MAY PEN, Clarendon — As drought conditions intensify and residents’ cry for trucked water gets louder, councillors in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation are on edge, worried that the limited resources they have can barely scratch the surface of the needs to be met.

Among them is minority leader and councillor for the Hayes Division, Scean Barnswell who has suggested that all the players should be brought to the table for in-depth discussions.

“Now is a good time for us to have the water summit. There is no way we can move the parish forward if we keep depending on the trucking of water. I think the time has come to look at areas where we can do rainwater harvesting, areas where we can build mini dams to service the areas that are now troubled,” he urged during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the municipal body.

“Eleven divisions have this problem so we need to look at something substantial that can ease the pressure the residents are facing. Because we don’t have money to be trucking water and we realise the municipal corporation is being called upon to truck water,” Barnswell added.”

In response, Mayor Joel Williams said he is working to schedule a special meeting with all relevant agencies within the next two weeks to work out solutions to the perennial problem of water shortage.

During the meeting Williams fielded questions from his concerned peers, such as Councillor Romaine Morris (PNP, Mocho Division) who asked if the corporation had received funding for drought-stricken areas, as announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently.

The mayor said he had already written to ministers Matthew Samuda and Desmond McKenzie — who respectively have responsibility for the water and local government portfolios — and he is now awaiting a response. He too wants to know what can be done to cushion the impact the drought is having on the parish.

“I am disappointed that it has to reach crisis proportion before the Government can allocate money for drought-stricken areas,” chided Councillor Godfrey Knight (PNP, Toll Gate Division).

He complained that sections of his division have been without water for more than a month and the National Water Commission (NWC) has failed to act.

However, the mayor, in his capacity as chairman of the corporation, reiterated that there had been an announcement that indicated that some measures have been put in place to address the challenges being faced.

“I heard this morning where the prime minister would have acted as it related to schools. He has asked for a comprehensive plan from each school as we go deeper into the drought situation. Also, I would have been proactive in writing to the minister of water along with the minister of local government and I have already acted as it relates to Aenon Town Division,” said Williams.

The mayor promised to follow up on the two letters he has already dispatched to determine the level of support that will be provided to the council.

“We are going to try to do our best. We need to understand the conditions that exist out there and we know as councillors we have to react to our divisions and we are going to do everything possible,” he said in an effort to assure his colleagues that steps are being taken to address the situation.

Also during the meeting, Councillor Carlene Benjamin (JLP, Palmers Cross Division) questioned the effectiveness of the NWC, which did not have a representative at the meeting, in providing water to areas that are its responsibility.

“We are having a serious problem in the Palmers Cross Division — especially in Kennedy Grove, Kennedy Glades and other sections. I want to know what is the problem and what is being done, because the people not getting any water. Water commission says water is life, well those persons are dying,” she said hyperbolically.

The mayor said he expects that the NWC will step up to the plate.

“I will be asking them to meet us, along with those councillors who have challenges, and for them to tell us how they are going to service those areas under their responsibility,” he said.”