Golden Spring optimistic about road repair

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE RESIDENTS of Golden Spring, West Rural St Andrew, particularly Stockfarm and its environs, wish to say a guarded thank you to both the minister and staff of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development for sending a team of two public officers (Dayne Tyndale and B. Clarke) to do factfinding and road measurements, as the clearest indication yet that there are real prospects in having our road nuisance addressed.

We have not taken this initial intervention by this ministry for granted, since it has been only since November 2018 that we got Minister Desmond McKenzie involved, while for more than 10 years we bleated at the doors of several other government entities and personalities to no avail.

Bear in mind also that this ministry does not have the very specific and direct control in a road matter such as this, given the context that it’s the Kingston & St Andrew Municipal Corporation and departments within it which have the obligation to taxpaying residents in communities like ours where roads are designated under the municipality.

While we are very cautious not to regard this as a done deal by any means, it’s the kind of pointed response that we believe has originated from an unlikely quarter.

What we have done, which may be seen as unconventional, is the holding of non-obstructive and entirely peaceful protests, using balloons as attention getters, and warming our relationship with several media houses which for years selflessly championed our cause, repeatedly bringing our issue to the public’s attention.

We suspect that we will continue to have not only the commitment of the media until fruition is realised, but that of the ministry as well.

Good job, one and all, as we keep our fingers crossed. DERRICK D. SIMON Chairman, Golden Spring Citizens’ Association derrickdsimon@yahoo.com