Pickersgill LINSTEAD, St. Catherine:
"PRAISE MASSA God water a come at last to mi district," cried 88-year-old Matilda Lawrence on hearing the news that come January water will be flowing in Pennington, St. Catherine.
"Mi carry water on mi head all mi life," explained Mrs. Lawrence who, like other residents in this north west area of the parish have had to travel miles to fetch water.
The news came from the Member of Parliament for the area, Robert Pickersgill, who gave his word during a tour of Pennington and Lluidasvale on Saturday.
The Juan-de-Bolas All-Age School, which depends on a tank for its water supply, will also benefit from the water supply scheme, he said.
The project is to be funded by $4.5 million from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).
Cane farmers in Pennington, Juan-de-Bolas and Lluidasvale also rejoiced at the news of running water coming to their districts. They lost acres of cane because of the drought earlier this year, according to them.
A number of communities in that part of St. Catherine have benefited from other improvement projects funded by JSIF, noted Mr. Pickersgill. These projects include the refurbishing of the Jericho Primary School, repairs to the Tap Hill/Lennon Hall main road, extension of the Polly Ground Primary School, the Pennington Domestic Water Supply Scheme, improvements to the cemetery at Lluidasvale and a forestry which is to be set up at Tydixon.
