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Send in di army to flatten the place I say. That is if it's okay with Mo and the JFJ 
Protest over stolen light
Retirement residents block road to landfill after JPS crackdown on illegal connections
Friday, October 17, 2008
National Solid Waste Management Authority executive director Joan Gordon-Webley (right) is animated as she make a point to protesters from Retirement, St James after they blocked the road leading to the Retirement landfill yesterday. (Photo: Horace Hines)
RETIREMENT, St James - A Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) crackdown on electricity theft in this community triggered a protest yesterday by residents who blocked the road leading to the Retirement landfill which was set ablaze.
Up to late yesterday evening firemen were battling the blaze, which was purportedly set by the angry protesters. However, the demonstrators denied the charge.
The roadblock, which prevented National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) trucks from getting into the landfill to dump garbage, was eventually cleared by police at about 2:00 pm.
Earlier, NSWMA executive director Joan Gordon-Webley complained that the roadblock cost the state agency as its drivers, as well as persons contracted to clear solid waste, were on the road from yesterday morning.
"When they are not able to come in, that means there is going to be a backlog and backup on the road. And we still have to pay them," said Gordon-Webley. "Can you imagine when that backlog starts to take effect out there? It's a health hazard."
The protestors - some waving placards - from a section of the Retirement community called St Johns, used old motor vehicles and other debris to block several sections of the road.
They claimed that gunmen fired several shots in the community Wednesday night, hours after JPS workmen cut the connection to the landfill.
The residents also claimed that the darkness made them vulnerable to rapists who, they said, frequent the area.
"JPS come up here and say we must take off the thiefing light and we must run we house and apply for the current. When we run we house nobody fe come talk to we. When dem do come we naw hear nothing good. So we decide fe go back pon the thiefing light. Now dem come and lef we inna darkness," one enraged protester shouted.
Yesterday, the JPS said it was forced to disconnect power supply to the landfill on Wednesday due to significant damage to equipment caused by illegal connections.
"As part of its ongoing efforts to address the problem of electricity theft, JPS recently upgraded some of its power lines in the Retirement community, thereby curtailing the incidence of electricity theft in that area," the energy company said in a news release. "However, several Retirement residents subsequently made illegal connections directly to the service line providing power to the Retirement landfill - the only legitimate customer in the area."
The company said that the overload from the illegal wires resulted in significant damage to the JPS equipment, including the transformer supplying the landfill and the meter on the premises.
"The resulting unsafe conditions forced JPS to disconnect the power supply to the landfill. The company is now in discussion with the NSWMA regarding the restoration of service to the premises," the JPS said.
The company said that over a month ago its representatives met with residents in Retirement and explained the process for getting their power supply legally.
"At the time, some residents were getting power supply illegally from lines supplying the neighbouring St Johns community," the JPS said. "They asked for assurance from JPS that this source of their power supply would not be disconnected while they took steps to get their houses wired for legal connection. The JPS representatives indicated that no work was scheduled on that particular line until December. The company is still working with this timeline. Wednesday's events were unrelated to the work planned for December."
Yesterday, Gordon-Webley pointed out that the protest affected garbage collection in four western Jamaica parishes.
"I cannot believe what I am seeing because a few persons are holding the populations of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland to ransom. That is basically what it is," she said.
" The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of
living on public assistance." -- Cicero , 55 B.C.
Protest over stolen light
Retirement residents block road to landfill after JPS crackdown on illegal connections
Friday, October 17, 2008
National Solid Waste Management Authority executive director Joan Gordon-Webley (right) is animated as she make a point to protesters from Retirement, St James after they blocked the road leading to the Retirement landfill yesterday. (Photo: Horace Hines)RETIREMENT, St James - A Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) crackdown on electricity theft in this community triggered a protest yesterday by residents who blocked the road leading to the Retirement landfill which was set ablaze.
Up to late yesterday evening firemen were battling the blaze, which was purportedly set by the angry protesters. However, the demonstrators denied the charge.
The roadblock, which prevented National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) trucks from getting into the landfill to dump garbage, was eventually cleared by police at about 2:00 pm.
Earlier, NSWMA executive director Joan Gordon-Webley complained that the roadblock cost the state agency as its drivers, as well as persons contracted to clear solid waste, were on the road from yesterday morning.
"When they are not able to come in, that means there is going to be a backlog and backup on the road. And we still have to pay them," said Gordon-Webley. "Can you imagine when that backlog starts to take effect out there? It's a health hazard."
The protestors - some waving placards - from a section of the Retirement community called St Johns, used old motor vehicles and other debris to block several sections of the road.
They claimed that gunmen fired several shots in the community Wednesday night, hours after JPS workmen cut the connection to the landfill.
The residents also claimed that the darkness made them vulnerable to rapists who, they said, frequent the area.
"JPS come up here and say we must take off the thiefing light and we must run we house and apply for the current. When we run we house nobody fe come talk to we. When dem do come we naw hear nothing good. So we decide fe go back pon the thiefing light. Now dem come and lef we inna darkness," one enraged protester shouted.
Yesterday, the JPS said it was forced to disconnect power supply to the landfill on Wednesday due to significant damage to equipment caused by illegal connections.
"As part of its ongoing efforts to address the problem of electricity theft, JPS recently upgraded some of its power lines in the Retirement community, thereby curtailing the incidence of electricity theft in that area," the energy company said in a news release. "However, several Retirement residents subsequently made illegal connections directly to the service line providing power to the Retirement landfill - the only legitimate customer in the area."
The company said that the overload from the illegal wires resulted in significant damage to the JPS equipment, including the transformer supplying the landfill and the meter on the premises.
"The resulting unsafe conditions forced JPS to disconnect the power supply to the landfill. The company is now in discussion with the NSWMA regarding the restoration of service to the premises," the JPS said.
The company said that over a month ago its representatives met with residents in Retirement and explained the process for getting their power supply legally.
"At the time, some residents were getting power supply illegally from lines supplying the neighbouring St Johns community," the JPS said. "They asked for assurance from JPS that this source of their power supply would not be disconnected while they took steps to get their houses wired for legal connection. The JPS representatives indicated that no work was scheduled on that particular line until December. The company is still working with this timeline. Wednesday's events were unrelated to the work planned for December."
Yesterday, Gordon-Webley pointed out that the protest affected garbage collection in four western Jamaica parishes.
"I cannot believe what I am seeing because a few persons are holding the populations of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland to ransom. That is basically what it is," she said.
" The budget should be balanced, the treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of
living on public assistance." -- Cicero , 55 B.C.
I can just see you now in your mesh merina, waving yuh sign and rolling your neck carrying on in front of the CVM camera 
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