St Mary residents concerned about impact of mining on bridge, authority seeks to calm fears

The Mines and Geology Division is seeking to quell fears amid mounting complaints from residents that the structural integrity of the Westmoreland Bridge in St Mary is being compromised by mining activities.

Following recent heavy rains, residents have raised concerns that the structure is under threat due to what they claim are ongoing mining operations taking place throughout the day.

One resident, Oniel Bell, who provided photos of damage to the bridge, argued that if the structure is damaged, or worse, collapses, traffic would have to be rerouted from the Annotto Bay end to Grande Hole, some nine to 10 miles away, along the Junction corridor, and then to Highgate, an additional 10 or so miles.

“We need to know what is happening, as this cannot continue. The ongoing mining is starting to affect the soil, and already chunks of dirt are disappearing,” said Bell, who spoke on behalf of a group of residents.

He added, “This is a fairly new bridge, constructed less than 15 years ago, as the previous structure was damaged during the passage of a hurricane. The approach to the bridge is collapsing, and this will only get worse if they continue to mine in that area.”

Member of Parliament for St Mary South East, Christopher Brown, said he is deeply concerned about the continued mining activity in the vicinity of the bridge at Chovey and Georgia in the parish.

According to Brown, his office has been inundated with calls from residents demanding action regarding the ongoing mining operations, which they believe are affecting the Westmoreland Bridge.

“I am deeply concerned about the mining taking place in the Wag Water River, which threatens the structural integrity of the recently constructed Westmoreland Bridge,” Brown said.

“I have raised the matter with the National Works Agency and the officers responsible for the management and protection of the bridge. I am now calling on the relevant authorities, including environmental agencies and the Mines and Geology Division, to immediately order a halt to mining activities in the vicinity of the bridge.

“This pause is necessary to allow the National Works Agency to carry out a thorough assessment of the condition and safety of the bridge. It would be unfortunate if this new bridge, built to replace the old structure just over 10 years ago and at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars, were to face damage or possible destruction because of unregulated mining activity in the area. The protection of this important piece of infrastructure must be treated as a matter of urgency,” he added.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Mines Roy Nicholson confirmed that he has received reports about mining along the Wag Water River but noted that the National Works Agency (NWA) is carrying out restorative work on the river to, among other things, prevent erosion, flooding, and maintain the river’s flow.

According to Nicholson, a stream flowing through a gully needs to be corrected, as garbage and other debris are being washed into the river, which could cause serious blockages and force parts of the river to change course.

Against that background, Nicholson said the NWA is undertaking remedial work to mitigate soil erosion and flooding, and that currently no mining operations are taking place within 300 metres of the Westmoreland Bridge.

Nicholson noted that Jamaica Aggregates Limited is the only operator licensed to conduct mining operations on the Wag Water River.

The Westmoreland Bridge in St Mary is a 180-metre structure over the Wag Water River and was completed in August 2013.

It replaced a previous bridge that was destroyed by Hurricane Gustav in 2008.

This critical infrastructure, often referred to as part of the Junction Road corridor, connects several St Mary communities, including Highgate, Richmond, Clanmel, and surrounding areas.

- Gareth Davies Snr

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