I join the community and other concerned stakeholders to express grave concern with:

- The complete non-consultation with area stakeholders for the ongoing road work in our area, whether by town hall meetings, flyers, emails or calls. Thus the sensitivity of this area’s critical tourism product could not be communicated prior to work starting, in time to propose alternatives — in enough time for implementation.

- The extent of the damage done by this work to our environment and rainforest aesthetic, especially the area around the world-famous Blue Hole — and thus to the foundation of our tourism product, which employs everyone from attractions staff to taxi drivers to food sellers. 

- The removal, breaking in half, and leaving in the dirt of signs of a local business and a homeowners' association, with no word to those entities.

- The damage done to the property and fencing of an investor from abroad, purportedly 10 feet beyond permitted, with no word to him.

- The refusal to consider the superior alternative, a long-identified, existing road inland from Zion Hill. Ultimately this would become a stage in a bypass road around Port Antonio, and would  • open access to dormant tourism sites such as Nonsuch Caves, and open a trailhead for the John Crow/Blue Mtn. UNESCO World Heritage Site, • help workers living inland get more easily to their tourism jobs on the coast, • hold hillsides together with vegetation, not retaining walls, • preserve the beauty and quiet which are the foundation of our tourism product, and • spur new tourism attractions and responsible development inland.

The damage must be remedied by:

- Covering any retaining walls and other torn-away hillside areas with vines, palms, and other landscaping to try hide the damage done to our tourism’s calling card — our beauty. 

- Setting apart a 5-foot walking/cycling portion of the asphalt, on the north side of the road, beginning with the stretch of the main road between the two entrances to Blue Hole, with a one-foot barrier or railing to prevent vehicles hitting pedestrians and cyclists. Ultimately this would stretch from Boston to Drapers and then Port Antonio as budget allows.

- Placing speed humps at 150 feet apart along the stretch from the easternmost entrance to Blue Hole to the Goblin Hill back hillside steps.

- Properly draining these roads for the first time ever — like Pihl did with the road from Annotto Bay to Port Antonio — so that the surface will not need constant patching.

- A schedule presented for an improved inland road for trucks, fast traffic, and non-local traffic.

- Truth, transparency, and consultation with stakeholders and the community, and an immediate public meeting with them.