WHITEHOUSE, Westmoreland – Cab drivers who operate on the Savanna-la-Mar to Whitehouse route on Monday withdrew their services and blocked sections of the usually busy roadway to protest against poor road conditions in the area.

According to taxi operator Michael Reid, the roads, particularly between Belmont and Whitehouse, have been in a deplorable state for more than five years.

“We want to get the roads fixed; it needs to be addressed now because our vehicles are being damaged badly,” he told the Observer.

“It was just last night that I drop in a pothole and burst one of my tyres,” Reid added.

Peter Davis, another taxi operator, said former member of parliament for the area, P J Patterson, had promised to have the roads fixed, but so far nothing has been done.

Sitting MP for the area Luther Buchanan on Monday acknowledged that the roads were in a poor state. He added, however, that remedial work on the thoroughfare was expected to commence later this week.

“It is true that the roads on the section of the South Coast are bad, but some patching will be done in a matter of days,” Buchanan said.

He said representation had been made to Transport and Works Minister Robert Pickersgill for the roads to be resurfaced.

“I have made representation to Minister Pickersgill earlier this year for a total rehabilitation of the roads and I am now awaiting a response from him,” the MP said.

The Savanna-la-Mar to Whitehouse main road provides a vital link to a number of South Coast tourism developments in St Elizabeth and sections of Westmoreland.

As a result of the protest action, a number of workers in the tourism sector reported late for work. The action also adversely affected a number of schools in the area that opened their doors for the start of the new school year.

Among them was the New Hope Primary and Junior High School in Whitehouse.

According to school principal Franklyn Beckford, a number of students were late for classes, while others stayed away from school.

The roadblocks were removed by the police with assistance from the Jamaica Fire Service.