SPALDING, Clarendon — Against the backdrop of two consecutive days of roadblocks in Sunbury district near here over bad roads, Member of Parliament for Clarendon North Western Richard Azan says he will not attend any protest in his constituency.

“Nobody approached me or the councillor [Stephen Williams] to ask anything; I just woke up and heard about a roadblock. Sunday evening I got a message that they were going to block the road. What I was hearing was that it was the same national thing that there was going to be a lockdown because of fare increase and all of that,” Azan, a member of the Opposition People’s National Party, told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday.

On Monday police were called in to remove debris, including derelict vehicles and downed trees, to restore access to the North Western Clarendon community of Sunbury, considered to be a stronghold of the Jamaica Labour Party.

On Tuesday, the police were deployed to the area for a second-consecutive day to clear another roadblock, as residents remained adamant in getting the attention of their political representatives.

“For my 24 years in politics I have never gone to a roadblock and I will not go to a roadblock. I believe in proper dialogue. If you want to have a dialogue with me, I am willing and I am ready 24 hours, seven days of the week to have any dialogue with any organisation or any grouping of persons in North Western Clarendon,” Azan said in response to the protest.

When asked about a timeline and funding for repairs to the Sunbury main road which connects Spalding to Victoria, Azan said he couldn’t give any details.

“We just came out of the budget and the only thing we heard about is that the Government is going to do a patching programme… I don’t know of any funding available for that section of road up to now,” he said.

“We have many roads in North West Clarendon that are in a terrible condition. And it is not just about North West Clarendon… We are having a similar problem right across the island with the condition of the roads, bad roads,” added Azan.

In recent months there has been widespread debate between members of the Government and Opposition over the need for road repairs, including questions about the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network Programme (SPARK) as well as calls for main roads battered by Hurricane Melissa seven months ago to be repaired.

“I know that Members of Parliament right across the island from both sides are having issues with road conditions. Our roads are in a terrible condition. The Government was warned from 2018 when they closed down the road maintenance fund that they are going the wrong route. When you go to the pump to purchase gas, a percentage of that goes towards maintenance of roads — that is the gas tax. That is not anymore going to the road fund, it goes right into the consolidated fund, and is only when the minister of finance feels that they want to give a contribution to works, then [funds will be made available]”, Azan explained.

Azan, the Opposition spokesman on works, said a revision of funding for road repairs is needed.

“You have to give more attention to our roads — because we have more motor vehicles on our roads, so we are getting more taxes, and therefore our roads should never be in this condition,” he reasoned.

Reiterating that he is against the blocking of roads Azan said, “I am willing for a meeting but I am not going to any roadblock. When people have issues they must seek audience with their members of parliament and their political representatives to get answers. This is not the right way; people want to go about their private business, children want to go to school.”

A derelict minibus is used to block the road in Sunbury district near Spalding on Monday.

AZAN… for my 24 years in politics I have never gone to a roadblock and I will not go to a roadblock