CHIEF executive officer of the National Works Agency EG Hunter recently met with senior members of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), including personnel from its regional office in Panama.

Hunter had summoned the head of CHEC’s regional operations to a meeting in Kingston to address matters relating to the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP).

The CHEC team, led by its deputy general manager for the Americas Division in Panama, Huazhong Jiang gave assurances that resources will be made available in order to improve productivity.

Aspects of the over 120-kilometre highway construction have been stymied owing to several challenges, including slow pace of work and a lack of proper maintenance of work zones.

Jiang gave assurances to the NWA CEO that activities on all the projects will be ramped up in the coming days and weeks, as CHEC is pushing to give public access to more reconstructed areas. Among the areas where traffic is expected to be rerouted by this Friday is the stretch of road between Marabella and 11 Miles, Bull Bay, St Thomas.

CHEC is also expected to pay more keen attention to the work of its subcontractors, two of whom have already been separated from the company. There are 10 subcontracts to local companies as part of the agreement with the Government for the building out of the road.