Waiting 10 years for water

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Although put to tender in 2016, residents of Silent Hill and surrounding communities in the constituency of Clarendon North Western are still waiting for the provision of piped water in their area, according to Member of Parliament Richard Azan. Azan made the claim on Tuesday during his contribution to the 2026/27 State of the Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives. He told the House that, “Water supply has been a challenge throughout the constituency, although some areas are more severely affected than others, particularly the Silent Hill region, which includes Top Alston and Moravia. The provision of a water supply to these communities was put out to tender in 2016; however, no work has been carried out to date”. Azan noted that Hurricane Melissa, which struck last October, also highlighted the vulnerability of roads and community infrastructure throughout the constituency. He pointed out that several roads were affected by flooding, fallen trees, debris, erosion, drainage problems, and damage to road surfaces. “The situation has reinforced the need for continued investment in roads, drainage and community infrastructure,” Azan said. He also stated that while two roads in his constituency have been completed under the SPARK programme, and the Orange Hill Road, which started in May 2025, is 65 per cent complete, additional roads must be prioritised to improve access and resilience. Azan said that following Hurricane Melissa, the constituency's development priorities have expanded to include recovery and rebuilding. “Affected households require assistance to repair roofs and address other structural damage. Farmers need support to replace crops, repair farms, and restore production. Roads, drains, community facilities, and other public infrastructure require rehabilitation,” he said. Continuing, Azan remarked that, “Schools affected by the hurricane need assistance to repair and restore their facilities so that students can continue learning in safe environments. Community centres and other public facilities must also be restored so that they can once again serve residents”. Azan told the Parliament that it was regrettable that Tropical Storm Matthew [in 2016] caused flooding that destroyed three bridges, including the Southwood Bridge in Frankfield, Clarendon, which has yet to be reconstructed. In addition, the retaining walls along the route from Trout Hall to Grantham, leading to Spalding, need to be reconstructed, he said. Azan said Hurricane Melissa created additional challenges for residents, schools, farmers, businesses and community facilities. —Lynford Simpson