Unsafe drains to be addressed in Molynes Gardens

After more than two years of facing a safety hazard, the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) has unanimously passed a resolution approving $2.5 million to conduct urgent repairs to drains in the community of Molynes Gardens, St Andrew.

The money, which is being provided through the KSAC's Equalisation Fund, was approved yesterday during the corporation's monthly council meeting.

Kingston Mayor, Desmond McKenzie, had promised to urgently deal with the matter when it was brought to the KSAC's attention two years ago. However, the project was placed on hold due to the corporation's financial constraints.

Councillor Junior Stewart, who had moved the resolution, noted numerous drains in the area were in a deplorable condition due to rotting and posed a serious danger to residents, particularly young children, in the community.

"We had a situation where a young girl fell in one of these drains and she was very lucky to have been saved by residents. It is dangerous and is causing a lot of concern to residents in this area," said Stewart.

He also pointed to other defective drains in the Molynes Gardens division, which recently caused flooding to several homes after heavy rainfall.

Health risk

These drains, aside from being a flood hazard in the current hurricane season, also pose a health risk due to mosquito breeding in stagnant water as well as creating an ideal environment for rodents and vermin to thrive.

Stewart said the KSAC had provided a lot of funding for cleaning these drains from time to time, noting that less money could have been spent if the situation had been addressed earlier.

Deputy Mayor Lee Clark, who chaired the monthly council meeting in McKenzie's absence, said the KSAC welcomed the new infrastructure development programme being financed through the Jamaican and Chinese governments which would deal with all categories of public roads and not only major roadways.

He said that, despite the employment opportunities the J$36-billion project would generate, much work was still required to address the social problems such as crime and a lack of educational opportunities, resulting in young men and women being exploited by area dons.