Frustrated residents construct makeshift bridge at Woodsville

As the authorities continue to bicker over who is to replace the 100-year-old Woodsville bridge, in Hanover, which recently collapsed, residents of Woodsville, Hillsbrook, and Flower Hill, who have been left without easy access to their communities, have created a makeshift bridge of their own.

The residents were irate last Wednesday when two National Works Agency (NWA) personnel, alongside their political representatives, showed up with heavy-duty equipment to do soil testing near the collapsed bridge.

“What are they going to do now that they could not have done before,” asked one resident as other residents gave the NWA personnel a tongue-lashing, arguing that they should have responded to their plight from the first sign that the bridge was falling apart.

Sasha Gay Frazer, the president of the Woodsville Community Development Committee (CDC), told The Gleaner that the residents are disgusted by the situation, saying they were treated with total disrespect when they brought their concerns about the crumbling bridge to public attention, but were ignored.

“As a community, what we want are some answers and transparency, and for persons to keep us in the know-how or abreast of what is going on,” said Frazer, “The community has been going through so many hardships in different forms, social, educational, economic and health-wise.”

NOT CONVENIENT

According to Frazer, the alternate route suggested by the NWA is not convenient to the residents, 80 per cent of whom are subsistence farmers. She said the road is only suited for people who drive sport utility vehicles.

“They (the authorities) knew that this bridge was about to collapse from a year ago, but nothing was put in place, and based on my assessment of the situation, everyone is clueless as to what is happening, we as a community want some answers,” said Frazer, who thinks the late arrival by the state agency and public officials is nothing but a public- relation stunt.

“All we are hearing now is that there is a process to follow, but all we are asking is to be shown the roadmap towards minimising our difficulties,” said Frazer, “After one year of the alternate route in and out of the community, the NWA has not done anything to address the problem.”

Frazer is suggesting that as a temporary measure, the operator of the Mayfield Falls, which is located in the area, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the member of parliament, and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund come together and fund the erection of an emergency bridge.

When contacted, Dave Brown, the member of parliament for Hanover Eastern, told The Gleaner that he was making representation to see how quickly the bridge situation can be addressed.

“It is a process, they (NWA) went and did the soil testing in the Woodsville area because that will determine the type of bridge and where the bridge is laid. I do not know how long that will take, hopefully shortly,” said Brown, who said he is aware that a design for a replacement bridge is being done by the NWA.

“When I am next in Kingston I will follow up on the matter,” said Brown, who further pointed out that an estimate has been done for the refurbishing of the 8.7 kilometres alternative route to and from Woodsville, the alternate route suggested by the NWA.