BLUEFIELDS, Westmoreland — Some 2,000 people are to benefit from the $24 million rehabilitation of over four kilometres of roadway inside the Mount Airy and Bluefields areas of Westmoreland.

The contract was recently signed by the Mount Airy and Bluefields Citizens’ Associations and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

The roads to be rehabilitated under the contract include the two kilometre-long Robins River to Mount Airy road that will be completed at a cost of $12.5 million, and the 2.1 kilometre-long Belmont to Cherry Hill road that will be completed at a cost of $11.9 million.

Farmers in these areas have long complained that the poor condition of the roads, in addition to the absence of potable water, made it difficult for them to sustain their livelihood.

Not only do they have to transport water over far distances, but the cost to and from their communities is a strain on their meagre budgets. They have therefore welcomed the road rehabilitation works that are to be completed over the next 10 months, and have pledged to maintain the roads once they are completed.

The work, which is being funded through JSIF, is being done under the feeder road rehabilitation programme. The contractors are SWC Woodwork & Construction Company Limited.

JSIF’s social appraisal officer, Milton Harper, told residents at the contract signing that road projects were carried out via the Fund, with the aim of developing the economic infrastructure of rural communities, including farm roads.

“Estimates provided by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA,) indicate that agricultural production in the area can increase by as much as 50 per cent within three years of this road project being completed,” Harper said.

The JSIF board of directors has approved more than $2.6 billion for investment in various poverty alleviation projects. Of this amount, $923 million — about 35 per cent — has been allocated to the rural feeder roads rehabilitation programme.