Parties agree to more community consultation after Clarendon tour

Key stakeholders associated with the ongoing construction of Highway 2000 have agreed to a series of community consultations following a tour last week.

Representatives from National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC), National Works Agency (NWA), the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) toured several communities in Clarendon South Western in the wake of protests against bad roads and flooding blamed on the expansion of the toll road network from May Pen to Williamsfield.

• ‘They don’t want to hear the common sense’ solutions – PNP’s Lothan Cousins

The dates for the consultations to take place are being hammered out behind the scenes among the parties.

Not for the first the decision to meet with the communities is being done, as this was the case prior to work on this phase of the project had started.

It is the hope of residents that the experts will implement some of their ideas as it is felt that wasn’t done when they met a couple years ago, hence the reason for them to be meeting yet again.

In an Old Harbour News follow-up, Lothan Cousin (PNP – CSW), MP, said the tour “went well for the most part”.

“A series of community consultations/town hall meetings are to be held to have further discussions,” he said.

“There are a number of concerns which were identified and highlighted, including the complaints of Duke Street.”

Residents of Duke Street in Toll Gate have expressed disquiet after recent rains left some constituents marooned. In York Town taxi operators withdraw their service over poor road conditions.

But the biggest issue is with the drains, Cousins said.

“Thus far the drainage infrastructure arrangements are a major concern as a lot of problem was observed along the northern side of the highway.

“Most of the outlets on the southern side seem to be blocked or inadequate,” he said.

The first time parliamentarian has been at pains in lobbying NROCC to dialogue with the constituency as several areas south of the highway have become prone to frequent flooding.