Disgruntled residents of Burton district, St Catherine, on Wednesday, protested the lack of piped water and bad road conditions in their community.

Almost 100 residents took to the streets in what started as a peaceful protest. However, the police had to be called in when the protesters took their dissatisfaction to the Linstead bypass and started to block the thoroughfare.

Hard to cope

Several persons told the Star the community has been without piped water for more than 40 years and they were finding it difficult to cope. They also said they have been forced to depend on water trucks or the mercy of neighbouring districts, and are fed up.

They also lamented bad road surfaces and said taxi drivers were reluctant to drive through the community. The residents said the taxi operators complain that their vehicles were being damaged because of the roads, which have become worse since the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav.

In search of a solution, there was a recent meeting of the National Water Commission and the residents' political representatives.

The protesting residents were on Wednes-day were addressed by the police, but vowed to continue their actions if conditions do not improve within a reasonable time.