Waltham tired of potholes and sewage

Frustrated residents gathered on Waltham Park Road, St Andrew, yesterday to protest the worsening road conditions

As pedestrians navigated the area, many covered their mouths and noses to escape the unbearable stench lingering from the clogged drains and stagnant water. Before the fiery protests, residents say the water had turned murky green.

"If dem water deh ketch you, mi nuh need to tell you the things you woulda ketch," one resident warned, hinting at the potential health hazards.

"It's about a year and odd now the road stay so, and it get worse and worse," one man said, standing among the remnants of the demonstration. Motorists passing by honked in agreement, with one driver shouting, "Yes man! A long time this need fi fix, it did need fi look pon!" But one taxi man who gave his name as Carlington, said the problem runs deeper than just potholes. He took THE STAR further down the road, pointing out what he says is the real source of the issue--drains clogged with garbage.

"See them thing come down underneath, you know, and block the whole entire thing. So you see what them need to do? Block off the rubbish from coming in the drain," he explained. "You see all of them rubbish deh? [It] a come from up a Chisholm Avenue through the gully and come make a big mess here so. If them put a big mesh at the top a the gully, it just block out the rubbish--water alone can pass come down deh." The taxi operator also argued that the material used to patch the roads is ineffective.

"The whole a di road dem mash up, enuh. You see all a which part roads have problem wid water, dem need fi concrete it rather than put asphalt deh. Otherwise, dem ago keep on digging it up. There's a part of Burke Road weh dem fix 'bout 10 time, and right now, a baay pothole round there again," he said. According to Carlington, the drainage problem makes flooding inevitable whenever it rains.

"Every time rain fall and the water come down, Waltham tun swamp. You cyan know the sidewalk from the road because the water has nowhere to run," he said. He also referenced another project as an example of what he believes is poor planning.

"Woodpecker--how much millions dem spen fi fix that road, and a bruck it a bruck off again?" he questioned. "A di worse mi eva see Waltham in more than 27 years of service as a taxi man."

Residents say that Oakland Crescent, an adjacent road notorious for complaints about poor conditions, remains untouched.

"Anything yuh want--bed, fridge, dresser, washing machine, basket--yuh can get it down yah! All pit bull and dead hog wash come dung yah," said Nicky, a business owner.

"You know how much people drop inna the gully? And when them drop in deh, the water reach a dem neck. I have to be calling out to others, especially children, to prevent them from falling in there," she added.

Carlington says the road issues are not just damaging vehicles but also impacting business.

"Di road dem a cost me money because it a mash up mi car, but mi nah make no money 'pon the route either--traffic and all kinda problem," he lamented.

Other business owners, particularly those running restaurants, are also feeling the effects. They are calling on the authorities to not only repair the road but also address the drainage issue to prevent the cycle from repeating.