It rains overseas and their roads hold up
Dear Editor,
As heavy rains continue to drench the island one evening at a time, the Government should brace itself for a hefty road repair bill.
Over the past two months the island has been experiencing heavy afternoon showers causing flooding and an emergence of new and a widening of existing potholes. St Thomas residents will soon be joined by other Jamaicans demonstrating the Government’s failure to maintain proper roads with a proper drainage system.
The rain is an act of God and no one can stop it; however, the country could save billions in road repairs by doing it right from the outset.
The intersection of Dyke Road and Passagefort Drive is in need of urgent attention; so too West King’s House and Constant Spring roads; Old Harbour Road and near the roundabout; the westbound lane from Duhaney Park to Six Miles; the intersection of Heywood and Orange streets in downtown Kingston; and Spanish Town Road. They have some huge, tyre-bursting, accident-causing potholes. There are roads in a bad state possibly across all 14 parishes. They cause lengthy delays for motorists and embarrassment to pedestrians who are splashed when the vehicles fall into the potholes.
The prime minister recently made a statement in Montego Bay that the road network across the island will be repaired soon; however, putting a little marl and gravel in the pothole will not solve the drainage problem. There is no adequate provision made for water to run off, so water settles on the road and further erodes the surface.
This leads me to wonder if there are engineers employed to the National Works Agency to see to the standard of roadwork. The Government needs to take a close look at the roadwork being done and why it is that after rain so many potholes emerge. It rains in other countries and their roads hold up.
Hezekan Bolton
h_e_z_e@hotmail.com