Rose Heights residents stage another protest over lack of water
ST JAMES, Jamaica — Residents of Rose Heights in Montego Bay took to the streets on Monday to protest, in particular, the lack of water in sections of the community.
They used different types of debris to block the Forty-One Boulevard, the main thoroughfare into the community.
“We haven’t had any water since the storm, and we didn’t have any water before,” one woman lamented about the situation.
Another man explained that they have been without water for extended periods, and this cannot continue.
“Three months, four months no water, I have on my phone where the National Water Commission (NWC) send me bill for $16000. No man, we are going to use our bodies to block the road,” he insisted.
This was the second such action in less than a week as just last Wednesday, there was a protest in the area.
“We’re not going to stop demonstrate until we get water,” the woman declared.
Residents of Rose Heights in Montego Bay stage protest over the lack of water.
Both individuals are from Forty-One Avenue, one of the streets in the community that has seen no water in the pipes for some time.
Councillor for the Montego Bay South East Division, Arthur Lynch, explained that he is aware of the ongoing situation and the residents’ frustration with the matter.
“This morning, the residents of Rose Heights are protesting based on the fact that water is in some sections of Rose Heights and some sections that normally has does not have water now,” he explained.
He said that he has sought to get the NWC to act accordingly in the matter.
“I have spoken to representatives from the NWC and they are saying to me that they wanted to go into the Rose Heights area this morning but based on the civil unrest, they will not be going into the area,” he explained.
“They are saying that they are waiting until the tension eases a little bit before going in to see how best they can address things to regularise and regulate the water within that space,” he disclosed.
He made it clear that he is working hard to resolve the problem which has been affecting several areas within the community.
“I want to say again to residents we understand your frustration, we understand the issues, and I am working assiduously to see how best we can come up with some amicable solutions,” he said.
