$2.4 Billion Allocated for North Jamaica Development Project
By: , April 7, 2014The Key Point:
The Facts
- The projects seeks to develop infrastructure along Jamaica’s North Coast, improve vehicular and pedestrian safety.
- For the new fiscal year it is anticipated that there will be completed payment of contractors’ claim under Segment Three of the project.
The Full Story
Northern Jamaica Development Project has been allocated $2.4 billion in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, which is now before the Standing Finance Committee of the House.
The projects seeks to develop infrastructure along Jamaica’s North Coast; improve vehicular and pedestrian safety; reduce overall transportation costs and alleviate congestion along the corridor, by eliminating standing water on driving surfaces; and improve the sight distances by flattening curves and removing roadside obstacles.
Achievements up to March 2014 for Segment one, which includes Negril to Montego Bay are: construction of roadway, 100 per cent completed; and ongoing payments for parcels of land acquired.
For segment two, which includes the Greenside (Trelawny) to Ocho Rios, Jamaica Public Service and Cable and Wireless poles and wires located in section 2,3 and 4, have been  relocated; pilot road maintenance programme completed; resettlement of all project affected persons completed;180 parcels of land acquired; and the construction of highway completed and open to traffic (69.7km).
As for segment 2A, which includes Montego Bay to Greenside, civil works contract have been completed; defects liability period completed; legal acquisition of 67 parcels of land completed; relocation of all utility poles completed and resettlement of all project affected persons 100 per cent completed.
For Segment three, which includes Ocho Rios to Fair Prospect, civil works contract have been completed; relocation of all utility poles 100 per cent completed; legal acquisition of 480 parcels of land completed; and the resettlement of 570 project affected persons completed.
For the new fiscal year it is anticipated that there will be completed payment of contractors’ claim under Segment Three of the project.
The project is funded by the Government of Jamaica, European Union, Inter- American Development Bank and the Overseas Economic Fund. It is scheduled to be completed by February 2015.