NAIN, ST ELIZABETH:

The ability of Alpart's water supply to adequately serve its powerhouse, plant and mine is being affected by a large number of unauthorised take-offs along water lines in Nain, St Elizabeth.

Alpart's contribution of domestic water to several neighbouring communities is also being negatively affected by illegal taps.

Lance Neita, public relations manager at the company, said the situation was serious enough to warrant identification and removal of all illegal users in order to ensure the availability of water.

He has also pointed out that, while Alpart is pumping an average of 209,954 gallons per day to surrounding communities on a free distribution system established since 1976, evidence shows that the water does not reach its intended destination. This is due largely to heavy and continuous usage by unauthorised users on a 24-hour basis.

As a means of serving various communities, Alpart also facilitates a truck filling station close to the plant which serves a wide area of the parish and individual needs and which contributes some 200,000 gallons per day from the Alpart supply.

- Rayon Dyer

Cow thief pleads guilty

BLACK RIVER, ST ELIZABETH:

A St Elizabeth man yesterday pleaded guilty to the charge of larceny of cattle when he appeared in the Black River Resident Magistrate's Court.

Twenty-four-year-old Pete Ebanks, of Brompton, who was seen earlier this year stealing a cow, pleaded guilty to the charge and was remanded to return to court on July 23 when he will be sentenced.

The court was told that on the morning of February 25 Ebanks was caught stealing a cow, valued at $80,000, from a farm at Hodges land in the parish.

The police were summoned and, upon their arrival, Ebanks ran, leaving the cow behind.

He then eluded the police for almost four months before he was held by the Darliston Police in Westmoreland in a car with four goats' heads which were stolen from a property in Newmarket, St Elizabeth.

- Neville Paul

Cheapside firecosts millions

CHEAPSIDE, ST ELIZABETH:

St Elizabeth's Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) office has estimated damage - to domestic food crops, animal and grass used for mulching - from Monday's fire in Cheapside at $3.2 million.

Elton Bent, RADA parish manager for St Elizabeth, told The Gleaner that approximately 40 acres of grass and six acres of domestic food crops, along with several goats, pigs and 200 broiler chickens, were affected by the fire which started about 1 p.m. on Monday.

The parish manager also said approximately 1,000 feet of hose, six plastic tanks, a quantity of seedlings and a hut valued at $60,000 were destroyed by the fire. The fire affected 30 farmers.

NP

NWA begins roadwork in 'St Bess'

BROMPTON, ST ELIZABETH:

The National Works Agency (NWA) has commenced works on a multi-million-dollar project to improve safety along the Brompton main road as well as to renovate the round-a-bout at Sandy Ground in St Elizabeth.

Work on this project is expected to be completed within 10 weeks.

The work includes the redesign of the median, removal and replacement of directional signs, construction of curb walls, as well as the strengthening and repairing of the road.

The contract for the work was awarded to Surrey Paving and Aggregate Limited and is expected to cost just over $21 million.

The funding package for the road forms part of the Kuwait/OPEC Fund Assisted Road Rehabilitation Project.

Howard Hendricks, community relations officer for the NWA's central region, is advising motorists using the Brompton roadway to proceed with caution, obey posted warning signs and the instructions of flag persons.

RD

Domestic feudends in murder

GOSHEN, ST ELIZABETH:

A domestic feud between a father and son at Goshen in St Elizabeth has left one person dead and another in police custody on murder charge.

The deceased has been identified as 60-year-old Ethlyn Dixon, while her nephew, Robert Newman, otherwise called Dan, is in police custody.

Reports are that, on Sunday, a dispute developed between Newman and his son, but, following two interventions by the Santa Cruz Police, the matter was considered settled. However, on Wednesday morning, a fresh dispute developed and, during the ensuing argument, Dixon intervened.

It was reported that she was set upon by her nephew, Newman, and was chopped and stabbed several times.

With this killing, and a number of other domestic disputes in the parish that have ended violently, members of the Ministers Fraternal say there is the need for a proper mediation programme to be established.