Angry residents of communities along the Rio Cobre in St. Catherine, today staged a protest over the persistent pollution of the river.

The group of about three dozen placard-bearing residents gathered in the vicinity of a factory in Bog Walk, where they sang and chanted “we shall overcome”, as they called for action to be taken against the entity they believe is responsible for several pollution incidents.

In an interview with IRIE FM news, one of the protest organizers, president of Friends of Rio Cobre, Kestonard Gordon, lamented that the issue has been ongoing for several years.

He further emphasized that the ongoing pollution significantly disrupts the livelihoods of the local fisherfolk who depend on the Rio Cobre.

He added that the protest was aimed at pressing the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to act urgently to address the situation.