And it came to pass that in the early morning of Saturday, July 17, the waters of the Rio Cobre claimed six lives — but blame Flat Bridge. Tears, wailing but the river which saw-off Taino, Spanish, English, African now rolls over Jamaicans. We grieve for the families, as this is hard, but men of faith are assured.

My next reaction was someone should be strung up, even posthumously.

My rule is don’t drive where you can’t see or you may meet your maker before time.

The public debate about Flat Bridge and its voracious early morning appetite for lives continues; not often, but big news. Many say the bridge is guilty; needs safety gear or replacing — it consumed a Bishop! But it is as staid and stable as ever; can we say the same of the driver or vehicle which dived off the road?

Flat Bridge is our heritage and no one should diss it. It’s an iconic slice of built environment within a prized amphitheatre carved by nature over centuries. The gorge is unchanged since carriages and carts went to and from Spanish Town in the 1700s. The Rio Cobre lazed in its bed, feeds, waters our most productive and populous area. The A1 road allows ingress and egress in a known alignment to the bridge. There was no flash flood; no fog, squalls; the bridge was steadfast, yet guilty of mass murder and the humans all innocent. How hard is it to drive 75 metre on a straight one-way road? Life is a bitch for a bridge! All life has hazards and there is no inherent danger in gorge, road or bridge; myths may provoke fearful people but also teach respect, patience, life will not change to fit your anxiety so get hold of yourself mate!

Flat Bridge is a signal-controlled, one-way passage, but some lights may not be as effective without CCTV or police. At Matilda’s Corner, King’s House, Waterloo Road intersections taxis storm down Hope Road in the right turn lane, swerve left, to the head of the queue then race to HWT to the chagrin of other motorists. CCTV with licence plate recognition software can fix it but who cares.

Is Flat Bridge a more black spot than the wide, straight Braco highway regularly on TV? Flat Bridge had wooden and metal safety rails all ravaged by flood. We must work with, not against, nature. The abutment is art and the 150ft by 10ft pier may have inspired Mr Bailey, the civil servant, who invented the eponymous bridge.

We could be a tourist paradise with 10 million visitors on history alone without tacky penile carvings. The vestry engineer built a bespoke bridge to link two parallel roads — innovative! We should respect all roads, whether we are full, hungry, in the spirit, or sleepy as a fine highway or junky bridge cannot adjust to our impairment. Flat Bridge is the same for 300 years and does not change to fit motorist’s indiscipline. Pedestrians too “less care” the road; “One stop driva” and they cross at once when goats on the Boulevard stand by a crossing.

Flat Bridge was my Everest — look ahead, not right or left; be calm, drive normally. I did and the car burst into applause at my first solo crossing. Been there in spate and in calm; water hyacinths in full bloom like peacock plumes, and local Impressionists may have a field day painting like Monet’s canvases on water lilies. The Gorge may be an enclave of fine arts; mini studios, water sport; attractions as Pim, Pam rocks, lunch in Kent Village; tour the old turbine house; punt on the Rio Cobre up to Dam Head. Where is the monument to the 33 men who died in the Hydro disaster of 1904? Heroes have no families? What of the high flood mark on the cliff? Marcus warned, do not ignore history. Tourism can revive the communities. The 1300m channel to Dam Head was special as I tried to kick-start rowing at GC Foster to be Olympics-ready by 2020; it was ideal for coxed eights to single sculls. I rowed at Oxford and my daughter, more expert, at college and Oxford would train the team at no cost. Guess what? We have water all around, but some think we can only run, jump; and rowing which originated in Egypt is “white” — Wow! We may have floating restaurants on the levee, catering to hundreds arriving by the North/South corridor, and if Mike Henry can, via the Bog Walk rail tunnel. The infrastructure is in the ground and we would love it as our city has little family entertainment. Modern nations invest in rail as its cheaper long term and nation is forever; we seem to live in five year tranches. Our people deserve better!

If Flat Bridge is a “black spot” signpost it: is it the worst? If we modify it to pander to indiscipline; will we also put airbags on the often downed Jamaica Public Service poles alongside Jamaica College or highway black spots? There is nothing wrong with Flat Bridge. We drive in lane, not weave from left lane to right or ride the bank — true? We drive on Flat Bridge the same — in lane — and all is well. What needs fixing, bridge or you?

The bridge is unique in the New World — classic, minimalist, clean lines that endure. London Bridge was sold, relocated to America, and millions enjoy it. Hands off Flat Bridge unnuh villains! The Hydro electric plant was cutting edge — first in the West.

The remains in the Gorge is a chunk of our technology history for a future Museum of Design, Science & Technology. Incidentally, where is our “Hardwar Gap Observatory” or “Don Drummond Music Conservatoire”…Alpha? I pray the rich who went to Mr Wolmer’s poor boys’ school may have a like vision and that my children’s generation is smarter than mine. The trendy May Pen cantilever bridge fell to floods and the new Bailey bridge in St Thomas buckled; yet after every deluge we just paint Flat Bridge — good as new! Ed Bartlett should launch/start the mid-island North & South Tourism Plan for its 300th anniversary. If we build it they will come! I will donate to a “Flat Bridge Tricentenary Foundation” so many yet unborn may enjoy it and the proposed recreation assets. We can’t sacrifice our history on the demonic altar of bad driving. Stay conscious!

A Golding candidate

St Andrew South is to choose a chairman and Mark Golding is an excellent candidate. A mid-career professional of proven competence and great potential; lauded by peers; hails from the hills where he and his sister lived while Professor Golding built the Polio Centre for the poor in its foothills. Our peri-urban district is proud of Mark as service with sacrifice is his style and in his genes — guaranteed!

Franklin Johnston, D Phil (Oxon), is a strategist and project manager. Send comments to the Observer or franklinjohnstontoo@gmail.com.