Manchester Central MP touts road repairs

First-time Member of Parliament Rhoda Moy Crawford has revealed that more than 30 roads have been repaired since she took over the leadership of the Manchester Central constituency in September 2020.

Crawford, who defeated three-term MP Peter Bunting by 1,151 votes in the last parliamentary elections, was making her contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in Parliament on Tuesday.

According to Crawford, under her Road-A-Fix initiative, corridors in several communities including Blue Mountain, Banana Ground, Coffee Grove, Davyton and May Day have been repaired. 

"Never before have the people in Manchester Central witnessed or experienced such rapid growth and development in their communities in so short a time. It is true, lives are being positively impacted in record time," said Crawford.

She told Parliament that constituents have lauded her as "the real deal," citing her as the needed hope for Manchester Central.

According to the MP, after two years of what she described as solid representation constituents have given her an "excellent" passing grade. 

Holding a placard mimicking a report card, Crawford read several achievements during her tenure and feedback she said she received from constituents.

According to Crawford, the lives of some 385 students across all education levels have been impacted through education grants, alongside 430 book grants and 406 devices.

She added that some 1,200 students have been gifted uniforms and other school supplies, all funded through the Constituency Development Fund and other supporting ministries.

She said, too, that some 478 residents have been assisted with employment opportunities. 

She disclosed that a total of $17 million had been spent on garbage collection and beautification exercises, an initiative she said, constituents have welcomed.

Crawford spoke of work being done on the Melrose to Williamsfield leg of the East/West South Coast Highway which she said was 81 per cent completed.

She explained that full completion will significantly reduce travel time to Mandeville.

Crawford said a $410 million water supply system is expected to relieve decades-long water woes for many residents. 

"This system is currently in phase two of four phases. When completed, residents in Mandeville and neighbouring communities will be relieved of decades of severe water challenges," said Crawford. 

As she ventures into her third year of representational politics, Crawford listed some projects that will be undertaken.

They include the refurbishing of the Mandeville Market, the construction of free community water shops, the construction of 20 new classrooms, two bathrooms, a science lab, a computer lab, and a staff room at Bellfield High School.

Plans are also under way for the construction of a $48 million female ward at the Manchester infirmary. 

"The journey has not been easy, and there is still much more work to be done to rebuild the constituency, a constituency that was neglected for more than thirty years," said Crawford. 

- Olivia Brown

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