ST MARY, Jamaica – People’s National Party caretaker for South East St Mary, Dr Shane Alexis is calling on the government to urgently provide critical assistance to communities severely affected by floodwaters and threatened by land slippage.

The uncharacteristic increase in rainfall in St Mary South East, especially in the last 48 hours, has severely damaged the already poor infrastructure in the parish, Dr Alexis said.

“The Junction main road (up to 3:00 pm today) had several landslides and “waterfalls” from the hillsides, resulting in more damage to a strategic corridor for students, farmers and businesses. The Junction main road before the increased rainfall posed a hazard to public safety and now even more so.” Dr Alexis said.

He pointed out that personal property, including homes and small businesses in areas such as Cane Lane, Crooked River, Enfield, Juno Pen and Tillsbury have also been significantly damaged. Rural farming communities such as those were already experiencing difficult living conditions and are now even more worse off. Blockages of the drains and inadequate river training are long standing problems in those areas and the lack of attention has resulted in many personal disasters.

“With tomorrow marking the start of the new school term and the first full week of business for the new year, we are requesting an urgent response from all relevant state agencies, especially the Parish Council and the Ministry of Labour to provide relief to the affected persons. Basic needs such as the provision of drinking water, dry beds and linen as well as basic roofing material are all needed.”

He said the government needs to provide an update on the much-publicized election promise of infrastructure repairs including the works to be done on the Junction road which were to begin from as far back as October last year. There also needs to be a comprehensive approach to the matter of disaster preparedness and management especially in areas like this which we know are very vulnerable.

A bi-partisan approach to national infrastructure development and maintenance should now be initiated by the government, both, in St Mary and islandwide as a matter of urgency, Dr Alexis said.

“The proper and sustained management of recurrent threats to public safety and health, the harsh economic climate that our businesses already face without the interruption of transit are the responsibility of the Government of Jamaica. Along with my Party and constituency team, I urge the government to respond urgently to the situation in SE St. Mary and I remain ready to assist in advancing the interests of St Mary and the country.”