ST ANN, Jamaica— Member of Parliament (MP) for St Ann North Eastern, Krystal Lee, is calling for special attention to be given to roads in housing developments, many of which she said are in a deplorable state.

Lee, a first term MP representing the governing Jamaica Labour Party, lamented that people who own homes in these developments were suffering. She was speaking last Wednesday as she made her contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives.

“I would like to bring to the attention of the Parliament, an issue that doesn’t only exist in St Ann Northwestern, but also across other constituencies as well; the longstanding issue of deplorable road conditions and other infrastructure within housing developments,” Lee said.

She noted that these include developments that are done by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), National Housing Trust (NHT), private developers and to a lesser extent the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

“While I am mindful that the NHT has embarked on a national programme to rehabilitate roads and other infrastructure in developments that were built by them, there is a lacuna (unfilled space or gap) in our development approval process,” Lee added.

She argued that “what obtains now is that when these roads deteriorate and fall into a state of disrepair there is an expectation that the political representatives ought to effect repairs to these roads when they are neither classified as a parochial road nor an NWA (National Works Agency) road”.

Lee pointed out that in her constituency, the residents in the communities of Belaire, Belaire Meadows, Cardiff Hall, Mount Edgecombe, Seacrest, Bridgewater, Hopewell Park, Minard Estate and others have been struggling with these issues for many years.

“Whereas we welcome the developments in the constituency, we are calling for a transitional arrangement to be introduced as part of the conditions of approvals for large housing developments. In the first instance a clear timeline for the completion of development ought to be set and adhered to. Secondly, developers whether private or government developers, are to maintain these roads for 24 months during which time the roads are transferred to the municipal corporation,” said Lee.

She noted that housing schemes that are currently having these problems were developed by the HAJ and UDC. “I am calling for them to roll out similar programmes to that of the NHT to rehabilitate these scheme roads and other infrastructure, and thereafter transfer them to the municipal corporation.”

The government MP stated that she was aware that some of the developers of these housing schemes have moved on, or are no longer in the business or are deceased. “I recommend that the Municipal Corporation in a structured way, perhaps by virtue of the age of these developments take over these roads. With this it will set the platform for government resources to be used over time in those developments, whether through the CDF, the municipal corporation or other agencies of government,” Lee said.

“This is a matter I have taken keen interest in as I have seen the suffering of constituents who have bought into these developments. A lot of these persons have their titles and are paying their property taxes. Upon completion of the research and consultation I will be tabling a motion in this honourable House so that this matter can be debated,” Lee said.

Continuing, she said “I know our government has the very best interest of the people at heart and will seek to solve this problem which has existed for decades”.