McKenzie tours Marcus Garvey Drive following flooding

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie yesterday toured sections of Marcus Garvey Drive and other communities in Kingston following the heavy rains that drenched sections of the Corporate Area on Tuesday afternoon.

As the showers flooded the city, dozens of persons were left stranded at South Parade while several vehicles experienced mechanical problems and could be seen temporarily abandoned along the roadways.

In addition to Marcus Garvey Drive, Molynes Road, Seaview Gardens, Hagley Park Road, Waltham Park Road, downtown Kingston and New Kingston were some of the many areas that were severely impacted by the heavy rainfall.

According to McKenzie, the flooding situation was compounded by the numerous road works taking place in sections of the Corporate Area. He added, however, that he believed impatient motorists were a big part of the issue problem.

"I don't know if we can attribute it to any one situation. I think it's a combination of a number of factors. The fact is that the infrastructure of the city is badly in need of upgrading, and a lot of that is presently taking place. There is no excuse for the gridlock, though," he said.