NWC gets three-month ultimatum

The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) has passed a resolution calling for the National Water Commission (NWC) to repair all outstanding damaged roads across the Corporate Area within the next three months.

That declaration is evidence of mounting frustration with the hotchpotch of roadwork projects across the city, with several agencies criticised for working at cross-purposes and worsening traffic snarls.

While acknowledging that roadways have to be excavated for leak repairs and other infrastructural works, the councillors faulted the NWC for inordinately long lags in completing resurfacing.

“We understand that restoration of these roads cannot be done immediately after repairs to the leaks, as the NWC has to ensure that these repairs are satisfactorily done. The restoration of these roads sometimes take up to more than a year to be done and the delay in the restoration of these roads contribute to further deterioration caused by natural and man-made occurrences,” a section of the two-page resolution read.

The resolution was moved by Gareth Walker, councillor of the Brandon Hill division, and seconded by Andrew Swaby, councillor of the Vineyard Town division.

The councillors also rallied the KSAMC to demand that the NWC establish an agreed timeline within which these repairs should be restored.

The KSAMC also wants to be notified within 48 hours of all roads that are dug up in order to facilitate the monitoring of those locations.

In his contribution to the debate, councillor for the Lawrence Tavern division, John Myers, explained that repairs were carried out to roads that have been subsequently dug up by the NWC.

“Last night at a meeting I was told that a little boy fell in a hole and twisted his ankle because of the Water Commission. The road was fixed and the Water Commission dug up a section right before the school. This is a serious situation,” Myers lamented.

The most recent source of angst has been the major undertaking to improve water supply to the city along a main corridor filtering into the capital near the border of St Andrew and St Catherine.

The US$25-million project running from Six Miles to downtown Kingston has wreaked havoc on traffic flows, with the roadway littered with craters.

It is due to be completed this year.

Councillor of the Stony Hill division, Tosha Schwapp, suggested that the resolution be amended to include partnership with agencies such as the NWC before roadwork commences.

“We need them to look at the pipes that already exist, to look at the water tables and whatever is under the ground before we get to work,” Schwapp said.

“Half of the pipes in our rural areas and across the island are old and they need to be replaced. Once we put the heavy equipment on it, the impact and vibrations will burst that main.”

Meanwhile, Swaby said repair delays have left a number of roads in deplorable condition, making them “unbearable to residents”.

“We don’t have enough funds to fix all the roads in the municipality, so we have to protect what we have,” Swaby said.

judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com