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If you listen to talk radio regularly, chances are you may know the name Phillip Coombs.

The 82-year-old is an avid caller to talk shows, where he advocates for improvements in community life, and shares his opinion on current affairs.

Coombs told THE STAR that this is something he's being doing since 1978.

"The first night I call was a Monday night. It was a RJR night show. I don't remember the moderator, but I tell him about Sandy Gully that it want to clean. Because when I go down there, it was very clean, and then few callers call and seh yes, the man is very right," he said.

For 32 years, Coombs said he travelled all over Jamaica, driving a furniture removal truck, and was able to witness the challenges citizens experienced in different parts of the island.

Bedridden

Now, bedridden at his home on Hagley Park Road, Coombs said he is no less aware of what's happening.

"From mi get up a mawning time, mi turn on mi radio, and mi buy a paper. Mi buy STAR five days a week, and mi buy Gleaner on Sunday, and mi tek mi time and guh thru the Sunday Gleaner whole week, likkle likkle, cause mi wah fi know what's going on," he said.

He added: "Mi listen the news, and sometime mi go out pan the wheelchair and look, and mi ask people what going on and them tell mi. Suh mi nuh call fi mek mischief. Mi certain a what mi talking about."

Coombs said he calls the Hotline programme on RJR FM every day, but occasionally calls Dear Pastor on Power 106 FM as well.

"Mi talk to dem every week, Orville Taylor, Clive Mullings and Emily Shields. Mi talk bout different topic, anything gwaan mi highlight dem," he said. "Sometime, Dear Pastor put some things inna di STAR and mi seh no dat nuh sound good, and sometime mi correct him when him mek a mistake, and him seh yes."

Always one to talk about the issues, there is one facing him right now.

Coombs said he's currently trying to get the Jamaica Public Service Company, (JPS) to trim a mango tree on his property that has grown to reach the light wires.

"Dem use to come and trim it, but dem stop trim it, I don't know why, and it cya stay suh. Whenever the breeze blow and touch the light wire, yuh hear a big sound," he said.