Follow Heroy Clarke’s example on spending taxpayers’ money – Warmington

WESTERN BUREAU:

Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Everald Warmington is urging his parliamentary colleagues to mirror the work being done by Heroy Clarke, Central St James member of parliament (MP), with respect to drains and gullies in their constituencies.

Speaking with reporters during a tour of Capital Heights and North Gully in the constituency on Tuesday, Warmington, who was accompanied by a team from the National Works Agency, said he is pleased with how Clarke has invested taxpayers’ money.

Over a period, since 2016, two separate allocations valued at $20 million were given to Clarke for drain-cleaning works in his constituency, an investment Warmington said he is extremely proud of, having seen tangible results.

“I was impressed to see the improvement that he has done there and the other gully up at Capitol Heights, where MP Clarke didn’t use it just to clean drains,” said Warmington.

The works minister noted that the rehabilitation works done in the area were substantial and permanent to further benefit his constituents and to protect the area from potential flooding.

“I saw some really good solid walls built in the gully and I wish other colleagues like myself would look at that and use the money to do capital projects, something that is lasting and can relieve your sufferings,” he informed.

According to Warmington, having seen the works carried out on the North Gully and the Capital Heights gully, he will not be having second thoughts on whether to allocate more funding for projects of this nature to the constituency.

“I don’t think I can hesitate from making a further allocation to him for these gullies because he has put these monies to good use and I am sure, giving him more, he will expand on what he has done,” argued Warmington.

He gave the assurance that attention will be given to several other roads in the constitution to include Vernon Drive, Brandon Hill, the number 41 Road in Farm Heights, and the Cornwall Court to Farm Heights road.

EMERGENCY WORKS

He shared that within this year’s budget, the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service has allocated just about $5 billion for roads, $300 million for emergency works, such as floods, $84 million for gullies, $54 million for bridges, and $74 million for traffic lights and other areas within his portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.

Meanwhile, Clarke said it was prudent for him to have invited Warmington to see at first hand the challenges being faced by residents in his constituency.

“Now that he is convinced that what I have been saying to him is factual, then it is for us to work together to see how best we can offset and make comfortable the lives of citizens that we seek to serve for,” Clarke said.