New leg of highway putting St Toolis on the map

When Albert Barrett was a child, his father Rupert always told him that their sleepy community of St Toolis in Manchester would be popular.

As if the elder Barrett was a prophet, the community is now a talking point with the official opening of the May Pen, Clarendon to Williamsfield, Manchester leg.

"Mi father especially always say to mi that one day the community gonna be nice and that we gonna have tings and nuff people ago know about St Toolis and see deh, it happen. He is not here to witness it but mi is witness," he said. The building of the toll road saw construction activities being carried out in the usually quiet farming area. Barrett said the highway has had a positive impact on his life as he was able to secure a job with the project.

"Mi glad the highway deh here because work did get slow up on the farm and mi get a work and a di pay help mi build mi one room. Right now mi a look to put on a bathroom and verandah. At first mi never did ago take di work because of the pay, but mi go and dem top it up after and mi still a work there. A nuff other people from up dis part get roadwork," a beaming Barrett said as he slipped on his work vest and helmet to pose for a few pictures.

Similar to neighbouring communities, several parcels of land were acquired and graves relocated to facilitate the highway. But Barrett said the bit of discomfort may be worth it in the future.

"A few people did have to move but not a lot. Dem get pay for dem property, but a nuh everyone get di right amount; mi believe because dem sign too quick. But put it this way. In the future, a lot of people going to move into St Toolis and the price fi land and house gonna go up," he said.

Sitting along the roadway, 87-year-old Raymond Cardiff's face lit up when he was told that the highway will be officially opened today. This is exciting news for the senior citizen who was born and raised in the sleepy district.

"I never imagine this because the place was always bush. When the work did a gwan nuff, is a whole heap a new people was here, enuh, and it was noisy but it wasn't bad noise. My little district get big. Tomorrow [today] mi gonna get a drive and go out to the opening. It was just bush but it modern now," he said.

But Egbert Simpson, another resident, is not so impressed with the new development. He stated that except for providing jobs for the younger people, the highway has very little effect on the area.

"A lot of people only ago can hear the vehicles passing, and if mi want to see it, I may have to go on my house top. Most importantly, it nuh benefit we because no exit nuh deh here. We have to go about half an hour from here suh if we wah go in it, although we can see it from here and that nuh make any sense. Some people nah go talk because dem get little work but we have to look at the bigger picture and dat nuh look good," Simpson said.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Jacky, who resides in Scott's Pass, Clarendon.

"Mi nah tear it down because it was traffic, but for us who live here, because there is no entrance or exit route, it nuh make much difference to wi. It nah really benefit we so life just goes on," she said.