MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Custos of Manchester Garfield Green has lashed out at what he says is inadequate and poorly maintained road and sidewalk infrastructure in this south-central town.

Addressing a remembrance service for close to 200 people who died in the Kendal train crash of September 1, 1957, Green was also highly critical of what he suggested was the unkempt state of Mandeville.

“As I travel across this town, it hurts my heart to see our pedestrians parting bushes to walk on the sidewalks and if you don’t believe me, go along New Green Road,” he said while addressing a memorial service at the Manchester Parish Library last Thursday.

Pointing to the presence of three major schools on Newleigh Road close to the centre of Mandeville, Green lamented that scant regard has been paid to upgrading sidewalks to ensure the safety of students

“We have Bishop Gibson, El Instituto and deCarteret College. There are no sidewalks around there for the students to walk on. [Then] there is a little piece and they… have to be parting bush to walk on the sidewalks,” said Green.

“And if you go on the same piece of road, we have construction taking place which has robbed us of a piece of our road,” he added.

Green’s complaint about the seeming disregard for school children is not new. Down the years school leaders and political representatives have called for a section of deCarteret Road and Newleigh Road to be declared a school zone. They have urged investment in road safety infrastructure, particularly sidewalks for students.

The custos joined those calling for more to be done to cater to homeless people living on the streets.

“Our town is being taken over by stray dogs and our homeless people are sleeping among those dogs. Can we do something for them? Can we do something for our parish?” he asked.

Recently, chair of Candle of the Dark Empowerment Centre Wendy Freckleton called for greater Government and private sector support for the Mandeville-based drop in centre to be upgraded to a transitional facility.

Freckleton said over the past four years there has been an increase in the number of homeless people in Manchester with about 80 per cent of them moving from other parishes.

“The challenge is great and so the Government needs to start looking at ways in which they can not only treat homelessness, but prevent [it],” she said in June.

The poor state of commuting infrastructure was also targeted by Green.

“I can point out bus stops within the town of Mandeville or near to Mandeville that people who need to use them can’t access them, because they are overgrown with bush,” he said.

Councillor Jones Oliphant (People’s National Party, Mandeville Division) promised that he would address the custos’ concerns while pointing out that funding is often a challenge.

“I have always endeavored to put in sidewalks and clean the area as best as possible, it all depends on how funds are available in my area, but I have taken note of what the custos is saying. I have also seen it and I will act on it,” he said.