St Mary residents protest road conditions; trees and old equipment deployed

Residents in several communities in St Mary Tuesday morning mounted road-blocks to protest conditions of several thoroughfares in the parish. 

The angry residents took to the streets from as early as 4 a.m., cutting down trees and using old equipment to block roadways in Islington, Bailey's Vale, Heywood Hall, Trinity and Whitehall. 

Member of Parliament for Central St Mary, Dr Morais Guy said residents are frustrated as the roads have been in a "deplorable" state for far too long.

“I had dialogue with the Honourable Minister with responsibility for roads Mr Everald Warmington as late as Saturday of last week, about the need to have some patching done on the roads to assist not only drivers, but the commuting public," said the Opposition MP, who has been representing the constituency since 2002. 

“We still haven't gotten any resolution to this and all I hear is that it has been tied up in procurement, which speaks to the fact that as political representative we are victims of those issues as it relates to the National Works Agency. So, the residents have become frustrated," he added.

Meanwhile, the police, who have managed to clear some of the debris to allow for single lane traffic in Islington.

This is the latest in a series of protests over road conditions across Jamaica. 

There have been similar demonstrations in Clarendon, St Catherine and Westmoreland. 

- Gareth Davis 

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