John Myers Jr., Staff Reporter
RESTORATIVE WORK on the Yallahs pipeline, one of the major intake lines for the Mona Reservoir in St. Andrew, was forcibly stopped yesterday when a group of boisterous residents from the Yallahs area of St. Thomas descended on the contractors, reportedly demanding work.
The residents also demanded that their local water supply be restored.
The pipeline was extensively damaged by hurricanes Dennis and Emily which impacted the island earlier this month.
Charles Buchanan, corporate communication manager at the state-owned National Water Commission (NWC), told The Gleaner yesterday that the team from Tank-Weld Special Projects, the contractors undertaking the restoration work, "were blockaded by both boulders and the throng of persons who prevented the equipment from working and accessing the areas."
The NWC, in a statement, warned that it would not give in to extortion and that the action of the residents would not result in speedier restoration of water in other areas.
WORK STOPPAGE UNFORTUNATE
According to Mr. Buchanan, "This most unfortunate and illegal action is preventing the progress of critical restoration work to this most important part of the nation's water supply infrastructure." He noted that "the Yallahs pipeline is a very critical 19-mile long, cross-country pipeline that is one of the most significant parts of the country's water supply infrastructure."
RESTORATION
Mr. Buchanan said restoration of the Yallahs pipeline was also essential to restoring water to the Llandewey water supply system, which serves the communities of Llandewey, Ramble and adjoining areas in St. Thomas.
But James Robertson, Member of Parliament for the area, when contacted yesterday, said he had no knowledge of the residents blocking and preventing the contractors from undertaking repairs. According to Mr. Robertson, "The community was having a demonstration because they want to know from the National Works Agency what is going to happen to protect their roads and their communities from River Head, Llandewey and Ramble."
However, Mr. Buchanan maintained that the "issues that we heard were that the people were clamouring for work and that the Yallahs pipeline, according to them, cannot be restored into operation before their local area water supply is restored.
In the meantime, Mr. Buchanan said the NWC would be meeting with the residents in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
