Palisadoes road work now set to start in October

BY INGRID BROWN Senior staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, August 13, 2010

THE US$65-million (approx J$5.5-billion) Palisadoes shoreline project, which was scheduled to start on July 1, is now set to get moving in October, a reliable source told the Observer.

The July start date was announced in April when Government sealed the deal with the Chinese company, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), to effect repairs to the only access road to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

The Palisadoes main road, which has in the past suffered from floodingafter heavy rainfall, is to be rehabilitated and its shoreline protected under the US$65-million project, which is majority- funded by the Chinese Government.

According to our source, who requested anonymity, the new start date was decided by Cabinet, which had not yet granted approval prior to the April announcement.

"They had gone and announced it for July 1 but that date was not approved by Cabinet so the new date is set to be in October," the source said.

Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry, in the meantime, told the Observer that the absence of physical work does not mean that work has not yet started on the project.

"There are offices to be set up and other things to put in place and I believe all of that is being done," Henry said. He promised to make checks to see when the physical work would actually begin.

In June this year, the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee of Parliament questioned whether the contract-procurement rules were circumvented in the contract which is funded by a loan from the Ex-Im Bank of China, while the remainder is being offset by the Jamaican government. YP Seaton & Associates is the sub-contractor.

The committee said it would be inviting Contractor General Greg Christie to its next meeting to clarify issues relating to the contract.

However at that meeting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Dr Alwyn Hales, said Christie had already sent queries to his office about the project.

He said the contractor general was not only investigating the project but would be monitoring it for the 24 months it is expected to be completed.

The project will include the widening of the road from two to four lanes, which will be raised between the roundabout before reaching the airport and that at Harbour View. Rock revetment works, the building of a boardwalk and the underground installation of electrical wiring will also be done.

At the launch in April, Sun Ziyu, chairman and chief executive officer of CHEC told the Observer that his company had factored in the two-year completion date time which could be lost during the hurricane seasons if the island is hit by a major weather system.

The road works, he said then, would not disrupt the flow of traffic to and from the airport.

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COMMENTS (11)

John Brown
8/14/2010

If they are going to spend so much money and actually build a road then they might as well build a bridge to let water in from the sea to replenish the harbour.

Jon Black
8/13/2010

A four lane highway in the area is unnecessary. There is never traffic in the area. The road doesnt even need to be raised over the whole length to the airport, only in the short area where the sea has come close to the road. A if they want to create a boardwalk like in the US they should do it in the downtown area closer to the city so that it will help revitalise that area. Complete waste of 65 million US dollars.

Jacqueline Samms
8/13/2010

This work is long overdue, water is cascading on both sides of the road, the beach that was there have long disappeared. It's the Jamaican draconian bureaucracy that is the problem.

Brad Kerr
8/13/2010

The cubans would have done a better job than the chinese on type of project. The Jamaican government must be vigilant while this project is being done. One need only to look at how often project of this magnitude fails after being completed with fanfare in China. I am sorry but these people are just not expert in this type of construction. The Dutch would have been ideal, or the Cubans right here from the Carribean.

L G
8/13/2010

I'm with you on this Richie L. When there is heavy rainfall, the main road from Kingston to Port Antonio via St. Thomas to take just ONE example, is in such poor condition that an entire parish is at times cut off from the rest of the island. And on a good day, those who transport the public and engage in commerce avoid many areas of the parish entirely. I just don't get how the palisadoes project was felt to be the best use of this US $64 million. We are not being told the entire story here.

Doban Smith
8/13/2010

What a waste!

Nejeeper KNG
8/13/2010

This is a very necessary project, what took them so long. The drive in from the International airport should be a good first impression when visitors and returning residence come to Jamaica. Now they need to address the zinc fences ½ mile down the road. Appearance tells a lot about a person, place or thing. I just want to know how much of our birth rights were given to China to fund this project. Don’t tell me that we are not capable of building our own infrastructure.
Gvt sell out everything.

george watson
8/13/2010

Probably this old man has bats in his belfry, or he thinks we do. When we say a project is about to start, we mean that work on the actual project is about to start. It has nothing to do with offices and tings like that.
Another case of a project being announced before approval by cabinet.
Why can't we get younger men to be ministers?. To my mind this man is much too old for the job

Richie L
8/13/2010

There are several other places where this money could have been spent.
.
I drove around the island, from Montego Bay to Montego Bay via Portland and St Thomas in 2008. The road between Port Antonia to around Yallahs is a mess. I recently went from Montego Bay to St. Elizabeth and the road there is a little better. These rural roads are in some serious shape and they need to be fixed so that commerce can flow better.
.
There is also a dearth of signage and markings on roads in Jamaica
.
Richie

Duncan Bertram
8/13/2010

Too late, Ja already made up its mind re change.

A Sil
8/13/2010

Why is the Govt still going through with this even though it will be destroyed by the first strong tidal surge?

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Palisadoes road work now set to start in October