Delroy Chuck WHILE THE government gloats about its new highway programme and road expansion, it stands condemned for failing to maintain the rural and residential roads.
Actually, apart from the main roads, it would be difficult to find any residential road that fits the quality of a first world nation.
Our roads are prime examples of poor governance, lack of maintenance, and political contempt for the people. No government in office for a decade or more should be saddled with the criticism of poor roads, and finally with an election around the corner, there is panic and eagerness to award as many contracts as possible to start fixing them.
Our hardworking taxpayers have not been well served. Those of us who reside here and have to live, work and endure poor government performance have a right and duty to complain and feel our tax dollars are wasted and dissipated corruptly. Across Kingston and St. Andrew and in most of the residential towns, the lack of maintenance of our roads has caused daily anger, untold inconvenience and unnecessary expenses to our long-suffering citizens. Virtually every road in upper St. Andrew has potholes, and most are in urgent need of repair, rehabilitation and surface replacement. These roads have not been maintained for a decade and more, and show the signs of prolonged wear and tear. But worse, the few that have been repaired are done so badly and with such poor supervision that within a year they are in need of further repair. Surely, the very minimum our taxpayers deserve is to have good, decent roads to drive on.
Members of Parliament get the brunt of the complaints, when they have very little control over the road repairs, which ones get done, or how much money is spent. In Kingston and St. Andrew, it is the Councillors of the KSAC who are responsible for road maintenance, gully cleaning, bushing of empty lots and control of development in the communities, yet the Corporation has failed and demonstrated more incompetence than can ever be imagined. Monies provided for road repairs have been spent elsewhere, usually on administrative and recurrent expenses. I have begged the Prime Minister and responsible Ministers to take away road repairs from the KSAC, but to date nothing has happened, while most roads remain in a deplorable state.
In preparation for the visit of the Queen earlier this year, our government saw it fit to repair and beautify roads she and her entourage were likely to travel on or see. Similarly, with thousands of athletes and visitors arriving in the island for the recent World Junior Games, the roadways around the National Stadium and to the Games Village at the university were nicely painted and repaired. Why can't such repairs and beautification be done for our citizens on a sustained basis?
Indeed, we see once again that the government only takes the people into consideration when it seeks their votes and support, and it is time for the people to understand and recognise this simple ploy. Every opportunity for political gain is exploited. The heavy rains in June were probably a godsend, as it allowed seasoned politicians the opportunity to hand out large cheques and much building materials, ostensibly for emergency relief. Indeed, the coffers of the Social Security Ministry will soon be empty from the many significant donations for flood relief, which also serves to strengthen support for the incumbent MP. Moreover, with elections around the corner, contracts are being signed every week for road repairs and other government work.
Surely, one is reminded of the elections in North East St. Ann in March last year, when the government did exactly the same. As soon as the election was planned, and right up to the night of the by-election, the constituency experienced major road repairs, pipe-laying and gully cleaning, which stopped abruptly the very day of elections and never continued after.
People must understand that politicians who play politics with the basic infrastructure of the country and see them as solid achievements are demonstrating utter contempt, and not concern, for the people. In fact, the electorate should properly reject any politician who comes around only at election time, with gifts and promises.
On Emancipation Day, our people should understand that the emancipation they need is not from the oppression and injustice of the past but from the deception, propaganda and misinformation of the present.
Those who live abroad, huddled in the comfort of North American life, and critical of my columns, can write and criticise me for complaining of bad government. They do not have to bear the daily woes and chores of living in Jamaica. If they had to use our poorly maintained roads, they too would complain. In truth, the failure of the government to properly maintain the residential roads deprives it of the right to gloat about better roads.
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Opposition Member of Parliament. He can be contacted by e-mail at delchuck@hotmail.com.
