Closure of access road to Upper Yorks and Fort Road will create further inconvenience and risk, resident complains

Residents of Upper Yorks and Fort Road – in the vicinity of the
former Prison Farm – are concerned over official plans to block off
another access road in the area. 

In an August 16 “special notice to residents of ‘Jailman Ground’ and
Upper Yorks (immediately west of the WIOC compound),” the
residents were notified of the Ministry of Works’ intentions.

Persons are being told that contractor C.O. Williams Construction
Ltd. and the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) will be
installing water mains on Anchorage Road in the “Jailman Ground”
area.

Therefore, the roadworks will cause the full closure of the single
vehicular access road to the community, beginning next Monday,
August 21. Closure will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As a result, vehicles required for use between this period must leave
the community before 9 a.m. on that day. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry is directing residents who may have
concerns to contact the contractor. 

Responding to the notice, an aggravated resident says that one
entrance into the area has been blocked for the past year – and is
still blocked – and this continues to cause some inconvenience. 

Additionally, the person says, the Ministry’s notice is not a properly
constituted document since it has no signature or reference. She is
also concerned that the PMU, which issued the order, has no
authority to block roads and issue such notices. 

In her opinion, it is a public-safety infraction if any demographic of
the public is limited in access to their residence – especially those
with mobility challenges, including the elderly, disabled and those
with small children. 

Further, she says, the closure of the roadway could put residents’
lives at risk, because if someone falls ill, quick access to them for
lifesaving treatment will be limited.