PM announces islandwide road repairs
Published:Wednesday | November 15, 2017 | 12:00 AMJanet Silvera
WESTERN BUREAU:
Provisions are being made in the Supplementary Budget set to go before Parliament next week for funding to repair roads across the country, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced.
Addressing stakeholders at the grand opening of the Porsche Centre at ATL Auto in Montego Bay, St James, on Tuesday night, Holness said that he heard the cry of demonstrators in St James and St Thomas who had blocked several roads in their communities in the last two weeks, as a result of the poor state they are in.
"The Government understands the plight of the residents, who took their frustration to the streets by blocking roads in order to get attention. I want to say to those persons that the Government hears ... the Government cares," he told the gathering, adding that funds would be allocated for rehabilitative work.
Admitting that many of the country's roads have also been compromised because of the rainfall Jamaica has been experiencing in the last three weeks, he said, "Whether you drive a Lada or a Porsche, if you are a motorist, you would be concerned about the state of the roadways in Jamaica."
The road conditions were not his only concern. Having had first-hand experience of the long wait driving in the tourism capital each time he visits, Holness brought early Christmas gifts to the Second City, announcing that the promised Montego Bay bypass had passed the alignment stage and would soon be approved by the Cabinet.
"Because as it stands now, whether you are in a Porsche or a Lada, it may take you the same time from wherever you are to get here in Montego Bay," the prime minister said.
He pointed out that the traffic situation had been consuming the Government's energy.
"I am pleased to report that I have seen the finalised alignment," he stated, admitting that it had taken some time to figure out the best alignment, but, last week Friday, he saw the final documents, which, to him, made sense.
According to the prime minister, it will take approximately eight minutes to bypass the Montego Bay city centre on the proposed 14-kilometre road to be built.