Residents thwart closure of faulty Hanover bridge
HANOVER, Jamaica — Residents on Monday evening thwarted the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s (HMC) attempt to close the rapidly deteriorating Hillsbrook Bridge. The structure, which serves the communities of Flower Hill, Woodsville and Hillsbrook, began collapsing last Thursday.
As the danger loomed last week, the HMC and the National Works Agency (NWA) traded barbs with both sides claiming the other was responsible for the bridge and the much needed repairs. The NWA ordered its immediate closure.
On Monday morning, Mayor of Lucea, Sheridan Samuels side-stepped the issue of ownership, opting instead to focus on the safety of residents.
“This is not a blame game business. This is about people’s life which is at risk. I am not in the mood to talk about who owns the bridge. The Government of Jamaica owned the bridge and as a result of we being a creature of the Government, we have a responsibility and the responsibility is to ensure that these people, in short order, life comes to normal,” he told OBSERVER ONLINE
The mayor, who came to power on a People’s National Party (PNP) ticket, said residents, farmers and the Mayfield Falls tourist attraction will be impacted.
“We have to find some alternative route to really get them to where they want to go and at the same time to encourage them to not use that bridge which we intend to close today,” said Samuels.
On Monday morning, Samuels led a team from the HMC’s roads and works department, accompanied by its chief engineer. A few minutes before 5:00 pm, a truckload of marl finally arrived but Councillor Devon Brown (Jamaica Labour Party, Hopewell division) told OBSERVER ONLINE residents foiled efforts to use the material to block access to the bridge.
He said the truck will have to return another day, with the police.
For one resident, who identified herself only as Lisa, closing the bridge would be the wrong move to make at this time.
“Closing it, trust me, mi nuh si the sense right now unless dem ah guh put up one bridge weh wi cud ah walk on. When you close it, how we guh out? How the children go ah school? It rough, mi ah tell you. Mi nuh see through it,” she said.
– Anthony Lewis