LINSTEAD: MP awarded for representation, accused of not representing
October 23, 2019A day after Robert Pickersgill received a national award for public service and political representation, some persons in his St Catherine North West constituency blocked a highway and called for his resignation over bad roads.
Several people from in and around Treadways district in Linstead blocked one of the largest thoroughfares in the constituency yesterday, October 22, demanding answers from Pickersgill, who did not visit the scene.
They are fuming over the deplorable condition of the Treadways main road, which is also used by residents of other communities.
Pickersgill, who has been ailing for some time, recently told The Beacon that he will not resign ahead of the next general election.
Some protesters said the Member of Parliament has been missing in action for years. “No road; no vote!” some of them chanted.
They were joined by Jamaica Labour Party candidate in the constituency, Newton Amos, who Pickersgill defeated in the 2016 general election.
Amos, after visiting the scene of the protest, said he does not think the residents would have blocked the roads if Pickersgill had been representing them.
“The people have a genuine concern, but I don’t think, based on what I have seen and what they have told me, that there is any kind of representation taking place on their behalf to have some kind of remedial work done to the issues that they are facing. I believe that the residents have been short-changed; I believe that they have been conned into the situation they have found themselves in,” he said.
Amos continued: “I believe that the present Member of Parliament was of the knowledge that he would not be able to complete his five-year term since the 2016 [general election] to complete the work that the people entrusted upon him.
“Even at this juncture, if he felt that he is unable to perform his functions, he should do the decent thing and step aside – resign and allow fresh elections to be called so that the people can be properly represented,” Amos further said in relation to Pickersgill, who has won seven consecutive elections in the constituency.
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