‘We cannot agree’
PNP councillors angry over lack of timeline to mend breakaway in St Thomas
TEMPERS FLARED on Thursday at the monthly meeting of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation, which resulted in two members of the People’s National Party storming out following a disagreement in relation to the announcement of interim plans for a breakaway along the Morant Bay to Lyssons main road.
The row was triggered after a representative of the National Works Agency announced plans to convert a section of the main road to accommodate single-lane traffic travelling in an easterly direction.
The rest of the traffic is to be redirected through a bus park in the area.
Councillor for the White Horses division, Hubert Williams, raised safety concerns about the interim plans and demanded that a timeline be put in place for road repairs.
“Directing traffic into the bus park is a recipe for disaster! There are students and others using it and that is very dangerous.
“Even so, nothing is being said to indicate that this will only be for a time. No timeline for the fixing of the breakaway was given, so there is no saying how long the bus park will be used as a bypass.
“We cannot go into an indefinite agreement,” Williams said.
MEDIOCRE REPRESENTATION
His colleague, Marsha Francis, councillor for the Cedar Valley division, agreed with him, stating that she would not accept the interim plans.
In her address, Francis expressed frustration with what she described as mediocre representation being offered by the corporation.
She urged her colleagues not to be gullible and to be reminded that the people of St Thomas are depending on them to represent them well.
The two became further irritated when mayor of Morant Bay and chairman of the local corporation, Lenworth Rawle, decided to move on with the meeting with plans to address issues surrounding the breakaway in a subsequent gathering.
Both councillors scolded the mayor for his decision, noting that matters regarding the public should not be addressed in private.
Speaking with The Gleaner, Rawle described the action of both councillors as disrespectful.
According to him: “It’s their usual behaviour and it will be dealt with privately.”