NWA getting ready to tackle Lucea flooding threats
LUCEA, Hanover — The National Works Agency (NWA) says plans are far advanced for the cleaning of a gully and a river in Lucea in preparation for any eventuality this hurricane season.
“We are preparing a programme to target critical drains and that would include the Venture Gutter as well as the Riley River [or Lucea West River],” NWA Community Relations Officer – Western Region Janel Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer.
While Ricketts was not able to provide a start date and cost for the project, she said cleaning the gully and the river is being dealt with as a priority.
During the regular monthly general meeting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation last Thursday, Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels charged that residents are criticising the municipal body for its failure to clean the gutter and the river which fall under the purview of the NWA.
He identified the cleaning of Venture Gutter in the centre of Lucea as one of the responsibilities of the NWA for which the municipal corporation is being criticised.
According to Samuels, the Venture Gutter needs urgent attention as it was last cleaned in 2016. He told the meeting that the corporation has cleaned the top section of the gutter in the past but the NWA also needs to do its work.
But the NWA said the gutter has been on its radar for sometime and was cleaned on other occasions after 2016.
In the meantime, Samuels told the meeting that there is an effort by the corporation’s drain cleaning crew to maintain the drain network throughout Lucea.
He said bushing and other drain-cleaning efforts were done during May by the corporation in the seven municipal divisions across the parish in preparation for the hurricane season.
Samuels said the parish is currently awaiting the official readiness score from the Ministry of Local Government as part of the ongoing hurricane preparedness national assessment.
Samuels said even as the corporation awaits the evaluation, “all local agencies remain vigilant, fully mobilised, and ready to respond should a hurricane or any severe weather system impact the area”.
