$200 Million to Fix Road Breakaways in St. Andrew East Rural

Cabinet has approved two projects totalling $200 million to correct road breakaways in the community of Hall’s Delight in St. Andrew East Rural.

This was confirmed by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green,  when he delivered the keynote address at Tuesday’s (May 20) Farmer Distribution Ceremony, hosted by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), at Cinchona.

Mr. Green pointed out that the community currently has seven breakaways, which heighten the danger of traversing the roadway that is already in need of repair.

He added that with the road in disrepair, coffee production will be affected, as it is difficult to bring coffee to market, and for buyers to access the farms.

“In fact, I think you have seven breakaways. I know a couple of them that work had already started. There are two more that were approved (on May 19), and you understand that these breakaways have to be done even before you contemplate fixing the road, because it’s not going to last,” Mr. Green said.

He concurred with Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, who mentioned the allocations – $110 million and $90 million to address two breakaways – during her remarks at  the ceremony.

“So, in one fell swoop, Hall’s Delight (on May 19) got about $200 million in projects being approved,” Minister Green said.

This is in addition to other road rehabilitation projects that the Minister announced.

He said the Ministry has identified three areas under the National Farm Road Rehabilitation Programme, which will be fixed using cement roads.

The Minister  further  informed that the project will begin in St. Andrew East Rural.

He highlighted the urgency of the project, stating: “That is a priority for now because coming up here, not only are the conditions challenging, but you realise that this is a belt that you probably will have to use cement roads, for it to last the test of time. And I have said under the RADA Farm Road Programme, it does not make sense we do the road and come back next year and a man is going to say, ‘what happened to the road?’ Once we do the road, it must last.”

Minister Green disclosed that work should begin in the next four weeks in St. Andrew East Rural, adding that the Ministry is in the final stages of consultation with the cement company.

He urged patience among the residents, pointing out that the work will not be done quickly.

The Minister emphasised that in order to comprehensively address the conditions of farm roads, it will happen over a number of years. Consequently, he said he will propose that a project similar to the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) Programme be established to rehabilitate coffee roads.

In the meanwhile, he said an additional $120 million has been allocated to address issues in the St. Andrew coffee belt.

This is in addition to the $120 million that was allocated last year to help with breakaways in the communities of Hall’s Delight, Clydesdale, Mahoe to Spring Hill, Hagley’s Gap, Moy Hall, Flamstead and Cinchona in St. Andrew.