AS PART of our mission to be the People Paper, THE WEEKEND STAR has been highlighting problem areas across the island. Our reporter, Carolyn Johnson, along with photographer Norman Grindley, will focus on a particular area until the problem is fixed. Now we will have a rough idea of how long the relevant authorities take to deal with some of the problems affecting our country.

Before settling down to write Fix-It this week, the first thought was to call the National Works Agency (NWA) and demand an outline of their plan to fix the road network. I wanted to know priority roads, because I am sure, double sure, they should start with Spanish Town Road, which has nests of potholes (they come in at least fives) every few yards. However, upon receiving a status report from the agency, I realised they have bigger fish to fry.

These fish have come in the form of flooding, landslides, and blocked roads. According to the NWA, as the rain continues, so does their stress. The main problem areas their report referred to were St. Elizabeth, Hanover, St. Andrew, Clarendon and St. Thomas. A so dem clear de road, a so dem get blocked, become impassable.

The agency is also advising drivers of small vehicles, especially, not to use many of the problematic roadways and overall, to be careful on the roads.

As the sole government agency "to plan, build and maintain a reliable, safe and efficient main road network and flood control system", the NWA obviously has its hands tied this week. We encourage them, however, to be efficient as the above mission statement says, and prompt in their response.