Fairy Hill residents block roads over dust, potholes and dry taps

FAIRY HILL, Portland:

Irate residents protesting what they described as a prolonged dust nuisance and bad road conditions, which are further compounded by the absence of piped water throughout Fairy Hill and other adjoining areas, mounted multiple roadblocks in Portland on Monday.

The protests disrupted commute for more than six hours, causing many students and other commuters to abandon travel plans.

Chief engineer at the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), Damian Anderson, told The Gleaner that although the protest staged by residents is with merit, the blocking of the main thoroughfare hampered work along the Portland leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

“We had a small truck that was being used to sprinkle the roadway, which, in short, was not able to fulfil its task. We have since acquired an additional truck to assist with the sprinkling of the roadway, so as to contain the dust,” Anderson commented, addressing one of the concerns.

“But even so,” he continued, “we are now hampered as a result of the blockade, which could probably go on for some time. It is important to note that we have brought in a new subcontractor to assume the work along a section of the roadway. At no time was there any shutdown of the roadwork as we were always constructing walls, drains, and carrying out asphalt work. But this protest action has slowed us down and we just have to wait and see when the roadway will be cleared.”

Up until mid-afternoon on Monday, the roadway in the vicinity of Poinciana Park at Fairy Hill was still blocked.

Roadblocks were also mounted in lower and upper Fairy Hill, Zion Hill, San-San, and Drapers.

The police were kept busy removing felled trees, drums, old refrigerators and other debris used to mount the blockages, which residents began mounting as early as 5:30 a.m.

People’s National Party caretaker for the Fairy Hill division, Natalie Wright, told The Gleaner said the residents are frustrated over the failure of the authorities to address their plight.

“The dust is killing us here in the Fairy Hill division. I know of a little boy who has been sick for almost three weeks now as a result of the dust,” she said.

“What I notice in Drapers, the [basic] school has to be closed; they don’t have AC,” she said, explaining that the windows and doors were kept shut to reduce the impact of the dust. “The children are inside, but the doors and windows have to be closed. The children can’t even go outside to play, and that is just unacceptable.”

Wright said that residents in the adjoining communities have been without water for several weeks now, which has further added to their frustration.

gareth.davis@gleanerjm.com