TROY, Trelawny – Minister with responsibility for works, Everald Warmington, has given an assurance that Government will ensure that the Troy bridge, which collapsed last August, causing great inconvenience for hundreds of residents and motorists, will be replaced.

He was, however, quick to declare that construction of the facility could stretch over two budget cycles.

“We have to find it (funding). Looking at it we won’t be able to do it in one budget. So we might have to do it over two years, two budget cycles as such. We will start it, and then compete it in the other year. But it has to be replaced. There are no ifs or buts about it,” Warmington told the Jamaica Observer West during a tour of the area last week.

He was accompanied by Trelawny Southern Member of Parliament Marisa Dalrymple Philibert, Councillor C Junior Gager (Jamaica Labour Party, Warsop Division), a technical team from the works ministry, along with representatives of the National Works Agency (NWA).

Warmington revealed that already the NWA has commenced the design work which will be followed by the costing for the construction exercise.

“Once the design is completed then we price it and we move it from there,” Warmington stressed.

The 125-year-old Troy bridge, which spans the Troy river on the southern Trelawny border, serves farmers in the parishes of Trelawny and the neighbouring Manchester.

During last week’s visit, Warmington and his team also inspected a breakaway road in Stettin, among other roadways in south Trelawny that are in need of repairs.

The works minister noted that in addition to the construction of the bridge, “we are looking at river training”.

“Mr [Stephen] Shaw, [communications manager at NWA], advised me that some [river training] was done before so what we do now is to continue that river training up to the bridge until we are ready to build as such,” he said.

The minister’s visit brought relief, not only to Dalrymple Philibert and Gager, but to Manchester North Western Member of Parliament Mikael Phillips, who later joined the party.

Phillips has long drawn attention to the plight of residents and motorists since the bridge collapsed.

Last week, he noted that he was mindful of the financial constraints faced by the country at this time as he welcomed the works minister’s commitment to replace the bridge.

“I am happy that the minister came to view the bridge. I didn’t want it to be as if I was complaining in a vacuum about the Troy bridge. I know that budget is tight as we saw in the budget that was tabled in the House recently. The same amount of $70 million that was granted for bridges last year, and the year before, and the year before, is the same $70 million when you have more bridges across the island that is in a state as the Troy bridge is,” Phillips argued.

“I can understand the plight of the Government itself, if I am to be fair. You have hundreds of bridges across the island, you have many in disrepair.”

Phillips noted that the education and farming sectors have been hard hit by the collapse of the bridge pointing out that individuals are now using a makeshift zipline to cross the river.

“We have a large percentage of students that live in Manchester that come to the schools here (Troy). You have the health centre here, there are teachers who live in St Elizabeth that teach at the schools here. For them to traverse a road around the other route is about 15 miles. You’re talking about additional petrol, you’re talking about wear and tear on the vehicle,” said Phillips, who is also the Opposition spokesman on housing, transport and works.

He added: “This is an economic route for farmers because you have farmers who farm in Manchester and Trelawny will go to Westmoreland, St Elizabeth and St James markets. They have to take a longer route around.”

Gager was also elated over the assurances given by Warmington during the tour of sections of the Trelawny Southern constituency.

“I am feeling blessed just knowing that at least he (Warmington) is giving the parish, and, of course, Troy in particular. And, of course, the breakaways by the roadside, he is looking favourably at them. It makes me feel very, very pleased and happy. I know we will have the necessary redress in the shortest time,” said Gager.