$179 Million for National Road Network Improvement

A sum of $179 million has been allocated to the National Road Services Improvement Programme and Institutional Strengthening Project, to continue with the creation of a self-sustainable system for the provision of a safe and reliable national road network.
The money has been set aside in the 2006/2007 Estimates of Expenditure, which is currently before the House of Representatives.
The project also aims to support the Ministry of Housing, Transport and Works in the implementation of a new framework for administering the main road network; strengthen the core activities of planning, programming and budgeting for the road sector, and maintain design and construction of roads within the national network, under the auspices of the National Works Agency (NWA).
The project, which began in April 2002, is slated to run until March 2009. It is jointly funded by the Inter American Development Bank and the Government of Jamaica.
Since its inception, the project set out to boost the institutional strengthening of the NWA, develop an improved road maintenance system, and complete designs for road rehabilitation.
To date, achievements under the project include rehabilitation of 95 per cent of the road sections damaged by Hurricane Ivan; a proposal for qualification and tender completed and sent out, and the establishment of a project implementation unit.
Among the objectives that have been set out for the 2006/2007 fiscal year is engagement of consultants for the first phase of infrastructure, transport planning, environmental assessment. and road safety.
Further to this, goods and services are to be procured, the rehabilitation of road sections damaged by Hurricane Ivan are to be completed, and the road maintenance and management system will be enhanced.