Mexico Provides US$1.8 Million Grant to Rehabilitate Riverton City Access Road

The Government of Jamaica has received a US$1.8 million grant from Mexico to rehabilitate the access road leading to the Riverton City landfill in St. Andrew.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Noel Arscott, and Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency Cecilia Jaber, signed the grant agreement on June 3, at the Ministry’s Hagley Park Road offices in Kingston.

The scope of work to be carried out includes preparation of road base and sub-base, construction of sidewalks and concrete drains, and relocation of public utilities where applicable. Work is set to begin this month, and last for one year.

In his address at the ceremony, Minister Arscott informed that the road will be built with concrete.  He said tests have shown that concrete will last longer that the traditional asphalt and requires minimal maintenance.

The Minister said upgrading of the road will enable easier and more frequent access by trucks to the landfill to ensure more efficient operations by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).

He noted that the improvement to the roadway will also reduce payments to contract truckers, as many of them have been seeking compensation for the wear and tear on their vehicles.

“The construction of the access road will complement some of the activities that have already been implemented, which include the covering of the Riverton site, the re-establishment of tipping cells, and the installation of fire suppression equipment,” he pointed out.

Minister said the project will also provide for the sharing of expertise in concrete pavement construction with the local road building sector.

In her remarks, Ambassador Jaber said the grant came from the Infrastructure Fund for Mesoamerican and the Caribbean Countries, known as the Yucatan Agreement.

She said that her country is happy to provide support for the project, which will contribute to social upgrading of the Riverton community.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley; and Member of Parliament for Western St. Andrew, where the Riverton landfill is located, Hon. Anthony Hylton, addressed the ceremony, and welcomed the support from Mexico.