Gov’t to purchase 33 water pumps to serve communities

The Government is to acquire 33 new water pumps, as part of plans to increase access to the commodity in communities across the island.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement, during a tour of work being done in Pimento Walk in Ocho Rios, St Ann, on Friday, June 21.

“The government is looking at our pumps and we are trying to order [them] in advance so 33 new pumps are on order which will serve communities like this one,” Holness said.

“I believe it is $20 million for one of these pumps, so you can just imagine the budget that the government is putting forward to ensure that small, rural communities like these can have the basics, get their roads and their water,” he added.

The prime minister noted that the government is working on the water infrastructure in the community “by doing whatever rehabilitation and maintenance there is, but we are also making new investment in the water supply, and we are, as much as we can, repairing the road.”

He informed that Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for Water, Environment, Climate Change, and the Blue and Green Economies, Senator Matthew Samuda, and Robert Morgan, who is responsible for Works in the ministry, have been tasked to visit communities and look at road and water challenges that are being faced in those areas.

“[They are to] see how best, from the limited national budget, with so many other demands on it, to make sure that even the basics are available,” he emphasised.

Holness was visiting the Pimento Walk area to see the progress of ongoing roadwork in the community, which is being spearheaded by the National Works Agency (NWA). The tour formed part of a working visit to several areas in St Ann by the prime minister.