Use proper channels before fixing roads, says Kingston mayor

Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams says his office has no problem with residents embarking on road repair projects in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) but is encouraging them to consult with the municipality for guidance when doing so. 

Last Friday, a group of Corporate Area taxi operators pooled funds to patch sewage-filled potholes at the intersection of West Queen Street and West Parade in downtown Kingston which they said had been neglected by the authorities for months. 

While telling The Gleaner that he was not aware of this particular undertaking, Williams said such projects are welcomed.

But, he stated that these initiatives should follow proper procedure for approval to ensure that they satisfy standards. 

He said a letter should be sent to the town clerk and the chief engineering officer disclosing the intention to carry out road repairs and stating how it will be funded.

Once this is done, the city engineering department will guide and supervise.

“A lot of the communities when they do so, whether it be Labour Day or other, they do contact us and ask us for guidance and they do make it clear to us that they intend to invest this and they want to do some repairs and they're usually guided by the department,” he said. 

The mayor acknowledged that it is not the responsibility of residents to fix bad roads.

However, he explained that there are often resource constraints within the KSAMC that force this to happen. 

“It is quite obvious to anyone that we just don't have the resources to repair every single bad road at once and hence you prioritise, hence you schedule...,” he said.

Williams noted that the KSAMC fixes up to 50 roadways annually. 

Meanwhile, the Kingston mayor said the municipality is in constant dialogue with the National Water Commission (NWC) to address issues of sewage overflow in the Corporate Area.

But, he noted that the sewage infrastructure issue is a matter for central Government.

“I myself visited some areas of downtown a week and a half ago in the market area and I've observed where we have consistent sewage issue and I spoke to the Minister with responsibility, Minister (Matthew) Samuda myself,” he said.

Williams is encouraging residents to properly dispose of their garbage which he said affects drainage in the city and contributes to sewage overflow. 

- Sashana Small 

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