MAYOR of Port Maria, Richard Creary, has expressed concern that several pieces of steel protruding from a section of the roadway in the busy St Mary capital pose a danger to road users, particularly pedestrians.
According to Creary, the steel has tripped several persons, including some elderly pedestrians over the past weeks.
He is blaming construction company Pihl, saying the problem is as a result of work being carried out to complete a segment of the North Coast highway that stretches from Ocho Rios to Port Antonio and runs through Port Maria.
But the company, he alleged, has been tardy in dealing with the problem he said he brought to their attention more than a week ago. He said he had also raised another concern where a “three-inch or four-inch” galvanised pipe was also protruding from the road.
"The pipe has burst the tyres of around 20 vehicles over the past two weeks. That has now been fixed but this one (the steel) still remains," Creary told the Observer on Wednesday.
"Pihl is responsible,” an obviously upset Creary added. “They operate as if they are a law unto themselves, they obviously have no concern for the residents".
When contacted, Pihl spokesperson, Nadine Knight, told the Observer that the problem would be rectified by today. She said the company was prevented from fixing the problem because of rains in the area.
"By now and Friday, it will be done," she, however, assured.
- Carl Gilchrist
