Phillips wants compensation for businesses affect by Three Miles closure
Published:Monday | September 17, 2018 | 12:00 AMSyranno Baines/Gleaner Writer
Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips yesterday indicated that the Government should compensate businesses operating within the proximity of the now-closed Three Miles area in St Andrew for the adverse effects of the road project, charging that they are putting some of them out of operation.
"I think they owe those businesses something, and I suspect they may be getting a lot of claims," Phillips asserted in response to questions posed by journalists at the People's National Party's post-80th anniversary conference press briefing at the party's St Andrew head office.
Phillips' response comes days after The Gleaner ran a story titled 'Sidelined! - Business operators near Three Miles chide Gov't for downturn in sales'.
Business operators shared that the road project was founded in poor planning, execution and communication, with some surmising that the eight-month closure of the major crossroads would cripple their establishments.
Internet, phone issues
Disruptions to Internet and phone service were also major sticking points highlighted by operators.
"Customers can't get access to them (businesses), the Internet is off and some of those businesses depend on the Internet to be able to operate. Despite the fact that there is supposed to be a project monitoring group, including all the stakeholders, my investigations lead me to believe that despite the existence of the committee, between the National Works Agency and the contractor, the interests of the other stakeholders are being totally ignored. So, it will ultimately be a matter for the courts if the Government is not alive to its responsibilities," added Phillips.
"It (roadwork) is being poorly managed and, therefore, it is causing much more hardship than needs to be caused. Any roadwork will cause some amount of dislocation but the level of dislocation being caused in the way this is being done is extraordinary and, quite frankly, unnecessary and could be avoided if it was properly managed."