Taxis refuse to travel to New Hope because of deplorable roads

Woman forced to walk with dead child as vehicles will not enter community

BY RENAE DIXON

Observer staff reporter

dixonr@jamaicaobserver.com

Residents in New Hope, a community overlooking the resort town of Ocho Rios, are pleading to the relevant authorities to address their plight, as the many protruding stones and crater-like holes in the road surface, have made it difficult for them to get in and out of the area.

The deplorable road conditions have forced the residents to walk miles to the neighbouring Parry Town to get public transport as the operators have refused to traverse the route.

“You have to be brave to come up here. Once dem know say a up here you ah go dem nah come,” said one taxi driver who sometimes traverse the route.

The driver identified as Toto, is one who residents depend on in cases of emergency; however according to him, walking is a much safer option for the sick as transporting them to the hospital on that type of road surface will only make their condition worse.

“The way how the road rough, if you sick is better dem put you on a stretcher and bring you out because the amount of jerk you get it kill you faster,” Toto explained.

A resident confirmed that this has been the reality for many persons needing to get their loved ones out of the community to seek medical attention.

“Last month a woman sick and is sheet dem have to put her in and bring her down to the bottom,” one resident explained.

“Another woman had to wrap her dead child in a sheet and walk to another community as no vehicle would come into the community,” the resident further explained.

Pregnant women in the community are often forced to relocate during the advance stage of pregnancy.

“What they (pregnant women) have to do is move in with relatives closer to their time,” resident Chrisiana Garvey told the Jamaica Observer North East.

Children and the elderly alike have to walk up and down the hills of New Hope to get in and out of the community.

“As old as dem is, dem have to walk,” resident Clara Moncrieff said.

“They patch the road but as the rain fall it mash up back, dem no have no drainage so as the rain fall it damage,” she added.

For those who can convince a taxi operator to take them into the community, the cost is often more than they can afford.

According to the residents, they may pay up to $1,000 for the approximately two-mile journey out of Ocho Rios on the rare occasion a driver is willing to traverse the rocky terrain.

However, Moncrieff explained that when persons try to hire vehicles to the community, the drivers many times refuse no matter how much persons are willing to pay because of the damage to their vehicles.

The residents said when they get a taxi to take them into the community, they are forced to exit the vehicle at some point to allow the driver to better navigate some sections of the road.

“So although you a pay you still have to walk some of the journey,” Garvey explained.

The residents said that due to the inaccessibility of public transportation, many persons have sold their lands and relocated from the community which is fast becoming a ghost town.

If the road conditions were to be improved, the residents said many persons would return to live in the community which offers a great view of Ocho Rios.

The road condition is so bad that even traversing the terrain on foot is a challenge for the residents.

“It’s torture,” Garvey who has to travel up and down the hill daily to take her young daughter to get public transport explained.

Williams who has a broken leg said she has often had to cancel doctor appointments in Ocho Rios as it is very difficult for her to get there.

“Since day mi supposed to go to Ocho Rios and couldn’t go because of the road condition. Mi have to call the people dem and tell dem mi can’t come,” she explained.

Having traversed the rocky roads a day earlier, Williams said she had to get enough rest to take another journey and so she cancelled her appointment until the following day.

The residents say they have had enough and is calling on the relevant authorities to address their plight.

CAPTION:

(road)

A section of what serves as a road in New Hope

(car drive)

A car attempts to traverse these stones in the middle of the road.

(view 2)

More persons would have returned to live in New Hope because of its beautiful view of Ocho Rios, but only if the roads were repaired.

(Photos: Renae Dixon)