People's Report - Kingston in infrastructural decay

• Kingston in infrastructural decay

Kingston has been infamous for its infrastructural dereliction. Whether it is abandoned buildings or garbage-strewn streets, the capital has always been an eyesore.

However, sewage running along several streets of the city is untenable. How can we be talking about the revival of downtown Kingston when citizens are treated to subhuman conditions where the most basic amenities are not provided?

Take a stroll along Heroes Circle, or North Street and its several intersecting roads and you are forced to inhale pungent odour while playing hopscotch as you attempt to avoid stepping in puddles of God-knows-what.

The mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, must intervene as guardian of the city and its residents. Where is the pressure on the National Water Commission?

Jamaicans deserve better

He also needs to address the problem of all these dismantled gutters and potholes at intersections downtown, which force motorists to drive on to sidewalks to avoid thousands of dollars of damage to their vehicles.

- Annoyed

• Install more filter lights in the Corporate Area

With the recent increase in the number of vehicles on the roads these days, the ability to drive safely has been significantly impaired. This has even been made more difficult with the level of indiscipline and selfishness that has been displayed by our drivers, particularly the operators of public-passenger vehicles. A lack of adequate stop lights and the use of cellphones while driving also exacerbate the problem.

Recently, I had the misfortune of being involved in an accident while turning right on to Shortwood Road from Roseberry Avenue. The vehicle to my right had stopped and given me way, while there was no traffic on the left. While I was halfway out on to the road, a speeding car emerged out of nowhere on the left, causing me to crash into its side.

Naturally, since I was coming out of a side road (without any investigation by the police or insurance), I was deemed liable for the accident. In order to avoid similar accidents to other users of the road, I am recommending that traffic lights be installed at the following locations:

1. At the intersection of Constant Spring and Dunrobin Avenue, a filter is needed in order to turn right on to Dunrobin Ave for vehicles travelling south on Constant Spring Road.

2. A filter is also needed travelling west on Shortwood Road at the intersection with Constant Spring Road, turning right on to Constant Spring Road.

3. At the same intersection, travelling east along Central Avenue and turning right on to Constant Spring Road, a filter light should also be installed.

4. Travelling north along Old Hope Road at the intersection with Tom Redcam Avenue, a filter should be installed for motorists to turn right.

5. At the intersection with Constant Spring Road and South Avenue, a filter is needed to turn left.

6. Stop lights are required at the Roseberry Avenue and Shortwood Road intersection.

7. Lights should also be erected at the Red Hills, Molynes Road, Mackville Terrace and Perkins Blvd intersection.

8. At the Roehampton Road and Meadowbrook Road intersection.

These traffic lights may help to reduce the risk of accidents and possibly save lives.

Phillip A. Waite

• Stop the reckless bus, taxi drivers

I traverse Red Hills Road in St Andrew twice a day, and twice a day I have to put up with rubbish like this (see attached photo).  These bus and taxi operators have far surpassed the term 'disgusting'. They've graduated to intolerable.

They drive on the opposite side of the road into oncoming traffic while blowing their horns at other motorists to get out of the way.

Every now and then, a police team will take up residence under the Dunrobin bridge and these filthy drivers will calm down at that stretch of road, only to once again break the law as far as the Sugar & Spice stop light at the end of Red Hills Road.

When this photo was taken on Friday, January 28, 2011, the bus in question had to force its way into the regular line of traffic to avoid a collision with oncoming traffic. The conductor went as far as striking the top of a large SUV behind me, startling the driver so much that he stopped. This tactic is used to give them a small window of opportunity to force their way in front of startled drivers who suspect there has been an accident.

Most of us who love our lives won't come out and say anything to these bus operators because we'll more than likely get a knife in our face (if we're so fortunate) or be mobbed by the driver, the conductor, the four or five men crammed into the bus door (I'm sure I heard that protrusion is illegal), which will usually end badly for us - the actual disciplined drivers who sit forever in that long snake-like traffic but didn't see the need to overtake an entire line of vehicles to get where we need to go.

To the police, I've sent you this photo which clearly shows a bus operator breaking the law. His licence plate is clearly shown. Surprise me and prosecute him with this evidence alone. Don't do exactly what I think you're going to do, which is say that you need a witness, you can't go only on this evidence, we can't find him, etc.

Let's do something about this scourge. Let's not wait until some old couple or a young child is hurt or killed by these animals before making it a national issue.

Fed-up citizen