Mocho to Arcadia roadway in south St James to be rehabilitated
ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) – A contract, valued at $83.9 million, for the rehabilitation of 7.4 kilometres of roadway from Mocho to Arcadia, in South St. James, was signed on September 4 by Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Richard Azan.
The project, which is being funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), should commence within two weeks, and completed in four months. The contractor is S and G Road Surfacing Materials Limited, based in Manchester.
In addition to a double layer of asphalt being laid on the roadway, several drains will be repaired or built to ensure that surface water in controlled.
Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Mocho Community Centre, Azan said the rehabilitated roadway should create much ease for farmers, commuters, students and even visitors who travel through the communities to visit tourist attractions in neighbouring St Elizabeth.
“It will also be easier for the police to come into your community to patrol and for the community members to work with the police in protecting the community,” the state minister said.
He implored residents of the area to support the contractor in order for the work to be completed on time and within budget.
“The contractor must give us quality work and he has to start on time and finish on time. We want to make sure that the money that the TEF is giving us, we put in quality work, so everyone can see,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Azan is challenging residents who will benefit from the rehabilitated roadway to own it and play their part in caring for it.
“At times people complain that they want good roads, but sometimes the citizens themselves tend to create a bad road. We need to go back to the days when people helped to clean up their own community. You can’t have good roads unless the drains are clean and you cannot wait on government for everything. It is your community and you have to take care of it,” he urged.
Azan also encouraged the farmers to exercise due care when they are configuring their farms to ensure that they do not deliberately send surface water onto the roadway.
