$656 Million Allocated to National Road Services Improvement Programme

The National Road Services Improvement programme has received $656.5 million for the 2008/09 financial year.
According to the Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the House of Representatives, the programme is being funded by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The programme seeks to promote the creation of a self sustainable system for the provision of a safe and reliable national road network; to support the Ministry of Transport and Works in the implementation of a new road network and to strengthen the core activities of planning, programming and budgeting of the road sector and the maintenance design and construction of roads within the national network under the auspices of the National Works Agency (NWA).
Physical achievements up to March 2008 included the rehabilitation of the road sections damaged by hurricane; routine maintenance (phase 1) contract signed and work in progress; project implementation unit established and staff identified; all loan agreement pre-conditions met and infrastructure and institutional strengthening component 80 per cent completed.
Anticipated targets for the 2008/09 financial year include completion of the infrastructure and institutional strengthening component; procurement of goods and services; completion of the routine maintenance (phase 1) civil works contract and the enhancement of the road maintenance and management system.