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ONTEGO BAY, St James — Opposition Leader Mark Golding on Thursday urged the Government to address what he said were deficiencies in Montego Bay’s drainage system, shortcomings which he intimated had contributed to Tuesday’s flooding that claimed the life of a 12-year-old girl and left her grandmother missing.

His comments came during a lengthy visit with little Jennel Walters’ parents in the Cornwall Court community of this western city.

“Here we are in Montego Bay, and I’ve been here fairly recently in similar circumstances where the infrastructure of the city is really not adequate [for] the rainfall. So we have flooding, regular flooding, and now we’ve lost lives from this flooding,” he said.

Flanked by a number of his senior party members, the PNP president urged the Government to find a solution.

“This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, and I call on the Government to really look at the situation in Montego Bay in relation to how the drainage system is not working and what needs to be done,” Golding urged.

“Yes, roads are wonderful, we’ve been building excellent roads in Jamaica for decades, but some of the basic infrastructure that is needed so that people can live and survive the daily routines without danger is lacking,” he chided.

However, on the issue of drainage there might be some relief on the horizon as Member of Parliament for St James Central, Heroy Clarke divulged that a study has been commissioned.

“We hope that whatever the study brings about, that it will help to alleviate the situation that we now have presently in Montego Bay. We do understand that sections of Montego Bay are below sea level and so the run-off is not as easy as it should be,” he said.

During Thursday’s visit with the grieving family, Golding expressed his condolence and promised to provide some level of support, even though he was unable to give specifics.

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“It’s a terrible tragedy for one family to lose a promising, lovely daughter [in her] first year of high school, and of course the grandmother (the father’s mother), who is still missing. So they don’t really have closure around that,” he told the media after talks with the youngster’s mother Christine Gilbert and Jennel’s father Nicholas Walters.

“It’s a very difficult time, obviously, for them but I assured them that Jamaica loves them and is praying for them and wishes them to have this journey be as painless as possible although the pain is so deep,” the Opposition leader continued.

He had spoken to Gilbert by phone on Wednesday, he said, and there will be internal discussions on the potential help the PNP can offer.

“We’ve had an excellent dialogue. I think we have connected emotionally and I would like to assist in any way that I can, but right now we haven’t had any discussions around that yet,” Golding said.

“It was really a privilege to have them welcome me into their home just now and share their feelings and thoughts with me, and it allowed me to express my sympathies and sorrow at what they are going through and to wish them all the support and love as they go through their bereavement,” he added.

Gilbert said the visit helped.

“We really appreciate it because at this time any support that we are getting, it doesn’t matter from who, we really appreciate it,” she said.

She added that though the loss of her child has left her empty and numb, the support received from Thursday’s visit “helps to give us strength and to uplift our spirit”.

Jennel and her grandmother, 68-year-old Beryl Walters, were washed into the rushing waters of the Barnett River after flood waters pushed the car in which they were travelling into a culvert. The girl’s grandfather, Berris Walters, and her aunt Shannon Walters were rescued by quick-thinking men in the area. On Thursday they were said to be at home recuperating. Beryl Walters has still not been found.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding (second left) in dialogue with the parents of Jennel Reid, Christine Gilbert and Nicholas Walters, at their home in Cornwall Courts on Thursday. Other PNP members look on.