Jamaica Government Allocates $1 Billion To Repair Roads

Jamaica: Jamaica Government has granted, $1 billion via National Works Agency (NWA), to deteriorate road repairs and carry out clean-up activities.

Pm, Andrew Holness, announced during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 17), at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

“This may not extend to every roadway that requires attention. I know, too, that it may not be able to do the extensive restoration works that is required along some corridors. However, we will be able to carry out works that are desperately required,” Mr. Holness stated.

He said that $1 billion will be allocated to per Constituency and $15 million will be allocated to the Members of Parliament . Pm also gave directions on how the resources should be utilised.

In detail, Mr. Holness said some $7 million had been allocated for road patching, $4 million for de-bushing, $2 million for beautification (sanitation and removal of garbage) and $2 million for drain or gully cleaning.

Members of Parliament will not have the option of taking any amount from this $7 million to spend on the bushing, beautification/cleaning and sanitation or drain cleaning.

“The allocations that we have made – the $7 million of the $15 million – has to be use with the proper road map. The Government does not have other resources to allot to MP has to reinforce roads of their choice and then make a whole serval allocation for the NWA or the Parish Councils,” Mr. Holness said.

“So, the Members of Parliament will have to work closely with the NWA,” he added.

Prime Minister Holness said MPs may reallocate a maximum of $1 million from the $2 million designated for drain cleaning to another heading.

He further added that similar reallocation can be made from the $2 million designated for sanitation to another heading, while a maximum of $2 million may be reallocated from the $4 million for de-bushing to any other heading.

“MPs may choose to reallocate a maximum of $4 million to the patching programme from all allowable headings,” Mr. Holness said.

Meanwhile, the NWA has to put together a comprehensive list of road repairs that now have to be carried out, based on the impact of the last two major rain-related events in Zeta and Eta.

The Prime Minister informed that it is estimated that some $5.4 billion will be required to undertake various stages of the recovery and reinstatement to reconstruct and bring the roads to the desired standards.