Banana Hole residents’ fury grows in quest for better roads

Residents of a community popularly known as Banana Hole in Kitson Town St. Catherine, for decades, have been enraged due to the condition of the roads.

Within the heart of Kitson Town lies the quiet community of Banana Hole. Most residents’ routine includes them making their way out each day for work and returning by taxi since less than 20% have their own vehicles or drive.

Residents therefore, highly depend on the public transportation system to go in and out of the community and since it is off the main, it is most crucial for the journey back home especially at night.

Due to the challenge of getting taxis home, disgruntled residents believe they are being overlooked yet again just like in years gone by. They highlight that the percentage of willing taximen to turn off in the community is low and is rapidly declining, making it a struggle, not just for adults but also children.

Chrestene Russell who has been living in the community for 12 years says the condition of the roads are deplorable and are making life very tedious.

“I have to take taxi and sometimes it leaves me at the cross road at the front so I have to walk home even with my with heavy bags sometimes,” Russell stated.

The crossroad which is about a five minutes ride from the community is very tedious for walking. Russell lamented that getting a taxi most evenings is unbearable since almost none of the drivers are willing to tackle the path of pure rocks and dirt.

“Well when you have to come in late at night, taxis are very unwilling and walking is a great inconvenience and not the safest especially as a woman. We would like to see the road fixed, we are fed up,” she expressed.

The fury is a sentiment also shared by taxi operators, who had much to say in this regard. Markland Bravo who has been a taxi operator on the Kitson Town to Spanish Town route says the bad roads have been deterring them from making turnoffs in the community.

“A lot a people live down there and we would a wah fih bring them but because the road is so bad we have to deny them,” Bravo said.

He stated that while he understands the cries of the residents, his hands are tied as something needs to be done if anything is to change on their end as taxi operators.

“At the end a the day we have to buy parts for our cars and it is very expensive to maintain the vehicle. When you have to use such a bad road it nuh worth it,” he stated.

Bravo along with other taxi men is reassuring residents that if the road is fixed, cars will be able to go through regularly allowing residents to even possibly get a taxi from their homes.

In the recent local government elections, Mr. Michael Archer was elected as the new councilor for the Red Hills division in which Kitson Town is included.

When asked if he had any plans to fix the roads he explained that the matter is in the process of being rectified and it would only be a matter of time until certain changes are made.

“I have submitted the Banana Hole road to the Parish Councilor and also to the Member of Parliament, Dr. Christopher Tufton who would have submitted it on his program also for it to be fixed,” Archer said.

Along with this promise, Archer states that the Kitson Town community at large can look forward to other developments such as a road patching program, road repairs, better supply of water, HEART opportunities for young people and opportunities for those in need to become a part of the path program.

The government recently announced its allocation of $20 million dollars in the budget towards the repair and maintenance of secondary roads.

Contributor: By Marlene Freeman