KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament for St Andrew Western Anthony Hylton is this evening accusing the National Works Agency of deliberately ignoring drainage improvements to low-lying sections of the constituency, including Seaview Gardens, Riverton, New Haven, and parts of Waterhouse.

In a statement to the press, Hylton made reference to the Chesterfield Road area of Seaview Gardens, which he said has experienced frequent flooding since the construction of the bypass road at Three Miles.

“The road construction focused solely on the relief of traffic congestion and did not adequately take into account the need for improved drainage to take off the increased flow of water resulting from the construction of the by-pass,” Hylton charged.

“Such effort as was made to address drainage was woeful and deliberate because the problem was pointed out to the National Works Agency personnel and the contractor while the work was being done,” he claimed.

Hylton said flooding has been a longstanding issue in the low-lying communities below Spanish Town Road, and called on government to act swiftly to remedy the situation especially in light of the start of the hurricane season.

“The total sum normally allocated for flood mitigation purposes is a paltry $1 million, way below the needs of the several communities in the constituency that are prone to flooding due to their location below sea level as well as the need for frequent cleaning of debris and waste disposed of in the drains and gullies, which run from upper St Andrew to these communities in lower St Andrew,” Hylton argued.

The situation, he said, affects not only residents but also businesses and motorists.