Roads to be upgraded in Westmoreland and Hanover
ST JAMES, Jamaica— Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Everald Warmington, says close to $200 million will be allocated to carry out much needed infrastructural roadworks in the parishes of Westmoreland and Hanover.
The minister, who toured sections of Central Westmoreland along with other ministry officials and a team from the National Works Agency (NWA) on June 30, said that while the resources are not available to “do all that we would like”, the goal is to do as much upgrade on roads across the island as possible.
“Representation has been made to us about roads in sections of Westmoreland and Hanover that are badly in need of repairs,” Warmington said.
“In Central Westmoreland, we are looking at the Golden River to Glasgow project at a cost of some $65 million; from Shrewsbury to Longwood… another $45 million… $20 million for the Shrewsbury bridge and also $30 million for the road going into Welcome. In addition, we have three projects for Eastern Hanover and another three for Western Hanover,” he added.
Warmington, in the meantime, said the Government is also looking at some exciting new initiatives, “as we strive to have our people” moving more efficiently and, ultimately, driving up their productive capacity.
“The National Road Operating and Constructing Company Limited (NROCC) is again the lead agency on the ministry’s behalf. It has identified some corridors that have capacity deficits, meaning that the existing traffic volumes exceed their projected capacity,” the minister noted.
“The private arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is now carrying out preliminary assessments on these likely projects. I must say that these assessments are being done at no cost to the Government and people of Jamaica at this time,” he said.
Warmington said the ministry is also looking at a number of roads in key sections of the island with a view to improving their efficiency given the current realties and “where we project to be in the future”.
“The road sections, which have been divided into four packages, are Package 1: Montego Bay Perimeter Road and the Long Hill Bypass Projects – 28.6km; Package 2: Mammee Bay to Salem in St Ann – 12.3km; Package 3: Seacastles to Greenwood in St James – 6.8km; Package 4: Greenwood, Trelawny to Discovery Bay, St Ann – 40.7km,” he noted.
