Residents of Friday, a district in Comfort Castle, Portland, are finding life very hard ever since the road leading into their community collapsed last week. In fact, even the dead are feeling the strain.

When THE WEEKEND STAR visited the quiet, rural community on Wednesday, a truck transporting cement, steel, blocks and gravel to be used in the construction of a grave for a resident who had died last week had to stop metres before the breakaway in the road.

The bags of cement and the blocks, which were needed by relatives and had to get into the community by any means, were transported across a narrow, makeshift track by men from the area.

Men transporting cement into the community and residents trying to leave the district fight for space along the narrow path.

broken section

One such man, Rupert, told THE WEEKEND STAR, "Somebody up dere a build a grave, so dem a deliver di cement and di block dem, but dem cyaan go pass ya so. So wi jus decide fi give dem a hand." He explained that he and other men from the area had taken it upon themselves to help the residents, most of whom are farmers, to transport their goods across the narrow strip that is left of the road.

Rupert told THE WEEKEND STAR that the body of the deceased man had to be transported by foot from the community, across the broken section of the road and onto the other side, before it could be taken to the funeral home.

As for the gravel that was dumped by the side of the road, Rupert said that would have to be taken into the community by a trusty donkey, which would be loaded with bags of the gravel. The donkey, he said, would travel to the community along a parochial road.

The sizeable district, which always suffers from landslides and breakaways in the road, is one of many that lies beyond the broken road. Residents said it's not the first time the road was damaged, but it's the worst it has been.

Lauris McQueen, an elderly woman born and raised in the area, said, "Mi want dem fi fix it man, cut di road and fix it. All dis mawnin a man affi walk wid him son come cross, it dangerous man. A night time wi affi use di light from wi phone or flashlight. Dis a di worst mi eva see."

Lauris McQueen, a long-time resident of the community, stands at the entrance to a swing bridge leading to Cornwall Barracks, the only alternative route the residents have.

$200 journey

The majority of the road collapsed last week, leaving only a narrow section. The ingenious residents have created a makeshift bridge, using feeble planks of board, held up by boulders. One misstep could send residents into the Rio Grande.

The disaster has also been affecting the residents financially, as what was once a straight $200 journey into Port Antonio is now split into two, one leg costing $70 and the other the same $200. In addition, residents also have to pay men to transport their goods across the footpath, where other cars are waiting. This fee ranges anywhere from $200 to $500, depending on the size of the load.

Collin Lawrence, another resident, explained, "Wi live inna di community, wi haffi help wi self, but wi have life risky an a bere double price di people dem affi a pay. Yu see because up here is a farming community, stuff have to go to town, so it cost a lot."

Communications and customer service manager at the National Works Agency (NWA), Stephen Shaw, said the organisation is working on a solution. "We have a contract out, valued at just over $200 million, through which three walls, including one at Comfort Castle (Friday), are being worked on. So far, we have completed upwards of 70 per cent of two, while that at Friday was just under 20 per cent."

He said the NWA intends to have "a permanent solution as soon as possible". "There is no easy or quick fix to this problem, hence further due diligence is needed and is being done."