KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Central Dennis Gordon says despite a knee injury that has kept him bedridden he has been working assiduously to get a breakaway in the Sandy Gully which affects Cassia Park residents fixed.

“The impression given that I was uncaring, that is the part that is heart-wrenching, when I would have done everything that is asked of me, even without prompting saying I was prepared to assist after Melissa ,” he told Observer Online.

Residents who spoke to the Jamaica Observer were frustrated that they had not seen Gordon since his election to the post and in the lead-up to Hurricane Melissa.

They shared that land slippage caused by Beryl was eating away their homes and said they feared Melissa would cause a complete breakaway.

READ: #EyeOnMelissa: Cassia Park residents on edge as landslide threatens their homes

Explaining his absence from the constituency, the MP maintained that the injury had kept him confined for over five weeks, barring a singular appearance in Parliament, with up to three more weeks before he would be able to move around freely.

“I have been out of circulation since I took the oath of office with a knee injury, and I have been home for the last five weeks,” he explained, adding, “I have not been outside, not even outside the door of my house.”

He added that he had raised the issue in October calling for resources to be allocated and was again alerted to it on Monday when the councillor contacted him.

“Immediately [Monday] after the call, I responded by saying send me some pictures. I shared them with the minister who answered me promptly.”

Having received the pictures the MP said he immediately forwarded them to the Minister of Works, Robert Morgan, who indicated the work could not be carried out at that point in time.

“I shared with the councillor the shelters in the constituency, the shelter managers’ numbers and my own insertion that if there is any concern, please contact the councillor and myself,” he said.

The Member of Parliament, who was elected to the post in the September 3 general elections, confirmed he had toured the area after Beryl in 2024, but only in the capacity of a councillor of another division, having been entreated to do so by the councillor for the area.

“When I toured there after Beryl, that was my capacity,” he maintained.