We are forgotten – Grants Pen residents

AS TRAFFIC made its way through their community on Saturday afternoon, residents of Grants Pen in St Thomas signalled to the Government to reconsider bypassing the area via the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

The traffic was being diverted from a section of the newly opened roadway following an accident involving a truck laden with sand.

According to reports, about 4:25 p.m. on Saturday, the driver of the truck, who was heading towards Kingston, failed to engage the appropriate gear, causing the vehicle to begin reversing before crashing into a median and overturning, blocking the roadway.

Motorists were later diverted through Grants Pen by the police while efforts were made to clear the road.

Residents who had long campaigned against the planned realignment of the highway which sidesteps their community, told The Gleaner that they have been feeling the brunt of the plan since the section of the new thoroughfare opened a few weeks ago.

“We nuh want no vehicle a drive through here, because them have we as the forgotten. No taxi or bus never want to come down here. Now the truck block off the new road, why dem sending them through our ‘done’ road? Them put we aside like we are nobodies living in a Wonderland, but this shows them that they can’t block us out,” shared bar owner Shellyann Morgan.

The businesswoman, who admitted to seeing a decrease in sales over the past few weeks, is one of many who have rubbished as unviable the access route to the South Coast Highway and have been lobbying for the consideration of the community’s counterproposal.

“They need to maintain the passage through Grants Pen to go to Kingston because any card can play, like wah happen now. They are going to always need this road ... which is the original road,” she said.

Morgan was among several residents who converged on the road as they hurled spiteful comments at passing public transportation operators, who they say have refused to serve them since the opening of the new roadway.

Chiming in, another irate resident said, “How can you block off the only alternative route? This is what we talking about. Vehicles are going to crash and break down up there. Where the people dem fi drive when this happens? We should’ve blocked the road and give them a taste of what them planning to do ... foolishness.”

The residents noted that they are renewing their calls to their member of parliament, James Robertson, to make the necessary representation and for the National Works Agency to reconsider providing an alternative to the current realignment plans.

shanna.monteith@gleanerjm.com