Please, fix south coast road

The Editor, Sir:

An open letter to Minister Mike Henry.

Dear Minister Henry,

Having appealed to you on several occasions by way of telephone conversations about the dismal and disgraceful condition of the main south-coast road, leading from Kingston to Savanna-la-Mar and particularly the section, Clarendon Park through Scotts Pass, and Berrydale to Porus; I am forced by the scant regard paid to these and other appeals to bring this matter to a public forum.

Minister, you are aware that this is one of the most traversed roads in the country and this has seen a significant increase in vehicular traffic, particularly trailer trucks since the one-way system in the Bog Walk gorge has been instituted. It is now the preferred route for these trucks to Montego Bay. All vehicles coming through this section must come to an almost complete stop in at least three places to ensure that their vehicles do not suffer serious damage; that is for those who know the road, for those who don't, the repair shops can tell the story.

It is disgraceful because every day we hear of money being allocated to a four-lane road to an airport that has never had a line of traffic on the existing road and allocations under the 'Chinese programme' to roads that serve populations that are far less than the thousands of commuters who use the south-coast road daily.

I appeal on behalf of those thousands who must travel beyond to Manchester, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover and, yes, now to St James.

I am, etc.,

John A. JUNOR

Mandeville, Manchester