Unbearable stench stalls business operations in Port Antonio

An unbearable stench on lower Harbour Street in Port Antonio, has stalled some  business operations along that strip, forcing police to redirect vehicular traffic to Blake Street.

Health officials have said that the foul stench is as a result of a National Water Commission (NWC) broken sewerage.

Oil and what appears to be sewerage, is said to be leaking through man-hole coverings unto the main road, in the vicinity of the Port Antonio police station and the Portland Jerk Center.

The local health department has since ordered the closure of at least ten business establishments, leading from the Texaco service station to the photo bank store at lower Harbour Street.

One business operator, Fitzroy Curete said that the unbearable stench has been lingering since 6 a.m., and that other businesses have been forced to close their doors due to the stench.

“We have to close the business and is not we alone, “commented Curete.

“The pit apparently is not drawing. Cause you can see next door to the station is overflowing to. I don’t know what’s going on because the whole town stinks. It cost us over two hundred and odd thousand to put in that. And it not working, “Curete added.

Curete, a business partner at Portland Jerk Center, was commenting on the NWC new water drainage and sewerage project, which according to him, is responsible for the ongoing leakage.

Among the closed business facilities are internet/mobile giants Digicel
and FLOW, Best Buy farm store, Seaview Meats Grocery and Season store, VIP Jewelers, Kamals Wholesale, a barber shop, a sports bar, and Computer Tech. 

The $1.2 billion water, drainage, and sewerage project for Port Antonio was completed in 2017.

In June 2018, the NWC issued documents to property and residential owners living in Port Antonio and its environs urging them to get connected.

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