Clarendon cabbies protest bad roads
LOTHAN Cousins, People’s National Party’s Member of Parliament for South West Clarendon, said it is unfortunate that taxi operators resorted to blocking one of the Jamaica’s major thoroughfares to bring attention to bad road conditions.
On Monday, several taxi drivers in Scott’s Pass used their vehicles to block the road. Commuters as far as Manchester were adversely affected.
“This is a critical corridor that connects Manchester, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland and St James to the parishes of Clarendon, St Catherine, and Kingston, and the truth is that any roadblock along that space will have devastating effects on economic activity. There has been little to no communication as to what will be done and in what time frame it is expected to be done. We hope that the National Works Agency will come forward and provide a timeline for the repairs to the road so the residents and motorists can continue about their business,” Cousins told the
weekly
Observer’s
Jamaica Auto magazine.
Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, healthcare workers, and other front-line staff on their way to work were left stranded from as early as 5:30 am as taxi operators who ply routes between Clarendon and Manchester withdrew their services. The motorists say the poor road conditions and high vehicle repair costs are unbearable. Others contend that in recent weeks several motorists have been robbed as a result of the bad roads.
Steve Morris, a taxi operator on May Pen to Porus route, said recently he counted seven near-misses due to motorists swerving to avoid potholes.
“Most time me affi stop and have mi hand on the horn fi stop other people from come mash up mi car. This is crazy. We shouldn’t have to be doing this in Jamaica in this day and age where we have to block the road to get it fixed,” he said, noting that it has been more than eight months since the heavy rains which caused severe damage to the roads.
“We are citizens of this country who are paying taxes and we need this road to be fixed,” added Morris.
“The deplorable condition of the road a cause motorist to hop, skip and jump and when you sight a pothole, you slam inna somebody vehicle. These things can also claim lives, so we need the roads to be fixed,” said another motorist. “We need the highway but the roads need to be fixed, so help us, please. The whole road need to be fixed to avoid accidents and wear and tear on our vehicles.”