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Government to Spend $1.1 Billion to Repair Main Roads

By: , July 8, 2016

The Key Point:

The Government will be spending approximately $1.110 billion to carry out routine repairs on the main road network, through the Road Maintenance Fund (RMF).
Government to Spend $1.1 Billion to Repair Main Roads
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, the Hon. C. Everald Warmington, MP, makes his contribution to the 2016/2017 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on July 06, 2016

The Facts

  • The State Minister said that under the new direction, the RMF will advance sums every quarter to the NWA, which will in turn pay for the services, once satisfactorily rendered.
  • “The drive to move from poverty to prosperity demands a new approach to doing business, a new approach to engaging our customers and a new approach to how our people relate to Government,” he said.

The Full Story

The Government will be spending approximately $1.110 billion to carry out routine repairs on the main road network, through the Road Maintenance Fund (RMF).

Minister of State for Works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Everald Warmington, said a number of areas and activities have been identified to target through the allocation.

He noted that these include river training works, $54 million; islandwide disaster mitigation works, $200 million; hot mix patching, $200 million; road rehabilitation and spray patching, $290 million; and traffic management and intersection improvement, $60 million.

The State Minister was making his contribution to the 2016/17 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on July 6.

Meanwhile, Mr. Warmington said steps are being taken to deal with the non-payment of bills after a routine work is completed.

“Beginning immediately, our contracting partners, once they have completed the work, will be paid within two weeks of the bill being given final approval. This is being made possible through a new thrust, a new way of doing business between ourselves and our partners,” he noted.

“We inherited a system whereby bills had to be generated by the National Works Agency (NWA), then funds requested from the RMF, before payment is made. This often led to weeks and sometimes months elapsing before persons are paid for services,” he added.

The State Minister said that under the new direction, the RMF will advance sums every quarter to the NWA, which will in turn pay for the services, once satisfactorily rendered.

Mr. Warmington added that all documents relating to works in the preceding quarter will then be sent to the RMF before the next tranche of funds is made available.

“The drive to move from poverty to prosperity demands a new approach to doing business, a new approach to engaging our customers and a new approach to how our people relate to Government,” he said.

Last Updated: July 8, 2016

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