Friday, July 3, marked exactly three months since the National Water Commission repaired a broken main in front of my residence on Hope Boulevard which is at the intersection with Monterey Drive. It is a heavily travelled route as many persons drive through Hope Pastures as an alternative to going through Liguanea. There has still been no attempt to clear the debris and untidy mess left in front of my house and extending on to the road.

Unsafe

This is despite calls to various offices of the NWC, a letter to your newspaper in April, and representation to the Member of Parliament at the Hope Pastures Citizens' Association AGM in early May.

In addition, as a result of the work having to be done right beside a concrete electric pole, and despite the involvement of Jamaica Public Service personnel in the exercise, the pole has been left leaning at an angle which appears quite unsafe. Calls to JPS have similarly been treated with nothing more than polite acknowledgements of the reports.

As I have had several assurances that occurrences such as this are by no means uncommon, I invite others to publicise the inefficiency of these utility services which, as is well known, give no quarter when it comes to collecting their dues from us - the members of the public. The attitude of 'ignoring what does not directly affect me' is all too prevalent in our society. Unless we take a more pro-active approach to demanding better services, we will continue to get what a community with a weak sense of civic duty deserves.

I am, etc.,

JOHN A. MAXWELL

jmxwll@gmail.com

Kingston 6