Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth

A co-operative venture involving the public and private sector that has led to the recent installation of a bailey bridge at Thornton in the vicinity of the Appleton Sugar estate in North-East St Elizabeth is being hailed as the way to go for communities islandwide.

“This is the type of approach I would like to recommend to be used on a wider scale on projects of this nature, taking into account that Government resources are not limitless,” said Works Minister Robert Pickersgill.

The total cost of the bailey bridge, including its installation and preparatory/ infrastructural work, was estimated at $20 million. The work was carried out by the government through its National Works Agency (NWA) while the Sugar Industry Authority (SIA) provided $7 million, the Appleton Sugar Estate $4 million, and the St Elizabeth Parish Council $1 million. In addition, businessman Carlos McLeish transported the bridge parts to the site, free of cost.

The new bridge replaces one that collapsed last August forcing residents to use longer alternate routes. The old bridge had remained in use despite being officially condemned and closed three years ago.

Pickersgill also formally opened a $6-million bridge embracing two culverts in the nearby Box Wood community.

Pickersgill said the two bridges formed part of the government’s islandwide bridge development programme with 61 of the island’s over 800 bridges scheduled to be replaced.

Noting that the bailey bridge at Appleton has a load capacity of nine tonnes per axle, Pickersgill as well as outgoing member of parliament for North-East St Elizabeth Roger Clarke urged that the haulage trucks obey the restrictions and that residents monitor the situation closely.

“We are having a very serious problem with trailers. On most occasions they double their licence capacity …,” charged Pickersgill.

“It cannot be that persons overload vehicles to cross the structure only to appear later bemoaning the bad condition of the bridge which in the first place resulted from breaches of the regulations,” said Pickersgill.

Paul Henriquez, a director at Appleton, said his company’s $4-million contribution to the bailey bridge was just another indication of its commitment to the community. “We view ourselves as an integral part of this community,” he said. His company, he pointed out, had recently contributed to the refurbishing of the Siloah Post Office, the Siloah Primary School Computer lab and had donated 40 acres of land for sugar worker housing.

Clarke, who is minister of agriculture and lands, said the Appleton bridge was among the last remaining projects under his watch as he prepares to vacate the North-East St Elizabeth seat. Clarke is set to contest the central Westmoreland seat for the ruling People’s National Party (PNP).

Senator Kern Spencer who is aspiring to be the new member of parliament for North-East St Elizabeth following elections which are constitutionally due before November this year, paid tribute to Clarke for his years of service to the constituency.