Road upgrades to improve workforce productivity - PM

Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the US$170 million being spent by Government to upgrade several major thoroughfares in the Corporate Area will improve productivity of the workforce.

“If 12,000 to 15,000 Jamaicans…sit in traffic for 30 minutes to get from home to their destination, you can calculate the loss of time, productivity and built into that, the cost of energy that we waste. This investment will make our labour force far more productive,” Holness said.

The prime minister was addressing journalists on Friday following a tour of several legacy road projects in Kingston and St Andrew, under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme (MIDP).

He got a first-hand look at the completed Barbican Road upgrading, and work in progress on Constant Spring Road, Mandela Highway, and Hagley Park Road.

The projects are expected to significantly improve travel along the targeted roadways when completed.

“They are increasing the number of lanes, they are putting in modern road furniture, putting in modern technology for traffic (law) enforcement, having better surfaces; they are also built, taking into consideration the disabled community,” he said.

In the meantime, chief executive officer of the National Works Agency (NWA), E.G. Hunter, disclosed that the remaining projects are expected to be completed in the next six to eight months.

Hunter also appealed for the continued support and understanding of citizens “as we try to build the infrastructure that’s going to serve this country for the next 30 to 40 years”.

The projects were spearheaded by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, through the NWA, and executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).