RESIDENTS of Mountain Spring, St Andrew, have taken matters into their own hands to repair the embankment of the main road which was on the brink of total collapse, and for which two State agencies have shunned responsibility.

Stacey Knight, the People’s National Party (PNP) constituency caretaker for St Andrew North Eastern, in a press statement Sunday, praised the community for its resilience but chided National Works Agency (NWA) and National Water Commission (NWC) for giving a wide berth to the road.

According to Knight, in early December residents of a cul-de-sac in the St Andrew neighbourhood discovered a leak in an NWC main pipe. The gushing water eroded the soft earth along the road’s verge, creating a precarious situation.

“The residents promptly reported the issue to the NWC and alerted the NWA about the urgent need for restoration and preventative maintenance. But days turned into weeks, with neither agency responding,” she complained.

“By December 22 the inevitable happened — the hillside gave way, leaving the road dangerously compromised. It wasn’t until after the collapse that the NWC finally shut off the water,” Knight bemoaned, saying that the NWC disclaimed responsibility for the road repairs, passing the matter to the NWA.

When NWA eventually visited, they too deflected responsibility, stating it was a local road under the jurisdiction of municipal authorities, she claimed. With no government action forthcoming, the residents of Mountain Spring Close — home to 13 houses and approximately 120 residents — took the initiative to prevent further disaster.

“Concerned about being cut off entirely and the potential threat to nearby homes, they constructed a makeshift barrier using trees and tarpaulin to stabilise the crumbling road edge. But it was clear that more robust action was required.

“On December 30, 2024 privately contracted workmen began constructing a 30-foot retaining wall to secure the road and prevent further erosion.

“A resident described the situation as ‘slackness’, stating: ‘We have been calling on the authorities, and nobody is doing anything about the problem. It’s not a disaster waiting to happen — the disaster already happened when the hillside washed away, nearly taking the road with it.’

“As the caretaker, I felt it was my duty to respond to the residents’ calls, especially knowing that the Member of Parliament and relevant authorities seemed to be MIA [missing in action],” said Knight.

She said during the holiday period she visited the affected homeowners to gain an understanding of the situation first-hand, and appealed publicly to the relevant authorities for immediate intervention.

“The retaining wall, built at residents’ expense, highlights the community’s resilience but also underscores the systemic failures in public infrastructure management, and Knight remains steadfast in her commitment to advocating for the people of Mountain Spring and ensuring their safety and accessibility are prioritised,” the press statement said.

One of the residents of Mountain Spring laying tarpaulin at the collapsed road.