11 Miles, Bull Bay feels forgotten - New highway leaves businesses struggling to survive

It's mid-morning on Friday, February 2, and workmen are busy finishing up the spanking new four-lane highway that stretches from Harbour View in St Andrew to Yallahs in St Thomas.

The roadway, which is part of the Government's Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, has resulted in reduced travel time between Kingston and St Thomas, while opening up the possibilities for massive investment in the previously 'forgotten parish'.

However, for residents of 11 Miles, Bull Bay, the development has come at a significant cost to them. Prior to the opening of the highway, vehicular traffic passed through the heart of the St Thomas community. But this is no longer the case as it has been bypassed, resulting in the once vibrant area being a sleepy town with pothole-filled roads.

When THE STAR team drove through the area on Friday, there was hardly any sign of life. During a one-hour period only four vehicles were observed driving through the usually busy area.

Wayne Williams, who has operated a grocery shop for close to a decade, said sales have dwindled to less than 50 per cent of what it was before the highway came.

"Vehicle hardly a pass round here suh," he said. "Matter of factly, mi would want dem fix the road because it would make more people drive around this side. I used to have my regular customers who pass and stop, and mi sure mi would sell some juice and snacks to the people dem, but all of that done now," he said.

"One a two taxi will pass round here, and more while a truck that can't manage the hill. A lot of times mi get up and open and by midday mi close again and don't open back until in the evening. Mi have to find other things to do so I can make a little money ," Williams said.

Shaneka Harris, a mother of four, operates a small establishment that she uses as a nail salon, grocery shop and dressmaking parlour. She told the news team that in the past, she would be kept busy throughout the day. However, things have changed.

"If I sell one item during the day now I have to give God thanks because the place slow bad. One time I use to buy goods like two times for the week, but the set that I have now is over two weeks I buy them and them barely a move. I have to depend on the people in the community. People hardly come to do their nails any more because dem a guh stand up at the bus stop all two hours before dem get a vehicle," she said.

Like Williams, Harris said she often closes her shop for the majority of the day due to the poor sales.

"Every vehicle a use the new road and mi can't blame the drivers because the road round here suh mess up. Dem a try cut us off the map and is like we are forgotten. Nothing nuh good," Harris said.

"A just the regular community people dem a buy round here and a lot of dem cook a dem yard. Mi sell chicken neck and back, and normally mi sell two buckets a night time but mi barely can send half now. Mi just have to carry the season meat go put back in mi fridge. The Government forget we so nobody nah go get my vote," he said.

The community of 11 Miles, Bull Bay, falls in the constituency of St Thomas West. Its member of parliament is James Robertson. At the local government level, the community falls in the Llandewey Division.

Edwin Marr, who won the division by two votes on the People's National Party ticket in 2016 is set to compete against the Jamaica Labour Party's Andrea Patience in the February 26 local government elections.