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Dismantling of pipe by JRC scandalous
Published: Monday | June 13, 2011 0 Comments
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I write about the misguided action of the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC), which has deprived the communities of Highgate, Islington, Belfield and surrounding areas of water usually supplied by the National Water Commission (NWC).
It has been reported in the media that on Tuesday, June 7, contractors employed to the JRC dismantled a JRC bridge outside Annotto Bay on which the water main was located. This action went ahead despite protests by both the National Works Agency (NWA) and NWC representatives who were quick on the scene.
The callous disregard for the affected residents was manifest in the dismantling of the bridge and the water main supplying the aforementioned areas. What is even more insulting is the response attributed to the general manager of the JRC, who claimed that the NWC has utilised the railway bridge without permission, and further that despite the JRC's request for a complete list of such "occupation" from the NWC, that had not been forthcoming.
But can this be justification for the pipeline destruction?
It cannot be that there is no communication between the two government agencies. It cannot be that despite the consequences of the action, the JRC is demonstrating ownership in this heartless manner. It cannot be that the JRC is so desperate for funds that it is prepared to sell, with this indecent haste, this scrap metal and disrupt the water supply of almost half the constituency of St Mary Central and a population of about 20,000 persons. It cannot be that there is no regard for the livelihoods of the persons in the areas affected.
This type of high-handed action cannot be condoned nor tolerated. What it has done is leave the citizens of a section of St Mary without water, and thus in a predicament, as the likelihood of the NWC restoring water in a short time is remote. Schools are likely to close and children sent home, because there is an inability of the NWC to supply these schools with trucked water adequately due to a shortage of water trucks.
As member of parliament, I am demanding an immediate investigation into this action by both the parent ministries - Water and Housing, and Transport and Works.
This will not redress the injustice meted to the citizens of St Mary, but will ensure that hapless citizens in other communities will not be affected by this callous and insensitive behaviour in the future.
Morais V. Guy, MP
moraisguy@gmail.com
Published: Monday | June 13, 2011 0 Comments
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I write about the misguided action of the Jamaica Railway Corporation (JRC), which has deprived the communities of Highgate, Islington, Belfield and surrounding areas of water usually supplied by the National Water Commission (NWC).
It has been reported in the media that on Tuesday, June 7, contractors employed to the JRC dismantled a JRC bridge outside Annotto Bay on which the water main was located. This action went ahead despite protests by both the National Works Agency (NWA) and NWC representatives who were quick on the scene.
The callous disregard for the affected residents was manifest in the dismantling of the bridge and the water main supplying the aforementioned areas. What is even more insulting is the response attributed to the general manager of the JRC, who claimed that the NWC has utilised the railway bridge without permission, and further that despite the JRC's request for a complete list of such "occupation" from the NWC, that had not been forthcoming.
But can this be justification for the pipeline destruction?
It cannot be that there is no communication between the two government agencies. It cannot be that despite the consequences of the action, the JRC is demonstrating ownership in this heartless manner. It cannot be that the JRC is so desperate for funds that it is prepared to sell, with this indecent haste, this scrap metal and disrupt the water supply of almost half the constituency of St Mary Central and a population of about 20,000 persons. It cannot be that there is no regard for the livelihoods of the persons in the areas affected.
This type of high-handed action cannot be condoned nor tolerated. What it has done is leave the citizens of a section of St Mary without water, and thus in a predicament, as the likelihood of the NWC restoring water in a short time is remote. Schools are likely to close and children sent home, because there is an inability of the NWC to supply these schools with trucked water adequately due to a shortage of water trucks.
As member of parliament, I am demanding an immediate investigation into this action by both the parent ministries - Water and Housing, and Transport and Works.
This will not redress the injustice meted to the citizens of St Mary, but will ensure that hapless citizens in other communities will not be affected by this callous and insensitive behaviour in the future.
Morais V. Guy, MP
moraisguy@gmail.com
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