Drainage issue causing flood woes for Spanish Town residents

  

Residents of Monticello in Spanish Town, St. Catherine are again calling for the authorities to rectify a long-standing drainage problem following the flooding of approximately eight homes on Tuesday.

 

The residents say their calls have fallen on deaf ears. 

 

"Stop ignoring us! We have invested in our properties and we have nowhere to go," Janet Duffus Beal, a resident of Monticello, demanded. 

 

Mrs. Duffus Beal told Radio Jamaica News that the relevant authorities are aware of the long-standing issue. 

 

"I personally have spoken to the councillor on several occasions and she's basically saying that there is nothing that she can do to fix the drain, but there are plans to fix the road. Now that makes absolutely no sense because the volume of water that passes through on that road, it is just going to destroy the road after the first rainfall. And so we are urgently, urgently appealing to the councillor, to the council, to the authorities to do something," she pleaded.  

 

Mrs. Duffus Beal complained that she has forked out hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect her property, and can no longer tolerate the situation. 

 

"Last year I spent almost $2 million to fix my property, which is beside the drain. I have lifted my gate to prevent the water from coming in, but because the water, so much water comes onto the roadway, what happens is that it keeps eroding the road and so all the sand and all the debris comes and stop at my gate," the frustrated resident recounted. 

 

Patricia Harris is the councillor for the area.

 

When Radio Jamaica News sought a comment from her on Tuesday evening, she suggested our news centre call back within an hour.

 

Her phone later rang without an answer.

 

 

Phillip Foster, President of the Monti Haven Citizen Association, said in addition to the dilapidated drain, the roads are in a deplorable condition.

 

Mr. Foster said the pleas of the residents have not yielded the desired effects.

 

He added that a meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday with Member of Parliament for St. Catherine North, Natalie Neita-Garvey.