KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that the National Works Agency’s (NWA) chief executive officer (CEO), E.G. Hunter, will take direct supervision of the South Coast Highway Improvement Project to ensure timely completion.

The decision comes in response to delays caused by broken water mains on a section of the roadway, rendering it nearly impassable for several hours.

Acknowledging and apologising for the inconvenience caused, Hunter reported to the PM that the broken water mains have been repaired resulting in the section of the road becoming drivable once again.

Holness has since directed the contractor, China Harbour Engineering, to increase their resources and expedite the project’s completion.

Hunter is expected to provide direct oversight to ensure the contractor meets the designated targets.

The NWA has expressed that in order to prevent further occurrences of such water main breaks, it will conduct inspections along the roadway to detect signs of leakage.

The release stated that to date, 14.1 km out of the 17.4 km section of the road from Harbour View to Yallas which was affected by the water main breaks, have been asphalted, with full completion expected by August 23, 2023.

Hunter noted that the road is of significant importance as it carries over 15,000 motor vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks that support the thriving aggregate industry. He went on to stress the complexity of managing the road upgrade alongside existing traffic, involving the installation of pipes, fibre-optic cables, sewerage, and other utilities while ensuring the functionality of the current infrastructure.