MILE GULLY, Manchester — Opposition spokesman on transport and works Mikael Phillips is accusing the Government of playing politics in dealing with the country’s road infrastructure.

“It is the worst that our infrastructure has been in this country,” the Manchester North Western Member of Parliament (MP) told People’s National Party (PNP) supporters at his constituency conference in Mile Gully last Saturday.

“We have a bridge up in Troy [near the Manchester/Trelawny border]. This month makes one year [since] that bridge collapse. School starting next week. Majority of the students that live on the Manchester side have transferred to schools in St Elizabeth and when the minister [of works] come up there him seh him cyaan give wi nuh promise, but in other places we see it happen in short order. Stop play politics with infrastructure,” said Phillips.

“… Because we see neighbouring MPs get over $100 million to spend in one financial year. Use all NWA (National Works Agency) money fix parish council road and lane, while others haffi a try rub two stone. It not fair,” he added.

He reiterated his call for there to be dedicated funding allocated for infrastructure.

“It is not good enough to say you are doing two bypass roads; Hagley Park Road started under PNP, so did Constant Spring Road, but it is not good to cut ribbon and break ground fi two bypass roads and think that you are fixing the problems of the country,” said Phillips.

“When him have only $4 billion in the budget to deal with road maintenance when the CEO of the National Works Agency seh him want $1 trillion. You see the disparity, because this never happen under a PNP Administration, ever, in what we are seeing right now. Dem have a little strategy where is first-term MP a get everything. Mi all hear second- and third-term Labourite MP a complain, because it stay bad out deh,” added Phillips.