Protest over water and electricity halts traffic in St. Elizabeth

   

There was no vehicular movement on the main road from Santa Cruz to Nain via Myersville in St. Elizabeth for several hours on Wednesday morning after residents of North and Southampton blocked the road to protest about the lack of water and electricity services.

 

The road was rendered inaccessible from about 5:30 a.m.

 

It was explained that a downed JPS pole which is preventing National Water Commission pumping stations from operating, is the cause of the frustration.

 

The residents say their main need is water. 

 

"Not even one water truck nuh come inna di community from hurricane blow. Yuh nuh see nobody come yah fi seh, bwoy, wi aguh do dis tomorrow or next week wi aguh try mek unuh get likkle water or supm. Suh, what happen to people dem weh have young baby and need fi wash dem baby clothes, people weh a come from work weh wah bathe weh duh construction work? How dem aguh survive? How yuh cook? Eh government a tell yuh seh yuh nuffi have nuh pit latrine a yuh yard again enuh...suh weh yah guh use flush eh toilet? Cyah work suh!" one frustrated residents complained. 

 

Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth North Eastern, Delroy Slowley, said it appears that several areas in the constituency which experienced seemingly minimal damage have been forgotten.

 

Mr. Slowley said residents have also tried to speed up the restoration process, to no avail. 

 

"I am also without electricity, I'm also without water, so I understand their frustration, and the perception is that all the resources are being sent via our constituency going to other constituencies and they are frustrated. We have minimal damage in many areas, and we are not seeing the JPS crew; we are not seeing anything taking place. The residents have gone as far as to have dug out the hole to facilitate the pole being planted. Nothing has been done," the MP bemoaned.