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Jobs and equitable access to improved road infrastructure were the prime areas of focus for some Solutions Barbados members on Saturday, as they canvassed St Philip West in support of their candidate, Karina Goodridge.
Speaking with Barbados TODAY as she toured the area of Hampton, Goodridge said residents had expressed dissatisfaction with the way both main parties — Barbados Labour Party and the Democratic Labour Party — have seemingly abandoned the smaller communities in the constituency, compared to more developed areas such as Six Roads.
This discontent was made clear by several residents during her tour according to Goodridge who also said the area lacked development such as proper road infrastructure and minimal job opportunities.
“We are realizing that people have been disappointed before based on the [unkept] promises from the politicians of things they would have said they would have done for the residents, and then they did not follow through. As we stand on the great soil of St Philip West, we are making sure that the people know what we are committed to, and stand strong on the promises of God to make sure that the needs of the people are fulfilled,” she said.
Though she admitted several roads in the parish had started receiving much needed attention after years of complaints, the lack of, or poor use of signage and markings on these important arteries have led to unsafe conditions for many motorists.
“What I want to remind Barbadians, is that road markings also need to be clear. Yesterday I was hearing that there were so many accidents being reported, and that is something that needs to be addressed. The roads might be fixed but the markings for the roads still need to be done properly”
Candidate for St Michael Central, Robert Toussaint, who was also with Goodridg, said the state of the island’s roads, in particular the ones connecting small communities and those frequented by the new electric buses, needed to be looked at urgently.
“I drove on one of those new buses, and the buses are already making noises and creaking, because the vibration from all of the potholes are destroying the new buses that we bought, buses that cost millions of dollars. Those roads should have been fixed first, where any of those new buses are going, the roads should have been fixed for the new buses to last for a long time, because they are large investments.” (SB)
