CLARENDON, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for Clarendon South West, Lothan Cousins, is hoping that the National Works Agency (NWA) will provide a timeline for repairs to the Porus to Scotts Pass main road at the Manchester/Clarendon border following this morning’s protest by motorists who use the corridor.

Cousins said it was unfortunate that residents and taxi operators had to take matters into their own hands and resort to blocking the road to get the attention of the authorities.

“This is a critical corridor that connects Manchester, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland and St James to the parishes of Clarendon, St Catherine and Kingston and the truth is that any roadblock along that space will have devastating effects on economic activity.

“There has been little to no communication as to what will be done and in what timeframe it is expected to be done. We hope that the National Works Agency will come forward and provide a timeline for the repairs to the road so the residents and motorists can continue about their business” he said.

Police officers, health care workers and other frontline staff on their way to work were left stranded from as early as 5:30 this morning, as taxi operators who ply several routes between Clarendon and Manchester withdrew their services.

The taxi operators said the poor road conditions and high vehicle repair costs are unbearable and in recent weeks several motorists have been robbed as a result of the bad roads.

Traffic was backed up from Scotts Pass on the border all the way to Osbourne Store in Clarendon with motorists in Manchester also saying they were inconvenienced in some sections of Mandeville.

“The deplorable condition of the bad road a cause motorist to hop, skip and jump and when you sight a pothole you slam inna somebody vehicle and these things can also claim lives so we need the roads to be fixed,” said one motorist who uses the thoroughfare daily.

“We need the highway but the roads need to be fixed so help us please. The whole road need to be fixed to avoid accidents and wear and tear on our vehicle,” he pleaded.

Steve Morris is a taxi operator on May Pen to Porus route. He said last week he counted seven near misses where motorists could have ended up in head-on collisions as a result of the poor state of the road.

“Most time me affi stop and have mi hand on the horn fi stop other people from mash up mi car, this is crazy. We shouldn’t have to be doing this in Jamaica in this day and age where we have to block the road to get it fixed,” he said, noting that it has been eight months since the heavy rains which caused severe damage to the road.

“We are citizens of this country who are paying taxes and we need this road to be fixed,” added Morris.