Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
Residents and taxi drivers of Church Pen in Old Harbour, St. Catherine, block the main road leading to the town. The residents say the Old Harbour main road has been in deplorable condition for a long time. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
SEVERAL COMMUTERS, school children and business persons were left stranded in Old Harbour, St. Catherine, yesterday when residents blocked a sizeable section of the road network from Gordonwood to Church Pen, protesting poor road conditions.
A Gleaner news team visiting the area yesterday morning saw trunks of trees, burning tyres, boulders, iron and other debris strewn across the roadway. The team also observed that several school children and other persons had to abort their journey and return home.
BACKING
But although inconvenienced, these persons expressed solidarity with the protesters. "We need this kind of setting for the authorities to respond to the people. Even though mi late, it is necessary, and mi front end nah stop tear off," a motorist, John Mowatt, remarked.
The residents who spoke with The Gleaner said their cries for better roads "have been falling on deaf ears" and that they were "fed up".
Councillor Gerval Weir, of the Church Pen division, said he supported the residents in blocking the roads because "representation had been made to the National Works Agency, and nothing had been done (to improve them)".
Traffic snarled for as far as three miles as the residents remounted roadblocks after the police cleared them.
