Bushy Park residents back at square one

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The destruction of the Bushy Park bridge by Category 4 Hurricane Beryl has effectively isolated the eastern side of the community, forcing residents to undertake long, costly, and sometimes dangerous journeys to access essential services and transport.

The community's resilience is evident in their decision to build a makeshift wooden walk-bridge, even though it is far from ideal and may not withstand further heavy rains or flooding. The fact that this bridge can only support limited weight is a clear indication of the risk the residents are taking, but with no immediate help from authorities in officialdom, they’ve resorted to creating their own solution.

Unfortunately, the government's response has been slow. Mayor of St. Catherine, Norman Scott, has indicated that while estimates were made, no definitive timeline or cost has been provided for rebuilding the bridge.

Given the complexities of government procurement procedures, it's expected that the process could take several years, potentially not until 2027, as noted by local resident Julius Maragh.

Maragh's comparison to the ongoing delays in reconstructing the Spring Village bridge further underlines the skepticism among locals regarding the speed of government action on infrastructure projects, especially in less economically prominent areas like Bushy Park.

The absence of immediate relief or temporary infrastructure solutions has left residents in a state of uncertainty. Although Councillor Mark O’Connor (JLP - Church Pen Division) visited the area this morning to remove the remnants of the destroyed footbridge, there's still no clear indication as to when or if a temporary solution will be put in place.

The story of Bushy Park’s community is one of both resourcefulness and frustration.

While they’ve demonstrated impressive self-reliance in building the makeshift bridge, it also underscores the stark reality of how infrastructure failures can affect small communities – particularly when those in power seem to prioritize larger, more commercially significant areas.

The continued isolation of Bushy Park serves as a reminder of the importance of timely disaster response and long-term planning for vulnerable communities across the country.