Work in Progress on Weakened Sections of Palisadoes Strip

Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Henry, has said that the expansion of the weakened sections along the Palisadoes Road, would provide protection against a category one or two hurricane.
He also noted that based on the favourable weather conditions that the island is enjoying, continuous work on the strip is being undertaken by the contractors.
The Minister was speaking in an interview with JIS News, during a tour of the project, yesterday (August 7).
Mr. Henry pointed out that sections of the roadway had been stone-walled to a height of about 4.2 metres, noting that this height was the overall aim to protect the road during surges.
The Minister said that reasonable progress has been made along the strip, and that the Government has been able to get an advance from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), to continue the work.
“I was able to get the CDB to release another advance of money on the original contract, so if they had advanced me US$500,000 first and another US$500,000 now, that one million will reduce the final tender contract, unless there are any added technical things to be done,” he said.
In the meantime, the Minister commended the work that is being undertaken and noted that, “so far they are doing a solid job.”
The Minister said that work on the harbour side has not yet started, “because that will relate to the final contract, which is based on a study being completed. Therefore, we expect to go with that contract tender at the end of August.”
Project Manager from the National Works Agency (NWA), George Knight, told JIS News that the first disbursement from the CDB was used to build revetments one and two.
“What we are doing here forms part of the long term solution…We are going to a height of about 4.2 metres,” he informed.
“We are also mindful of the people who jog and use the roadway, so what we are going to do is to have a jogging trail, so joggers will be able to jog on top of the revetment and have the lovely view of the harbour and the open sea,” Mr. Knight said.