MONTEGO BAY, St James— Residents of Green Pond blocked sections of the King Street to Cornwall Courts main road here this morning to protest the poor state of the roads in the area.

“The dust is making persons sick in the community. Dem use water fi wet di road and as di water dry up di road dusty again. Di road need fi fix,” said Erica Allen, one of the protesters.

Another resident, Kim Campbell, said the dust was making many children in the area sick.

“Mi haffi sen mi son go a country ‘cause a di dust. Mi have asthma an mi caan tek di dust no longer,” she said.

Shop owner Carlton Ellis said that the dust nuisance in the area has also affected his business.

“Dem come dig up di road from last year January say dem ago fix it then dem stop. Dem come back recently and start digging again and left it,” said an irate Ellis.

Work on the King Street to Green Pond road began more than a year ago under the controversial Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP).

According to the residents, work on the roadway resumed last month, but came to a halt three days later.