A plea to Portia - PM's constituents beg for fix to 'despicable' sewage plight

Even while appealing to their member of parliament, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, not to feel disrespected, the people of Majesty Gardens, or 'Back To', in South West St Andrew are seeking to highlight a long-standing plight they face in the community.

"This is despicable," said one male resident as he pointed to raw sewage flowing on an uneven road that looked like it had not been asphalted in decades.

The stench permeated the atmosphere as small children ran nude through the streets.

Men huddled under a shed, complaining that it has become too much for them to bear.

It all started when a group of men stopped a Gleaner team travelling through the community to tell their story.

He was hesitant at first, but at the urging of the others, he started to talk.

"Portia a wi mother. Wi love her, but the situation here is getting too bad," he said.

"Ten years now the s*#% water a run and dem nuh do nutten," the animated resident said.

"The roadwork a run and dem a run sewage main and all now it can't happen."

He continued: "We nah sey this to carry down the prime minister, but we really need this done out of the community. We really, really tired and fed up a dem ting ya."

UNDERPERFORMANCE

He charged that men who have been given the work are underperforming.

"Dem supposed to do these things. Mi live and work down here suh mi have to undergo them pressure and mi nuh like it," he said.

As others nodded in agreement, he said: "Mi nah switch, mi just want she do something about it. Mi a beg you to highlight it for them to feel shake up and do something about it."

Asked about the source of the sewage, the resident said: "It really want a manhole, to redirect the filth off the road, for too long now."

Another chimed in: "It's a fact of life. See here me have a shop where me used to cook food, but I can't anymore because of the smell.

"We nah run way go nowhere; is our place," he said.

"Portia a wi mother and when voting day come, wi have to vote for her, she is the MP."

Simpson Miller has been the member of parliament for the South West St Andrew constituency since 1976, with the exception of the six-year period 1983-1989, following the 1983 election which was not contested by the People's National Party.