Charlemont residents file petition demanding better roads
Published:Monday | November 8, 2021 | 12:07 AMRasbert Turner/Gleaner Writer
The pothole-riddled roads throughout the Charlemont Housing Scheme in northwest St Catherine have fuelled the wrath of residents, who have spearheaded a petition to get the Government’s attention.
“We sent a petition with over 200 signatures to state our concerns,” Veronica Graham, secretary of the Charlemont Citizens’ Association, said.
“We need help to fix the roads, put in gabion baskets for river training, fix green spaces to make the residents’ lives better.”
During a recent visit to the community, residents compared the road network to a riverbed.
“This roadway is transformed into a raging river whenever it rains,” Marlorie Davidson said. “I don’t mean anything normal. For decades, it deteriorated into potholes when it’s dry, and waterways when it rains,”
Along Orange Way in the community, several spots show a legacy of flooding, and watermarks abound.
It was revealed that the scheme had secured $60-million for the project, but work has yet to start.
This was confirmed by former citizens’ association president, Hopeton Henry, who said the restoration work is overdue.
“As president of the citizens’ association, I know that the money was identified, and even a contractor identified,” Henry said, “I am yet to see the work started inside here, and I have been living here since 1987 and experienced the deterioration of the roads.”
A number of residents said that the investment made in buying a house in the development has left them disheartened.
“Sometimes, when I am elsewhere and it rains, I start to worry,” Melonie Byfield said. “The roads are horrible. The rains affect us like a nightmare, as there seems to be endless torture. We need help now,”
Councillor Sydney Rose of the Treadways division said that he is aware of the announcement of funds to fix the roads.
“Sometimes I feel ashamed, as some residents even put my name in some of the potholes,” Rose said. “For years, I have been making representation to remedy the problem. There has been (an) announcement that monies was identified; we are still waiting patiently.”
Rose said it is hoped that work will start soon.