PORTLAND, Jamaica — Following early morning protests from residents in Fairy Hill and surrounding communities in Portland, member of Parliament for Portland Eastern, Ann-Marie Vaz, said she is “beyond frustrated” that residents are still being affected by a prolonged dust nuisance.

Residents in the tourist parish blocked the main road in Fairy Hill from about 5:00 am on Monday, in protest of the poor road condition and lack of water for the last three weeks.

READ: Fairy Hill residents protest poor road condition, no water

Vaz, in a release on Monday, said she is disappointed that despite numerous calls to the parties in prime position to remedy the matter, the problem remains.

“It is most disappointing that little attention has been given to this matter by the parties that can assist in a resolve. After numerous calls for a resolution, I am beyond frustrated that the residents of Fairy Hill and surrounding communities continue to experience this prolonged dust nuisance, an absence of piped water and bad road conditions,” Vaz said, calling on the National Water Commission (NWC) to “not just take note of this issue but to advise citizens on the state of the water supply and to provide sustained trucking of water during the drought.”

The member of parliament also called on the China Harbour Engineering Company of Jamaica to truck water into the affected communities at least twice per week to eliminate the dust nuisance. Vaz went on to express alarm that while contracts valued at billions of dollars are allocated for road maintenance, residents are “still being subjected to these unfavourable road conditions, especially motorists and other route travellers.”

“It is affecting essential services, schools, hospitals, the business community, households and tourism interests. It is a crisis that the communities are facing due to an unprecedented and sustained drought. I am urging the National Water Commission, National Works Agency, and China Harbour Engineering Company and its sub-contractors to respond to our call for a resolve,” she said.

Following this morning’s protest, a heavy contingency of police were dispatched to the area to help maintain order and clear roads.