Clean-up and Remedial Work Being Undertaken in Sections Of St. Ann
By: , February 11, 2022
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (right) and Senior Director of Project Implementation at the National Works Agency (NWA), Varden Downer (left), examine the drainage system along a section of the Runaway Bay main road in St. Ann. The Minister led a tour of communities in the parish on Wednesday (February 9) to survey the damage to infrastructure, as a result of recent heavy rains.
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (fourth left), looks at a gully in White River, St. Ann, during a tour of the parish on Wednesday (February 9) to assess damage to road infrastructure due to recent heavy rains. He is joined by (from left), Councillor for the Ocho Rios Division, Michael Belnavis; Councillor for the Exchange Division, Ian Issacs; Manager of communication and customer services at the National Works Agency (NWA), Stephen Shaw; Mayor of St. Ann's Bay, Councillor Sydney Stewart; and Councillor for the Sturge Town Division, Winston Lawrence.The Full Story
Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says a multi-agency approach is being undertaken to carry out clean-up and remedial work in sections of St. Ann, which suffered extensive infrastructural damage from heavy rainfall that impacted sections of the parish, recently.
The Minister led a tour of the flood-affected areas on Wednesday (February 9) to survey the damage and pave the way for further interventions to assist residents.
Minister McKenzie was accompanied by Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Councillor Sydney Stewart, Councillors and senior representatives from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), National Works Agency (NWA) and the Social Development Commission (SDC).
Affected communities include Chester, Spicey Grove, Mount Zion, White River and Runaway Bay.
The Minister, who spoke with journalists following the tour, said that the NWA and the municipal corporation will carry out short-term repairs to reduce the risks posed to residents in the affected communities.
He said that major interventions will be required to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure, assuring that the Government is committed to addressing the issues.
Additionally, he informed that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the St. Ann Poor Relief Department and the SDC will provide support to residents who have been displaced.
Meanwhile, Senior Director of Project Implementation at the NWA, Varden Downer, said it is too early to provide an estimate of damages, as assessments of affected areas are not yet completed.
“The NWA will be working with the municipal corporation to provide assessment and design solutions for retaining structures for these breakaways and we will provide those to the municipality for their construction,” he said.
Minister McKenzie also toured flood-damaged areas of St. Mary and Portland along with Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda.