One of the bad roads in Hampshire, St Catherine. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

FIVE persons, including Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Troja Division, William Cytall, were yesterday injured during a clash between supporters of the JLP and the ruling People's National Party (PNP) in Riversdale, St Catherine.

The incident happened when approximately 200 residents of Riversdale and Hampshire, an adjoining community, protested in Riversdale square against bad roads and the lack of adequate water in those areas.

According to one of the protestors, the violence started after a group of men tried to clear the debris they used to block the roads. The men, she claimed, were supporters of the ruling PNP.

"We were not against them clearing the roads, but they went too far when they began throwing the debris on us," the woman told the Observer.

That incident, she said, set the stage for a stone-throwing, bottle-breaking, knife-and-cutlass-wielding melee.

"Because dem party (PNP) lost the seat, dem nuh want it look like seh di JLP a do nutten," another said.

Yesterday, the Riversdale police confirmed the five injuries, but said all were treated and released from the Linstead Hospital.

One of the injured, the police said, received stab wounds to his abdomen; another was chopped in his head, while Cytall was hit on his hand with a rock.

Police from Bog Walk and Linstead police stations were called in to help quell the situation.

Last week, residents in both Riversdale and Hampshire complained of the poor roads and the lack of piped water -- which they said they did not have in almost 13 years.

On Saturday, member of parliament for North East St Catherine, Abe Dabdoub, told the Observer that, though a contract was signed to repair the roads since February, the repairs are yet to begin, claiming persons were deliberately trying to victimise his constituency.

At that time Dabdoub spoke of plans to lead his constituents in a demonstration that would "forcibly bring to their (authorities) attention that the roads need repair immediately".

He, however, said yesterday's demonstration was no plan of his but he was only there to support his people.

"They wanted to demonstrate for a while and I kept asking them to give the Government a chance, but they could not hold out any longer," he said.

Dabdoub said yesterday that he found it amazing that PNP supporters would want to attack JLP supporters for such a cause.

"I couldn't believe the attacks, apparently they do not want the roads to be repaired," the MP told the Observer.

Meanwhile, the Riversdale police say they were still carrying out investigations into yesterday's clash and would "make arrests accordingly".

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