Uncertain time for road repair work in Friendship

WESTERN BUREAU:

Residents of The Estuary Housing Scheme in Friendship, St James, may have to wait a while longer to find out how soon repair work will begin on the nearby main road, which they say has been in disrepair for approximately 25 years and poses security and health risks.

Janel Ricketts, the community relations officer at the National Works Agency’s (NWA) western regional office, told The Gleaner on Friday that while plans are afoot for repair work to start on the Friendship main road, there is no available timeline as to when the work will begin.

“Consideration is being given to having that area fixed,” Ricketts told The Gleaner. “However, I do not want to speak on behalf of the member of parliament (Edmund Bartlett, for St James East Central), but I know that the NWA is giving active consideration to that particular area. Unfortunately, I cannot say at this time how soon that will be.”

The NWA’s update came two days after the residents protested over the poor condition of the road, which they say they have repeatedly tried to bring attention to, without success.

Neil Chisholm, who has been residing in The Estuary since its opening in 2018, said the road condition is raising major security concerns because robbers prey on motorists who travel along the roadway at night.

“This road has been like this for the past 25 years, and now that there is a government-built housing scheme in the area, nothing has happened to change it. Recently, two persons were robbed because of how they have to slow down to navigate the roadway,” Chisholm said.

“The first robbery happened a month ago, and the second one happened a week after that,” Chisholm explained. “We reached out to Mr Bartlett’s office and we heard that he is in dialogue with the National Works Agency.”

Bertram William, another resident of the housing development, said the road is also posing a significant health concern due to the dust nuisance that motorists have to endure while driving.

“When I am coming up in the dust, I have to wind up the window and turn on my AC. If I roll down my window, dust will come in and affect my sinus and mess up my car,” said William.

Taxi operator Harold Turner, who plies the Friendship to Hurlock route, said he has had to be replacing parts on his motor vehicle regularly due to the damage sustained from the road’s bad condition.

“Up to today (Wednesday), I had to go and change front-end parts and ball joints because of the condition of the road. I posted on Facebook and WhatsApp about the road, and I am not getting any good response,” Turner said.

The residents are threatening to take drastic protest action if Bartlett does not swiftly and adequately address their concerns and get the road fixed.