Water problem in St Ann. A letter to the editor.

Dear Editor,           

I am writing to Mr. Ian Bell and Lisa Hanna, to say that Fern Gully has been a top tourist attraction in Jamaica even before either you or I were born. However, the gully will continue to decline as a tourist attraction if water problems persists in the surrounding communities of Colgate and Breadnut Hill.  From as far back as 1989, when my grandfather died, water has been a big problem for these two districts; the pump-house in Terry needs a modern pump and pipes, capable of increasing water capacity. 

The National Water Commission (NWC) continues to do too little, if anything, to improve the existing system. Having no access to a well-developed piped water system, the residents of these communities seek work in Fern Gully, clearing the lush green vegetation in hopes of starting small businesses which seldom result in gainful employment. 

An investment in supplying effective piped water to these communities will simultaneously reduce the stress on Fern Gully, and open new opportunities for residents to engage in small scale manufacturing, farming, real estate development, and the possible expansion of tourist accommodations and attractions, further into the interior of the parish.

Now is the time for the two major political parties - JLP and PNP - to work together to make Jamaica a better place. The Members of Parliament (MP) for Colgate and Breadnut Hill, and the Fern Gully Association must invest in a proper water pumping system to ensure that everyone in the affected communities have proper access to water.  Water is the most important thing to human life, and it is a shame that our elected officials have failed to supply water to the residents of Ohio Rios, St Ann, which gained its name because it is literally surrounded by eight rivers. 

That's all for now. Thank you!

 Gary Logan, USA.