When can Spring Village get that elusive bridge?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

It is akin to being given a plate and fork and told to sit and wait for food that will be planted. You may wonder to what I want to try to highlight. I am talking about the Spring Village bridge. In September 2022, the Spring Village bridge was closed by the National Works Agency (NWA).The reason given for the closure by NWA was the base of the bridge being unstable, and also that the bridge is outdated. In the March 2023 budget debate, the prime minister gave the residents hope that, by July 2023, work would commence on the bridge.

There have been repairs to roads in neighbouring communities, and across the parish of St Catherine, after the promise of the bridge was made in 2023. It was also noted that the prime minister, in touring the Spring Village community on June 7, 2024, announced that Cabinet was set to approve a $250-million contract on June 10, 2024 to construct a new bridge for the community. Unfortunately, seven months later ,the residents have not seen any spark to the promise.

The Jamaica Broilers Group (JBG) was said to contribute $50 million to the bridge construction. It is commendable that, since the bridge closure, the JBG has constructed a foot bridge for the residents, as the original bridge collapsed into the river beneath it during the passing of Hurricane Beryl.

Despite the haphazard work that’s taking place on the alternate road, it has potholes that can swallow a vehicle whole. It is also longer and costlier for both public and private passenger vehicles. The Spring Village community has suffered gravely over the last three years. Its authorities have left the residents with forks in hand and plates filled with promises as they starve for the use of a proper road and bridge. It is said that ‘it only takes a spark to get the fire going’. The residents of Spring Village believe the ‘spark’ should have started with their community bridge. Can the work on the bridge begin?

HEZEKAN BOLTON

h_e_z_e@hotmail.com