PORTLAND, Jamaica — Taxi operators who ply the Long Bay to Port Antonio route took to the streets of Drapers in Portland on Monday morning, to express their displeasure at the state of the roads.

According to them, work on the Southern Coastal Highway has made the problem worse. However, their issue, they stressed, is not with the project (which they welcome), but the way in which it is being implemented.

“We know the highway is coming and work a gwaan, but what we want still is a better work on the road,” said one cabbie who gave his name as Anthony.

“The man dem [the contractor and the engineer] a do some work like they don’t know what they doing cause we in a traffic for nearly three and four hours. The condition of the road is terrible, is a disgrace for Portland side. We need a grader or a roller [to] grade the road and roll it meanwhile they doing the work. Right now we can’t drive in this condition here, it is a total no, no, no,” he said.

He, like other protestors, called for elected officials to intervene. The road conditions, he said, has had a physical and mental impact.

“We need somebody to come speak to us about the road condition because it can’t stay like this. It is hurting us bad, it damage our mind, our car, and everything so we need something to go on. Is three times vehicle go over the road near to Dolphin Bay. People taking themselves away from potholes, hitting off vehicles mirrors. We can’t go on like that. We are not crabs, we are humans and taxi drivers,” Anthony said.

On Monday he and other taxi operators withdrew their services and parked on one side of the road. Traffic was reduced to single lane with the police on standby to help as needed. There were also protests in Anchovy and Drapers, where work is ongoing on the highway project.

Claudius Wray, who plies the Port Antonio to Long Bay route, also lashed out at what he said were non-responsive elected officials while complaining bitterly of the escalating gas and parts prices, plus the dent repair costs from the shoddy roads have left in his pocket.

One irate truck driver who opted not to provide his name also expressed his annoyance.

“We need a road man, I lose three tyres one time. Imagine you paying taxes, licence, insurance and you can’t get a road to drive on comfortable,” he said.

“Mi a come from east and drop in a one pothole and three wheel puncture; ben’ up two rim, chop two tyre and a only can patch one, that nuh good. Mi cyaan pay tax fi dem something deh, dis no mek no sense. How long this a go tek fi fix?” he asked angrily.

Another driver expressed concern that inaction will eventually lead to fatalities.

“One night I am coming down and drop in a pot hole and nearly drop out of the vehicle. Mi head knock up in a di roof three times. Mi just have to hold on to the brake so that mi no go over the gully,” he said.

“The road dem stay bad, ready fi kill off people. Dem not going do anything until something bad happen. They not paying no attention to nobody as this is total madness,” he added.

Meanwhile, Principal of Sherwood Forest Primary and Infant School, Claudine Lewis, said the educational institution has also been negatively impacted.

“The road is in a deplorable condition, the entire stretch of the roadway from Zion Hill into Port Antonio. It is absurd for persons to be driving on the roads. At the moment I had to go for two of my teachers, who were stuck in Port Antonio, and some students to take them to school,” she said.

“This cannot be allowed to continue. It is really affecting persons who have to traverse this roadway and I think the authorities have to do something to improve the conditions urgently, especially when the rain falls,” she urged.

Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding, commented on the road conditions last Thursday while attending an event in Manchioneal.

“From we left Port Antonio it was the worst experience we have on a road. The road is in a most deplorable condition and it is not for a short stretch; it was all the way until we get to Manchioneal, which is 40 kilometres,” said Golding.

“The wear-and-tear on the vehicles that have to traverse that road; the work itself doesn’t seem to be happening at any pace, there were large stretches where nothing seemed to be going on. A few stretches seem to be a little order like something is going on. I feel terribly sorry for the residents who have to be going through this. I’ve never seen anything like this before, it is really terrible, the entire road has been totally destroyed. Instead of working on sections they have totally destroyed the entire road and residents have to wait. So from a planning perspective it does seem to be extremely chaotic,” he said.

– Everard Owen