BROWN’S TOWN, St Ann — Krystal Lee, the Member of Parliament for St Ann North Western, which was rocked by an early morning protest on Monday, says plans are under way to secure approximately $300 million for road work in the area.

“We continue to press on and the roads are getting more attention now. Minister [with responsibility for works Everald] Warmington had visited last year and committed to doing comprehensive work on the Runaway Bay to Brown’s Town road this coming financial year in two phases,” she said.

Lee was providing an update after taxi and bus operators who ply the Brown’s Town to Ocho Rios and Discovery Bay route in St Ann withdrew their services. They have vowed to continue blocking sections of the main roads from Brown’s Town to Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay until the roads, which they say are in a deplorable condition, are fixed.

“Them need to do what they are suppose to; we are not going to stop. A peaceful demonstration only make sense but to get the Government attention we have to do something like this and inconvenience the judge, police and nurses going to work — and it is a shame,” said Wayne Brown, a taxi operator who has plied the Brown’s Town to Discovery Bay route for the last 13 years.

He said in all his years driving on it, the road has never been up to par and repairing his vehicle has left a significant dent in his pocket.

“We are fed up with the road conditions because we are damaging our vehicle badly. Every week we have to be doing repair work, and we tired of it. The councillor, we are not seeing him, neither the MP. For over six years we were told that the road would be resurfaced and up to this day we can’t see nothing,” Brown told the Jamaica Observer. “We will not stop until something change.”

On Monday, transport operators congregated at the intersection of the Dumbarton and Brown’s Town main roads, some bearing placards with their demands while others spoke with police personnel about their woes.

Steve “Anabella” Burke, a bus driver who operates from Brown’s Town to Ocho Rios, is hoping things will get better soon.

“We want some changes to happen right now because we tired of it. A more than 20 years the road stay like this and is bare promises. Them come and patch up and by we look, the road gone again. We want the road asphalt so we can drive smooth on the road,” Burke insisted.

“We nuh wah hear no trunk and side door a shake when we a drive and a drop in a pothole, because we tired to buy front end parts,” he added.

Sally Brown, a commuter from Liberty Hill in Dumbarton, was among protesters demanding better road conditions.

“Without the taxi we can’t move and they are complaining about the potholes in roads so we have to help them speak out,” she told the Observer. “When we the passengers are in the car we a jerk up and then we get mad at the drivers, but it is really not their fault. But when the road fix, things will change. We need better roads and we think that is what the Government should focus on,” she said.

Police officers managed to clear blocked sections of the road at approximately 7:00 am on Monday.

“The police have been maintaining a presence, allowing the residents to vent and voice their opinion. We are making sure that the residents are compliant with the rule of law and do not obstruct the roadway but [instead] voice their opinions without any mayhem,” deputy superintendent of police for the St Ann Division, Kevin Francis, told the Observer.