By Monique Hepburn, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE ST. JAMES Parish Council is reporting that the majority of the bridges in the parish are in a deplorable state and as a result are a danger to those who use them.
Noel Donaldson, mayor of Montego Bay and chairman of the council, raised the issue at a Generation 2000 (G2K) function in Montego Bay recently.
"All over the parish of St. James, our bridges are in a state of disrepair and I submit to you that we face a potential crisis of major proportion in relation to bridges," Mayor Donaldson said.
He adds that the bridges at Carlton, Bottom Pasture, Paisley, Ducketts and Senior are all in urgent need of repairs to rails and abutments.
"There are bridges where you can literally fall through them. But again and again you hear that there is no money to deal with them," the mayor noted.
FIGHTING VALIANTLY
"Around the city of Montego Bay as you walk on a daily basis, you see numerous uncovered manholes. We (The St. James Parish Council) are fighting valiantly to come up with the money to effect necessary repairs."
Community Relations Officer at the National Works Agency (NWA), Stephen Shaw told The Gleaner on Tuesday that the NWA has received approval to effect repairs on bridges in the parish at a cost of $4 million.
"We have some work to be done a few of our bridges and before the end of the month, work should be done on at least six bridges," Mr. Shaw said.
In community of Johns Hall, some emergency work will be done this weekend on some abutments on the Worcester bridge. Bridges in other communities such as Lottery and Seven Rivers will have repairs carried out shortly, he said.
According to the mayor, the St. James Parish Council has had to deal with problems with sidewalks and manholes.
To this end it requested $2.6 million from Central Govern-ment, but the funds are yet to be approved.
Meantime: "In an effort to stem the problems with sidewalks and manholes, the council will embark on some repairs until funds are granted," said Christopher Powell, secretary-manager of the council, to minimise the threat they pose to pedestrians.
