Eden Vale want better infrastructure

Poor public utility services are causing great distress on the lives of residents living in the community of Eden Vale in St James.

Street lights and reliable water supply as well as proper road infrastructure have remained elusive in the quiet rural district for years.

"We get good promises, that's all, but it is time to act," said resident Herman Thorpe.

"Different politician come and all them do is give good promise, and you would believe say a next week them a go start fix we problem. Mr Edmund Bartlett is the MP for this area going for about 15 years, and every time him win, he come back and say him first priority is this road," he added.

Eden Vale is in the constituency of East Central St James.

The residents said that the main road is so bad that it is literally impassable at certain sections, prompting vehicles to take longer routes.

"The main road, for instance, connects from Eden Vale and Chatham to Watson Town and Dumfries. If something should develop in Eden Vale and the police is right down at Dumfries, and you call them, them have to go all the way back through Lima, Content, Chatham to come back right here so," Thorpe said.

"Them can't drive down that end of the road to come up here. So if they are to save your life, by the time them reach, you dead," he added.

In addition to bad roads, the community is plagued by inconsistent water pressure in their taps.

"We have tank on the top of the house and two to three years ago the water could a climb up and flow in the tank, but it nah go up there again," said Sylvester Gray.

"Before six weeks ago, for quite some time we didn't have nuh water. Canaan we get water from and they say they improve on the pump now, but these days the water pressure is low or there is no water at all," he added.