White Hill residents closer to getting solution to long standing issues

Government is set to receive the final design for a proposed new road at White Hill, St Andrew.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works Santia Bradshaw gave this update on Friday as community spokeswoman Carlitha Andrews pleaded on VOB’s Down to Brass Tacks call-in programme for Government to pay special attention to the plight of residents of the rural district.

She lamented that the only road leading to White Hill was now in dire condition.

“The road is getting smaller and smaller every day and you can see it is getting very dangerous. Now, if this collapses there is no way in and no way out for White Hill folks,” Andrews complained.

In response, Bradshaw assured that White Hill is a priority under the Chinese-funded Complant/Scotland District Road Rehabilitation Project. More than three dozen roads in the Scotland District will be rebuilt under the project, starting with White Hill.

“Up to last week, I met with the Complant team. They have two designs on the table and I think when we meet with them next the intention is that they will be in a better position to say which design they are going to go with,” the Transport and Works Minister said.

“The geological studies have been done. The next stage obviously for us is to move to actually determining when that project will actually start. This is it, it is in motion, you are not going to be neglected,” Bradshaw assured.

Since November 2014, when a huge chunk of the main road leading into White Hill collapsed as a result of heavy rains, residents have been pleading for help.

Bradshaw acknowledged that White Hill has been a challenge across various administrations but insisted that now funding has been secured for the project, it will be given priority.

Andrews also appealed to Government to find lasting solutions to the water woes affecting White Hill and wider St Andrew, St Joseph, St John and St Thomas.

She not only lamented that taps in the area were often dry, but said residents have been getting discoloured water at times.

Minister Bradshaw noted that elevated areas like White Hill continued to suffer water shortages because of the number of bursts in the Castle Grant system which serves those communities.

She said staff at the Barbados Water Authority were working daily to find the ruptures but stressed that as part of the Scotland District Rehabilitation Project, some of the old pipes will be replaced which should help to alleviate the problem.
(SD)