BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth

Franklyn Witter, the mayor of Black River and chairman of the St Elizabeth Parish Council, is disappointed that after months of negotiations, the council has been advised that they will only be allocated $300,000 to address the present water crisis in the parish. “The government is just not doing enough to address the current situation,” said Witter, who is also the JLP caretaker for South East St Elizabeth.

He pointed out that the council is without a functioning water truck, as the two owned by the local authority are in need of repairs.

Witter is among several JLP representatives in St Elizabeth who are calling on the government to address the water crisis.

According to the group, the water shortage has resulted in the loss of crops and undue hardships for thousands of residents.

“The inadequate water supply is also affecting small business owners and creating even more challenges for our education system,” Chris Tufton, the party’s caretaker for South West St Elizabeth noted.

The group added that the water crisis is also affecting many communities with piped infrastructure, arguing that it is even worse for those depending on the community tanks and social water systems.