The Jamaica Star :: News :: DEATH TRAP

At least three cars have plunged over the precipice into the sea since sections of the Roselle main road in St Thomas were damaged during the passage of Hurricane Dean almost a year ago.

The stretch of road, which is less than a mile long, runs parallel to the sea in some sections and in others the sea is between 10-18 feet below. After the disaster and the subsequent breaking away of the road, metal poles were erected to warn motorists of the danger. However, these poles have, in many instances, increased the risks. This is primarily because they jut out into the path of vehicles, forcing them to veer into the road.

Wide cracks

In other sections, the sea has undermined the road and wide cracks and a very rough surface make it hard for motorists to drive safely.

About a month ago, Jonathan Keane was in a pickup truck on his way to Kingston, when disaster struck. He told THE STAR, "I was coming from Morant Bay. There was a line of traffic heading to Kingston and a bus and a car were overtaking the line. This pushed us over into a big pothole that was there and the vehicle swing and roll right over the edge. We rolled twice." The sea was about 18 feet below.

No one was killed in the accident but Keane and the other passengers received various injuries and bruises. He added, "The road very much need to fix. It get so narrow now. It really need fi look after 'cause if di road did good, dat accident wouldn't happen."

THE STAR was also informed that as recently as two weeks ago another vehicle plunged over the precipice and into the sea. This accident was at another section of the road. Again, no one was killed.

Hugh Roberts, one motorist who uses the road daily, told THE STAR, "The road is very narrow and they travel with such a speed that it is hard for them to stop when they meet up on other vehicles. That's why so many cars go over the edge."

Went over precipice

In yet another accident, a cop fell victim to the terrible conditions last year, when his vehicle ran off the road and over the cliff. A vehicle coming from the opposite direction forced him to crash through the barricades and over the precipice.

Sergeant Desmond Roache, Constabulary Communication Network's liaison officer for the parish, told THE STAR that he had no details about the accidents, and said they may not have been brought to the police's attention because there were no fatalities. He, however, agreed that the road was in need of repair. "It is a dangerous place," he said. "The traffic is reduced to single lane in that area. The problem we have is that the taxi drivers, especially, are speeding so much that if they meet a vehicle in a bad spot, one of them will have to go over there."

Awaiting funds

Stephen Shaw, communications and customer service manager at the National Works Agency, said that they are aware of the situation. He said, "The Government has been making attempts to get funds to carry out corrective work in the area. To this end, an agreement was signed with the Inter-American Develop-ment Bank (IDB) in April for the financing of works in the area. We are currently awaiting the IDB's non-objection to the project.

"We hope to have this done shortly, so that we can move quickly to have a contract in place for the execution of the works. The area requires well over half a billion dollars for sea protective and road works. We will not be able to do everything under the IDB contract this year, but we do hope to tackle the deterioration in the most challenging areas."