BY MARK CUMMINGS Editor-at large, Western Bureau
SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland
THERE have been growing calls for the Government to rehabilitate the roughly 13 kilometres of roadway between Macfield and Withorn in Central Westmoreland, and for it to be named in honour of Roger Clarke, the late member of parliament.
“It would be a fitting tribute to Roger. He has been making representation for it to be rehabilitated from the JLP came into office (2007),” said Dr DK Duncan, the member of parliament for Eastern Hanover, shortly after last Saturday’s thanksgiving service for Clarke’s life, at the St George’s Anglican Church in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland.
“He had moved a resolution in Parliament when the JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) came into office for it to be fixed. We (People’s National Party) then came back to office and he again brought it up, and there were promises over and over again that it would be fixed,” added Duncan, who is also the PNP’s chair for the party’s Region 6, which encompasses the parishes of St James, Hanover and Westmoreland.
Danree Delancy, the deputy mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, agrees. “The rehabilitation of the road would be a fitting tribute to Roger Clarke who had lobbied for the roadway to be upgraded ever since he became the member of parliament for Central Westmoreland in 2007,” he argued.
“We need a permanent mark in the constituency in his honour because of the tremendous work that he has done there, so it would really be a fitting tribute to the man,” he added.
The roadway forms a critical link between the resort city of Montego Bay and the rapidly developing South Coast, as well as the bustling town of Savanna-la-Mar.
But, for many years, the heavily used thoroughfare has been in a deplorable condition, despite calls from several quarters, including area residents and motorists for it to be rehabilitated.
“The road which is narrow and filled with potholes, makes driving uncomfortable. It needs to be widened and resurfaced,” a motorist, who plies the very popular Montego Bay to Savanna-la-Mar route via Macfield, told the Jamaica Observer West.
He argued that the roadway, which has not been repaired for a long time is widely used by trucks and tractor trailers, especially during the sugar cane cropping season.
The motorist too, believes that it would be a good idea to have it rehabilitated and named in honour of the late Clarke, who was also Minister of agriculture and fisheries.
When contacted yesterday, Stephen Shaw, the National Works Agency communications and customer service manager, told the Observer West that plans are afoot to undertake the reconstruction of roadway under the Government’s Major Infrastructure Development Programme. He said the design for the project was done a few years ago, adding that the project should go to tender by year end.
In the meantime, he said, some $4 million is being spent to carry out repairs on the corridor.
Clarke, an affable and flamboyant politician, died on August 28 in Florida of a suspected heart attack, as he was preparing to return to the island after a successful back surgery.
The untimely passing of the 74-year-old Clarke plunged the country into a state of mourning.
During the service of thanksgiving for his life on Saturday, which was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life, the witty former MP was described by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller as a gentle giant and phenomenal Jamaican patriot.
Paul Wilson, the vicechairman of the Central Westmoreland constituency, where Clarke served as the MP from 2007 up to the time of his passing, in his tribute, said the former parliamentarian showed love and compassion for the less fortunate in the constituency.
He stressed that Clarke who “did not see persons as JLP or PNP”, had a vision and passion for education.
Following the service, he was laid to rest in his native Glen Islay in Williamsfield, Westmoreland.
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Calls for Macfield to Withorn main road to be rehabilitated in Clarke’s honour
