FORMER Minister of Public Works George Payne has termed a Government decision to abandon a heavily damaged road at White Hill, St Andrew “a national tragedy”.
And he complained in the House of Assembly yesterday the decision had been taken without consulting residents, assessing the extent of the damage or any reference to him as Member of Parliament for the constituency.
Speaking during debate on the 2015-2016 Estimates, Payne noted that over the years, there were problems with the water mains – even up to when he demitted office as minister in 1999 – and officers would do a monthly check for burst mains in White Hill and other unstable areas. 
He said the practice had apparently been discontinued and over the years the road had been undermined.
“The burst pipes undermined those roads over the years,” he charged, “because those checks were not made, and then you had a serious flooding in that area one weekend, and that was it.” (AB)
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