Dear Editor,

Sunday, September 18, 2022 will be a day that the residents of Spring Village, St Catherine, will never forget, and one they would never want to relive.

It was the day when criminal elements unleashed death and destruction on residents enjoying a game of football at the Jamaica Broilers field. When the smoke cleared, nine people had received gunshot wounds and three were later pronounced dead.

The woes of the residents were further deepened a week later when the National Works Agency (NWA) closed the bridge which leads to the main entrance of their community. The closure was due to movements at the base of the bridge that required structural repairs or a new bridge. The bridge has been in existence for over three decades and had naturally deteriorated over time.

It has been four months since the closure of the bridge and the struggle of the residents has been very real. The closure has been creating financial hardship for residents with no end in sight. The alternative route is estimated to be five times the length of the original journey. The road is riddled with potholes which closely resemble big strainers. Some of the potholes are so deep, if you fall in, you would need a crane to excavate the vehicle that finds itself therein. They also act as free swimming pools for the night-biting insects that breed in them. The impact of the potholes can be heard a mile away when the front end of vehicles and taxis cry out for better roads.

Some residents have abandoned their vehicles and resorted to walking because they can’t afford the continuous cost of repairs.

Since the closure of the bridge the cost of public transportation has increased 100 per cent in some instances. This has been causing undue financial hardship, especially for residents with children attending schools outside of the community.

Spring Village is a farming community, and a number of the residents are contract workers at the Jamaica Broilers factory. Credit should be given to Jamaica Broilers for being a good corporate citizen. The company has been assisting with marling the alternative road and wetting it to keep down the dust. It has also helped to maintain the existing road and keep it clean.

However, the call is for the Government to fix the alternative route and expedite the repairs to the bridge on the main route. The burden is becoming unbearable for the residents and vehicles of Spring Village.

Hezekan Bolton

h_e_z_e@hotmail.com