The Harbour View Disaster

A tropical depression that does not even have a name
causes destruction across the Jamaica.

Much of the destruction was 'Man-set". That is, if
one creates particular situations then any natural
occurrence , be it rain or storm or earthquake will
cause far greater damage than it would if it had not
been "Man-set"

The Hope River separates the Eastern part of St.
Andrew and the Parish of St. Thomas from the rest
of Jamaica.
There is no way to go from St. Thomas to Kingston.

A bridge stood across the river for decades.

Because much of the water was used in the
reservoir the river bed was usually dry.
But like most dry river beds in Jamaica, they
become raging torrents after a heavy rain.

Some are more prone to incredible surges than
others; and for decades, those government
members who were responsible had set a policy
of constantly digging down the river bed,
packing the sides, just in case

Of course this aspect of public works is the
center of corruption in Jamaica.

Just as the Mafia controls public works in
America, so that there is never an 'Appian Way',
a road built by the Romans still in use.

What the Mafia wanted, and got, was permanent
work. Permanent road repair contracts in which
most of the cost was pocket filling.

Jamaica has imitated that procedure so that
roads are never fixed, they are patched, and
those 'new roads' which take years to complete
don't last two years.

If anyone were to peruse a contract and
investigate its implementation, one would find
that three times as many workers are budgeted,
and the costs of materials are inflated.
Despite this, money must be grabbed by every hand.

Since 2007 Three Hundred Million Dollars has
filled the pocket of a particular contractor,
and the roads completed between 2007 - 2008
need to be redone in 2010 - 2011 in such
manner that they will last until 2013.

That it costs the tax payers xyz millions
to do this piece of road when in reality
it is 1/4th the cost for a better quality
is never examined.

Which brings me to the Bridge at Harbour View.

Because the river bed was not excavated but allowed
to turn into a pasture, the original bridge was
damaged. It was repaired and then largely destroyed
by Gustav,a tropical storm in 2007.

This storm would not have destroyed the bridge if
the river bed had been excavated and the banks packed.

A Bailey Bridge was flung up and a pathway leading
down into the river bed to carry heavy trucks was accomplished.

But there was no means of pocket filling with this
venture. The brilliant idea was to make the Harbour
View Road four lanes, and to remove the Bailey Bridge
so that everyone would have to cross the Hope River
by going into the river bed, which was dry.

Why this work was begun at the height of the hurricane
season, and why the fording was completely destroyed
is no mystery. Jamaica would be allowed to access
Emergency Relief Money to make the vital 'repairs'.

The Emergency Relief Money, begged from foreign donors
would make fine pocket filling as the Bailey Bridge,
removed in July would be returned to it's place and
all the money that was gotten from the Chinese to do
the Bridge and four lane highway would be double paid.

Workers would have to be paid again to redo what they
had done. Materials that were washed away would need
to be rebought and new and higher prices.

And the Government would get its cut to finance its
election campaign.