New Drainage System for Marcus Garvey Drive

The Government is finalising plans for construction of a new drainage system to address flooding along Marcus Garvey Drive, Kingston.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, made the disclosure during a tour of the area on Wednesday (October 24).

The visit was to assess the area in the wake of heavy rains on Tuesday (October 23) that flooded the busy thoroughfare.

“The Government is prepared to deal with the challenges that we experienced yesterday, and steps are under way to improve the drainage system by constructing a new (structure) along similar lines as the Sandy Gully,” Minister McKenzie said.

He indicated that he had dialogue with Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, earlier in the day, and at the end of the tour, more detailed discussions will take place for a recommendation to go before Cabinet.

He said that the funding for the undertaking will be “substantial”, noting that the works will be put to tender.

The project, which will start in the vicinity of Waltham Park Road and entail the Tinson Pen Aerodrome, will be jointly coordinated by the National Works Agency (NWA) and the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ).

It is part of a comprehensive upgrading of drainage systems being planned for the Corporate Area.

Minister McKenzie, who was accompanied on the tour by personnel from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NWMA) and the NWA, explained that water flowing on to Marcus Garvey Drive comes from as far as Liguanea.

He said that the Tinson Pen drain, which serves the area, was built some decades ago, and is inadequate to handle large volumes of water stemming from heavy rainfall.

Mr. McKenzie noted that following major flooding in the area last year, a holding system was put in place, which helped to improve drainage.

Minister McKenzie, in the meantime, assured that Corporate Area drains will be cleaned on a consistent basis, in order to prevent flooding in the event of heavy rainfall.