ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) — Prime Minister Andrew Holness, says the Government will be providing funds in the 2017/18 Supplementary Estimates for road repairs islandwide.

Holness said a significant allocation is being set aside in the Estimates, slated to be tabled in Parliament next week, at which time details of this and other provisions are expected to be outlined.

“If you are a motorist, you would be concerned about the state of the roads. After having three weeks of rain, our roads are now in a seriously compromised state. I also know that there are many Jamaicans who have been expressing their concerns about the state of our roads. I want to say to those persons that the Government hears… the Government cares… and the Government understands,” he further said.

The prime minister was speaking at the official opening of the new Appliance Traders Limited (ATL) Automotive Group showroom in Montego Bay, St James yesterday.

Meanwhile, Holness announced that alignment plans for the proposed Montego Bay Bypass have been finalised and will shortly be submitted to Cabinet for consideration and approval.

He said, thereafter, “we will move towards financing and, ultimately, the construction of the road”. The prime minister reiterated that the project will entail the construction of a 14-kilometre road that enables motorists to bypass the Montego Bay city centre within approximately eight minutes, and assured that they should be able to get to their destinations “in reasonable time”. Holness, who is also Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, again urged motorists to drive with care and caution.

“I don’t have the (2017) road fatalities statistics here with me. But the last time I checked, we were doing fairly better than we did last year. We are now entering the Christmas season, and this is the time when we usually see a spike. So I want to use this platform to encourage (everyone) to use our roads with care,” he added.

Holness also commended the ATL Group for “believing in Jamaica” and for its “commitment to excellence” through the construction of the new showroom.

For his part, Group Chairman, Adam Stewart, said he was encouraged by the business climate in Jamaica, and particularly in Montego Bay, adding that this is expected to augur well for the automobile industry”.

“We are seeing where Jamaica is now being viewed as an example, not just in the region but to so many countries around the world. Montego Bay is such an amazing town where there is so much activity going on. We see the BPO (business process outsourcing) sector (as well as) the retail (and) the hotel sectors all expanding. Montego Bay, for the sixth consecutive year, has been cited as the fastest growing city in the region,” Stewart said