Dear Editor,

Tropical Storm Nicole, which passed by Jamaica on September 29, did much damage to the island’s infrastructure.

Many major and minor roads were badly damaged. Some were deemed impassable during the storm surge and by landslides and debris, to the point where these roadways became waterholes causing residents living in nearby areas to wade through them by creative means.

Since Nicole, the National Works Agency has made efforts to fix the major thoroughfares. This process, however, seems to be taking forever to complete and so the minor roads, especially ones that run through rural communities, have not yet been done.

When the houses on the bank of the Sandy Gully collapsed, killing as many as three people, officialdom couldn’t help because of limited or lack of resources.

Though the government is responsible for the upkeep of the national infrastructure, the citizens also have a role to play in ensuring their safety, when it comes to situations like these. We cannot sit and wait for the government to be called to action while our lives and property are at stake, especially since we know the dilemma the country is in regarding governance and proper allocation of funds. Not to mention reimbursement and compensation.

Which government is going to look at you when the front end of your car gets damaged by the huge potholes in the roads? When your houses are flooded and your furniture damaged, who will pay? Who cares how much you paid for them or, better yet, how are you going to buy them back?

So, citizens of Jamaica, like the citizens of Broadleaf, Manchester, we need to get proactive in order to ensure our own safety and the safety of our hard-earned property. The road in their district was badly damaged by the storm and the residents of that community came together and did some repairs. It’s time to think about ourselves since it is highly likely that no one else is thinking of us. Let’s come together to protect our lives and our property.

Sandrea Dennis

Manchester