Trucks linked to new hotel destroying roads in Hanover

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE TRUCKING of marl to fill the morass area which forms part of the construction of a new 2,000-room Princess Hotel in Green Island, Hanover, is now the subject of much discontent, as residents say the trucks are destroying the road surface in the community.

The Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) is now being bombarded with complaints, which has frustrated Marvel Sewell, councillor for the Green Island division.

“Apart from those overloaded trucks with marl damaging the roads, they (the trucks) are also bursting pipelines in some areas, and are causing accidents in others,” said Sewell, who told The Gleaner that the trucks are taking the marl from a quarry at the Hanover/Westmoreland border, which is approximately eight to 10 miles from the hotel site.

At a recent HMC planning and environment committee meeting, Sewell argued that the main road from Winchester through Santoy to Fish River and on to Green Island has been severely damaged by the trucks transporting marl to the hotel property.

“With that route being damaged, they are now using Wharf Road and that route is slowly deteriorating,” explained Sewell.

The Gleaner was told that at a previous committee meeting it was recommended that a letter be sent to the management of the construction site for the hotel, requesting that the damaged roads be repaired.

Xavier Munroe, deputy superintendent in the HMC’s roads and works department, said the letter was sent, and the management of the hotel construction site had acknowledged receiving it. However, he said no commitments were given as to whether they would undertake the repairs.

“The trucks have damaged one thoroughfare already, the next road they will be going to is Wharf Road, then on to Orange Bay Road, and when they have destroyed those, they will start driving through Negril on through Silver Spring,” said Lucea’s Mayor Sheridan Samuels, who has not been shy about his unhappiness with the situation.

Sewell told The Gleaner that he is trying to keep the residents of the area from demonstrating about the situation, but he is unsure as to how long they will continue to heed his request.

“The frustrations of the residents are mounting, and they can only be contained for so long,” said Sewell, in expressing the hope that the management of the hotel construction site will quickly address the situation.