Local and Community Roads Will Be Fixed – PM
By: , July 14, 2023
Photo: Mickella Anderson
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left), points to something of interest while walking along a paved section of the Grants Pen roadway during a tour of the St. Thomas leg of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) on April 13. He is accompanied by personnel from the National Works Agency (NWA) and China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC).
Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (centre), speaking to residents of Clarendon during a visit to several communities in the parish on Wednesday (July 12).The Full Story
The Government is committed to fixing local and community roads, says Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.
The Prime Minister gave the assurance, while speaking with residents of Clarendon South Western and Eastern constituencies after a brief tour of several communities on Wednesday (July 12).
Citing the ongoing works to extend the East-West Highway from May Pen into Manchester, which will improve the economic prospects for residents, he said that community thoroughfares are also receiving attention.
“The local roads are a challenge [and] we understand that. That is why the Government announced the Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme, which is an allocation of over $40 billion to fix community roads, local roads and parish council roads in every constituency,” the Prime Minister said.
He noted that the Government’s policy measures and prudent management of the economy has placed the country in a position to address the long-standing matter of poor community roads and asked for patience as the relevant oversight processes are conducted to facilitate the works.
“So yes, we are going to fix your roads but we have to be compliant with the rules, so it may take a little longer than you would expect but we ask for your patience and understanding… . We are going to fix your roads,” he assured.
The SPARK programme will address community, parochial and secondary roads where the surfaces have been scoured or filled with potholes, but the subsurface and drainage is generally intact.
Works will be managed through the National Works Agency in collaboration with the National Water Commission (NWC).
Members of Parliament will be playing a key role in making recommendations on the roads to be repaired in order of priority.