Bartlett says protest disrupted planned start to road repairs
Published:Wednesday | January 15, 2025 | 12:16 AMRochelle Clayton/Staff Reporter
WESTERN BUREAU:
Responding to Monday’s protest by transport operators in Maroon Town, St James, who withdrew their services to express frustration over the poor condition of the roads, St James East Central Member of Parliament (MP) Edmund Bartlett has announced that plans are in place to address the issue.
Bartlett told The Gleaner that road rehabilitation work was actually scheduled to begin on Monday morning, but had to be halted when the protesting operators blocked access.
“They (the roadwork crew) went there ... to start the work, but had to leave because the protest was happening on the road, but it is going to be fixed. The resources are there for it. The entire corridor is going to be done properly under the SPARK Programme,” stated Bartlett.
On Monday, residents joined transport operators in blocking several sections of the Maroon Town main road with large objects, leading to significant traffic delays.
“It is rough but it’s mostly John’s Hall road. ... It is mostly Ed Bartlett’s part, and we would like him to come fix it so we can get a better road. We would like him to sort out his section. From Hampton Road coming into Maroon Town is not so bad; we can live with that,” said bus driver Owen Ogle.
According to Ogle, transport operators are constantly faced with hefty repair bills for their vehicles because of the damage sustained travelling on the pothole-riddled main road.
“The money part is unbearable. As you mek the money, you have to spend it back. Mi work for somebody, so mi affi pay him and he still has to spend back money on the bus. We just want it fi sort out so we can save back some of the money,” he lamented.
Another bus driver, Nigel Campbell, made the same point.
“Bartlett is the MP for the worst part. We are in this business to make a profit, but some of us are breaking even, and some are not. We can’t be doing business like this. If you look on every other route, you will see 2010 to 2020 buses running. We have some dilapidated 2000 to 2004 buses. We cannot update. It cannot work,” said Campbell.
Annmarie Smith, a resident of Springfield, said she felt compelled to join the protest as commuters are oftentimes left fatigued after each journey.
“We nuh have no road. By the time we ketch a work, we tired. By the time we fi come up, a di same thing – we tired. Mi agree wid dem this morning so that is why mi nuh go a work. We nuh have a road and we need some road,” said Smith.