KINGSTON, Jamaica— Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western, the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Mikael Phillips, has repeated his call for alumina and bauxite company Jamalco, to build a haul road for its trucks which he says are damaging the Mile Gully main road while posing a danger to constituents.

Phillips repeated his call on Tuesday as he made his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives.

He noted that “over the past few weeks, taxi operators and other residents have shown their frustration with the continued use of the main thoroughfare by trucks hauling bauxite from Mile Gully to the bauxite company’s facility in Clarendon. The condition of the roads, especially the narrowness, and when riddled with potholes, poses a danger to the traveling public, especially those who walk along the roadways”.

Phillips said he has had many discussions with the management of the bauxite company, as far back as five years ago, “expressing my concern about the prolonged use of the main roadway with their large and overladen trucks, and I have insisted that they develop a haul road to bypass the small town of Mile Gully, the Mile Gully primary and high schools, the SL Blake Early Childhood School and the Mile Gully Health Centre”.

The PNP representative lamented that five years later, no haul road has been developed.

“I even sought the intervention of the Minister of Agriculture and Mining,” Phillips said, while pointing out that Jamalco is breaking no laws by using the main thoroughfare.

Phillips noted that various government bodies, including the National Environment and Planning Agency, have given the company permission to use the Mile Gully main road, all the way to Clarendon.

“My position, and that of many residents, is that the bauxite company should perform periodic maintenance of the roadway, including periodic bushing,” he stated.

Phillips said he was concerned about the safety of children and other road users and was also concerned about the condition that the community will be left in once the bauxite company has extracted all the bauxite.

“As has happened in many communities, the people will be worse off than when they found them. We are not rich, but we will not be left poorer,” he remarked.

He insisted that Jamalco needs to develop the promised haul road as soon as possible.

“I also urge you to dialogue with your haulage contractors about the speed and attitude of their drivers; they, too, pose a danger to road users,” he said, adding “we will not relent until the haul road is developed”.