Housing is the number one issue for Allman Town - Residents make strong demand of next MP

Allman Town residents are waiting for the day to meet with the aspirants seeking to become member of parliament for Central Kingston.

According to most of the residents, the issue on the minds of the voters from that area are the current living conditions.

"Mi a 70-odd and a long time mi deh yah, and mi hear all the promises and live to see none. Right now, I would sell my vote. Mi old, what can they do for me now that they didn't do from I was eligible to vote?" a frustrated resident said.

Another local told THE STAR that housing has been the primary issue in the area since word began swirling that the new parliament building will be built at the National Heroes Park.

"A weh Allman Town do dem why dem want yah suh? Anybody weh a guh be my MP affi ensure say a yah suh we live til we die," another resident said.

Allman Town is situated across from the proposed site of the new parliament building. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said that the project would involve "some demolition and new construction".

"All existing structures in the project area, including ministry buildings, will be assessed to determine if they are at or past their usable life for replacement or upgrade, as necessary," Holness said last October.

On Monday, residents told THE STAR that their next member of parliament must be prepared to solve their housing crisis.

"A man like me weh know yah suh, and only yah suh, weh dem a go put me? The next MP affi come tell we that first or no vote," a resident said.

Ronald Thwaites, the sitting MP, has indicated that he would not be seeking re-election in the next general election, which is constitutionally due in 2021. Five members of his party - former members of parliament Raymond Pryce and Paul Buchanan, Imani Duncan-Price, Donald Jackson and Joan Porteous - have been positioning themselves to take over from him as the People's National Party (PNP) representative in the constituency.