Member of Parliament Mr Richard Azan deserves commendation for taking a principled stand against one of the most destructive and counterproductive forms of public protest in Jamaica — the blocking of roads.

At a time when elected officials often find it politically convenient to appear sympathetic to any demonstration, regardless of its impact on the wider public, Mr Azan, the Opposition People’s National Party representative for Clarendon North Western, has drawn a clear line.

His declaration last week that in 24 years of political life he has never attended a roadblock, and never will, is a refreshing affirmation that democracy is best served through dialogue, engagement, and lawful advocacy; not by holding communities, commuters, and the country at large hostage.

There can be little disagreement with the grievances over road conditions expressed by residents of Sunbury in Mr Azan’s constituency and countless other communities across the island. Jamaica’s deteriorating road network has become a national embarrassment. Bad roads damage vehicles, increase transportation costs, slow economic activity, and create genuine hardships for citizens. Successive governments have failed to adequately address the problem, and public frustration is understandable.

But understanding frustration is not the same as endorsing roadblocks.

When protesters block roads they punish ordinary Jamaicans. Workers are prevented from reaching their jobs on time, students miss classes and examinations, patients struggle to access medical care, public transportation is disrupted, delivery of goods and services is delayed, businesses lose revenue, farmers are unable to move produce to market, and emergency vehicles can be impeded in situations in which every minute may mean the difference between life and death.

Roadblocks also create significant security concerns. They can become flashpoints for confrontation and force the police to divert resources from other pressing duties as Senior Superintendent of Police Eron Samuels pointed out to Granville residents at a community meeting last Thursday.

There is also a direct financial cost to this ruinous activity. We recall that protest-related roadblocks in the past, including during deadly gas price riots in 1979, 1985, and 1999 left central and local government authorities with massive repair bills after roads were scarred by fires, debris, and heavy equipment used to clear blockages. Those monies could have been spent on community improvements rather than repairing damage caused by the protests.

Today, the lesson remains the same: Roadblocks often destroy the very infrastructure protesters want improved.

What makes Mr Azan’s position particularly noteworthy is that it runs contrary to a long and unfortunate tradition in Jamaican politics. For decades, politicians from both major political parties have, at various times, winked at, encouraged, or openly participated in roadblock protests when it suited their partisan interests. Too often, public disorder has been tolerated as a tool of political mobilisation and pressure.

The national interest cannot continue to be subordinated to political opportunism. Elected representatives should be encouraging citizens to organise meetings, petition authorities, engage the media, and use every lawful avenue available to make their voices heard. They should not legitimise tactics that inconvenience thousands of innocent people and inflict economic damage on already struggling communities.

We agree with Mr Azan. Citizens have every right to demand answers and accountability from their representatives. They have every right to protest. But no citizen has the right to obstruct an entire community, disrupt commerce, derail education, and endanger public safety in pursuit of those demands.

There is no disputing that our roads urgently need fixing, but equally urgent is the need to abandon the politics of roadblocks. On both counts, the country would be better served if more leaders adopted Mr Richard Azan’s approach.