Control Dust Challenge During RoadWork!

-
Oftentimes agents of the State in an attempt to improve systems for the collective good of the citizenry overlook best practices leaving citizens inconvenienced. In recent weeks the National Works Agency has been conducting Drainage Improvement Work on Clunies Avenue, which is located off Hagley Park Road. As a result of the on-going work by the National Works Agency an unusual amount of dust and dirt have accumulated in the work area, and this is expected.  However, what is unacceptable is the fact that very little attempt has been made to cushion the effect of this dust and dirt nuisance. The result is residents of the both Cluines and McArthur avenues have had to live with this annoyance for the past few weeks.  Additionally, as the Hagley Park Road Improvement Project continues more traffic is now using McArthur Avenue which has amplified the problem. Is it too much to ask the National Works Agency to ensure that at regular intervals a water truck sprinkles the affected and impacted avenues in order to mitigate against this dust bowl?  While we recognize and appreciate the need for this critical road work especially since this will improve the drainage system not only for the area, but for the wider Kingston Metropolitan Area, there must be an attempt to strike a balance as it relates to the health of the residents.  The increased build up of dirt and dust is potentially a public health issue, more so for those residents who have respiratory illnesses, such as asthma and sinusitis.  As the State puts mechanisms in place to encourage and foster growth and development we must also be mindful of the needs of the residents. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #11, which addresses the need to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, makes it quite clear that cities must be safe and as such we must do all within our powers to ensure this is so. I urge the National Works Agency to redouble their efforts in finding a solution to this problem.  
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo

                                                                      ©
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Promoting Literacy For A World In Transition

-
Image
Oftentimes we speak about literacy yet, the practicality regarding targeted interventions to support literacy in many educational institutions is hijacked in the politics of education. In the long term both the students and indeed the society suffer the consequences. Literacy ignities creativity and desire. Literacy is that springboard that must propel all students in order for them to navigate their educational journey successfully. Regrettably, without acquiring the tools of literacy one is imprisoned and those around also are serving this sentence. Literacy is a potent tool to eradicate generational poverty. Literacy also serves as a vehicle for social progress and sustainable development. Unfortunately, many societies do not invest as much in literacy skills as they ought to. The Global South oftentimes is burdened by debt repayment to multi-national lending agencies that cut into the budget that should be set aside as an investment in education. The statistic paints a damning pic
Read more

The Psychology Of Dunce

-
Image
The word ‘dunce’ has always had a fixed address in our local lexicon. The summer holidays are now over, yet the narrative associated with the ‘dunce’ labeled knapsacks has carried over into the new academic year. We often underestimate the power and force of our popular culture to our detriment. Gone are the days when teachers were seen as role models for students; there has been a tsunami-like shift in our values and attitudes over the years and this has given rise to a number of sub-cultures many of which are toxic. Many of the social ills of the society are grounded in our painful past of enslavement and colonialization. Unfortunately, the State has been complicit in the promulgation of some of these social problems. Sadly, as a society we have internalized this trauma and as a result generation after generation have had to deal with social problems of various forms in our post-slavery society. Over the decades we have inherited and we have continued to nurture an elitist educati
Read more

Israel Hamas War

-
Image
“Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”- Psalm 121:4. It appears we have been hearing about the Arab/Israeli conflict from time immemorial. However, it is important that some historical and Biblical context be interjected into the narrative in order for a better understanding of this current war. In the Bible, the phrase ‘Promised Land’ refers to a specific region of land that God promised to his chosen people of Israel. God first gave this pledge of land to Abraham saying, “I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River.” This pledge was reiterated to Abraham’s descendants until the time came for His people to claim their inheritance. Abraham knew that he would not see God’s Promised Land with his own eyes. In fact, God made it clear to him that the land would not be given until four generations had passed, and that his descendants would face the hardship of slavery in Egypt before the
Read more