News

Frustrated residents take to the streets

SEVERAL JAMAICANS TOOK to the streets and vented their frustration with Government yesterday.

Residents blocked roads with debris, some with their bodies and others protested peacefully with placards throughout most of the day.

The residents were participating in the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) planned protest against price increases and government policies. However, the JLP's plans for peaceful protests were not maintained as some rowdy protesters blocked the streets and forced many businesses and schools to close.

By early afternoon it seemed most of the protest activities had ended and most of the roadblocks cleared, however, police were still patrolling to ensure no illegal activities, such as looting, occurred.

From the wee hours of yesterday morning residents started to block roads in the Corporate Area. Most of the major roadways in Kingston and St. Andrew were blocked including Red Hills Road, Spanish Town Road, Mountain View Avenue, Molynes Road, Stony Hill Road, Marcus Garvey Drive and Bull Bay main roads. In Spanish Town, police reported that Job Lane, Brunwick Avenue, Featherbed Lane and the Spanish Town Bypass were blocked.

The Stony Hill police were kept busy clearing blockades in rural St. Andrew. The roadblocks along Stony Hill and Temple main roads were eventually cleared and one man was arrested for threatening a police officer and he was also charged with having an offensive weapon after one was found on him.

Several workers and students were stranded as the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) had suspended its services while some taxi operators withdrew their services.

In Spanish Town, businesses on Angels Plaza, LOJ Shopping Centre and several banks were closed. Several schools in the old capital were also forced to close their doors. The few students who had braved the situation and went into Spanish Town found it difficult to return home because of the protest activities. As a result, there was a state of confusion with the police making several trips taking people to various destinations as few taxis were available.

The Spanish Town hospital was also short- staffed because some of its staff members were unable to get to work. At about 2 p.m. yesterday a source said the hospital had only one doctor and two nurses and was accepting only dire emergencies. The May Pen hospital also reported that it had experienced difficulty getting its staff to work, however this problem was later solved. In the meantime, the police said they are remaining on alert in case the protest continues into today.

A soldier stands next to a sign as he patrols Mountain View Avenue during demonstrations there yesterday. - Rudolph Brown