Hanover custos peeved about road condition in parish

WESTERN BUREAU:

Hanover Custos Dr David Stair is hopping mad about the dilapidated state of several roads in the western parish, and is calling on the authorities to take immediate steps to rectify a situation he has described as atrocious and lacking attention.

“Even the main roads now are atrocious. And if you turn off into any community, or on any side road, apart from one or two roadways, there are no roads worth driving on in this parish; they are all bad,” he said in an interview with The Gleaner.

Stair said he was particularly concerned about the fact that residents are constantly complaining about the state of the roads, but their complaints are seemingly being ignored by those who have responsibility for road maintenance.

“The parish councillors and persons from other agencies must drive on these roads, or drive pass these roads every day, so they must see them, and no one is taking on these issues. Look at the roads going into Lucea (the parish capital), I do not hear anyone saying much about them,” said Stair.

The custos also questioned the purpose of the Hanover Municipal Corporation and the members of parliament in the parish, whom he believes are not providing the representation needed to address the situation.

The parish of Hanover has two constituencies – Hanover Eastern and Hanover Western – each with a member of parliament. It is divided into seven municipal corporation divisions; three the in east and four in the west.

“There is so much to complain about in this parish, and I am talking as a person who lives in the parish; these are my observations. It is not for me to go out and do the job of the councillors. This is what they are put there for, to represent the interest of the people. What kind of representation is taking place?” questioned Stair.

According to the custos, even when the conditions of the roads and other flawed infrastructure come up in local meetings or at the central government level, the circumstances remain much the same as no actions are being taken.

“The parish is not getting the type of representation that is needs,” said Stair. “Look at even the condition of the parish cemetery in Lucea. It as a national disgrace! A vast amount of work needs to be done there, to make what is the final resting place of most of the residents of the parish more pleasing to the eyes.”