A high-level meeting is expected to take place today between Ministry of Transport and work officials and the principal contractors, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), and sub-contractors of the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) as government moves to thrash out ongoing disputes between the parties which have seen some projects stalled.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport Audrey Sewell told a meeting of Parliament's Public Administration and Appropriations Committee on Wednesday that "efforts are being made to restart projects that were put on hold for varying reasons".

"There are some programmes that we expect very soon to be completed, some are on track and there are some we have concerns with, particularly the arrangements with the subcontractors where there are challenges where the Ministry has had to intervene. We have projected to close out by March 2013," Sewell said.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency E G Hunter said the National Works Agency (NWA) had been read the "riot act" by its superiors and had in turn passed on the warning. He said following today's meeting swift action will follow.

According to Hunter, all the financial requirements for the JDIP projects were in place and it was now up to the main contractor and its sub-contractors to do their jobs.

PAAC Chairman Edmund Bartlett on Wednesday said citizens in many instances wanted the issues to be resolved.

"We are having issues in our areas where sub-contractors are saying to us they are not starting until they have been paid. You have to make sure that the situation between CHEC and the sub-contractors are resolved," Bartlett said.