addressed ahead of school, says Phillips

Member of Parliament for East Central St Andrew Dr Peter Phillips says that the Government must respond immediately to the urgent cry of residents for water in affected communities.

Phillips is president of the People’s National Party and leader of the Opposition. He said that the ongoing water crisis that has been plaguing several communities in the St Andrew East Central constituency and other areas has intensified over the past weeks, with some communities going without a single drop for days.

From Ziadie Gardens in the north to Maxfield Park in the south, including communities in Cassia Park, Molynes Gardens, Seaward Drive, Delacree Road, Hagley Park, Richmond Park, and Waltham Park, residents have been experiencing severe water shortages since the onset of the drought, coupled with frequent lock-offs owing to broken mains resulting from ongoing mismanaged roadworks.

On several occasions during the last school year, students attending schools such as Melrose Primary, Maxfield Park Primary, and others had to be sent home as the water crisis hit hard.

“We are entering into the reopening of schools, and there has been a resurgence of this crisis in the constituency. From time to time, water was trucked into the area, but there needs to be a reliable and appropriate trucking schedule. It is not sufficient to blame the drought and do nothing, knowing that water is essential to life. Not only is this situation a major inconvenience, it also presents a serious health threat, especially for our children,” Phillips said.

Phillips said that within the context of the dengue outbreak and the rise of other mosquito-borne diseases, every effort must be made to address this ongoing crisis. He said that he will continue to make representation to the National Water Commission on behalf of the people until this crisis is addressed.

“One cannot pretend that this is not happening. The roadwork has gone on for some time now, and the frequent breaking of pipes indicates that no care is being taken to ensure that the lives and livelihood of residents are protected. With the onset of the drought, these residents have been forced to endure this uncertainty for way too long,” Phillips said.