Residents want St Mary road to be fixed

Residents of Golden Valley in the South East St Mary constituency are pleading to the candidates, who are vying for spot to represent them after the October 30 by-election, to fix the road in their community as it has been proven to be vital when landslide or water block a troublesome section of the Junction main road.

“This road is really important because when the main road [section of Junction Main Road in Castleton] blocks, this is the only route that can carry you back on the main,” Roshawn Brown told THE WEEKEND STAR.

According to Brown, there is a section along the Junction main road that is prone to landslides.

“You have a part when you pass Castleton Police Station where big stones always a drop, and when that happens, everybody have to come through here,” Brown explained.

He said that when there is a landslide, motorists would have to take the only alternative route through their community and exit at Grandy Hole.

Brown said that the bad road has caused him and other motorists to visit the garage quite frequently.

“It mash up we cars. Sometimes we have to spend like $30,000 a month on front end parts, bearings and shocks,” Brown said.

Another resident, Donesa Anderson, said many taxi drivers have refused to take them home because of the poor road conditions.

“See it deh, right now mi have the kids and mi haffi a walk because they not coming on it,” Anderson said.

Carleen Williams, 47, who has been living in the community all her  life, said the few times the authorities have tried to fix the road, they have done a poor job. 

"If them fix it today, tomorrow it mash back because they are not doing it properly. It needs proper drains," Williams said of the road in the hillside community.

When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the constituency earlier this week, several road repairs were under way.

The residents said that they have not heard whether their road has been slated to be repaired.