Dear Editor,

There was a shooting last week outside the gates of the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) between warring factions from the squatter community of Mona Commons.

As pedestrians, nurses and doctors scampered for cover one wondered why this eyesore has been allowed to grow to its current spread outside the Caribbean’s leading hospital.

Construction of houses and shacks continue every day within inches of the main road, and the congestion caused every morning with cars and trucks doing delivery to the shack shops severely impedes people rushing to reach the hospital.

Do building permits only apply in Cherry Garden?

This recent shooting is not the first. One only prays that in the recurrence of such a life-threatening scene a passing doctor or nurse will not get caught in the crossfire.

Plus, there are so many illegal ‘throw-up’ wires to Jamaica Public Service (JPS) lines right on the main road in front of UHWI, there is bound to be an unfortunate incident from this precarious state of affairs.

The local government authorities, the police, and JPS all, obviously, turn a blind eye as they traverse this main road.

Let’s not wait until something happens: Relocate Mona Commons.

A very concerned citizen