Rapid Response trucks parked at the Mandeville depot on Saturday and Sunday. - photo by George Hanry

MANDEVILLE, Manchester:

Residents from in and around the town of Mandeville are expressing concern that water tankers in Manchester, assigned to Rapid Response, which normally supply communities with water following natural disasters, are noticeably absent.

According to a number of residents, the trucks, which were once busy on the streets of Mandeville in particular, have not been seen for weeks. With the passing of Tropical Storm Gustav last week, the trucks were expected to be on the streets ensuring that persons have access to water.

When The Gleaner checked with the National Water Commi-ssion office at Leaders Avenue in Mandeville, the office in charge of the Rapid Response units in Manchester, an employee from the section responsible for the units refused to confirm or deny that the water trucks were off the streets.

NO ANSWER

Efforts to get a response from Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang also failed. Both his cellphones were turned off and he was not at his office.

The number for George Bent, manager for the Rapid Response Unit at the Ministry of Water and Housing, was also unanswered.

Sally Porteous, councillor for the Mandeville division, pointed out that she had not seen any of the units on the road.

According to the councillor, south Manchester, Grove Town and Alligator Pond, which have been experiencing dry spells over recent months, were areas of concern.

The Manchester Parish Council, Porteous said, had been forced to use private trucks to transport water to those areas, with extra funds provided through the Ministry of Finance.

Not surprised

Porteous went on to say that she was not surprised that the trucks were not on the road because most of the Rapid Response units in Manchester were old and out of service.

In the meantime, an employee who opted for anonymity told The Gleaner that the trucks had been off the road for over eight weeks. The employee said the trucks were overdue for servicing and there seemed not to be any urgency.

When The Gleaner went to the parking depot for the units in Mandeville on Saturday, several of the blue and white trucks were parked. The situation was the same when the depot was revisited on Monday morning.