Castleton's water woes
published: Thursday | December 22, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

ON A recent visit to Jamaica (the land of my birth) for four days, November 25-29, for a brief respite with my mother who celebrated her 86th birthday on November 23, I stayed in Castleton, St. Mary, located about a mile from Castleton Gardens. My stay was pleasant except for one major concern. There was no running water! My family members explained that the area experienced some 'freak storms' and resultant flooding. Consequently they were told that the 'pipes were clogged with sand' and that the situation would not be remedied until about January 2006.

What makes this situation intolerable is that during my visit, the Wag Water river that flows in the neighborhood was 'brown' from the flooded waters, so it could not be used for routine hygienic needs. Additionally, this is a household comprising 14 individuals, mainly children. Despite the trucking of water into the neighbourhood (a service that has to be paid for), the water is never enough to serve everyone's needs.

The frightening reality is that despite the island's strides in telecommunication/Internet services, the country's infrastructure represents archaic pre-colonial relics. The land is blessed with prolific natural assets for this situation to exist at this time. More disconcerting is the nonchalant/lackadaisical attitude on the part of the 'powers that be' to its citizens' needs/plight. The citizens deserve some semblance of dialogue/action/response.

I am, etc.,

LAUREL LORNA BAXTER

baxterlaurel@bellsouth.net

Sunrise, Florida

Via Go-Jamaica