GRANGE HILL, Westmoreland — Member of Parliament (MP) for We
stmoreland Western Morland Wilson is elated that he was able to move road rehabilitation work in his constituency through the onerous procurement process.

However, he is still reeling from the verbal battering he received from constituents who had to wait approximately two and a half years for work to begin, and he wants the procurement process to be more efficient.

“While I am happy that the roads are being worked on now, I am still unhappy with the length of time it takes for us to get here,” the first-term MP told the Jamaica Observer.

He said his constituents, wary after so many unmet deadlines, do not believe in the process.

“Despite you telling persons that yes, the monies are allocated, persons are unhappy because they think you are telling them [that only] to please them when, in fact, the funding is available. People… have begun to question why it is taking so long,” said Wilson.

He said he has to be careful when explaining the delay to avoid being labelled as someone who strays from the truth.

Wilson is just the latest MP to express concern about lengthy delays attributed to the procurement process. The concerns were addressed by Minister of Finance and the Public Service Dr Nigel Clarke during his opening of the 2024/25 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 12

Clarke has promised that, through amendments to the Public Procurement Act 2015 and its Regulations, increased adjustments will be made to the thresholds for the procurement of goods, services, and works in public sector entities.

“I welcome the review by the minister. I am yet to be informed by the NWA [National Works Agency] how that will work,” said Wilson, “but in my estimation it is going to be exceptional because you will find that funds allocated will be readily available to carry out the repairs. Currently, anything over $100 million, public procurement takes up an exorbitant amount of time to go through that process — which, to me, is not practical.”

In an interview with the Observer in May of last year, Wilson had complained bitterly about red tape which, at the time, had reportedly resulted in the Glasgow to Grange Hill roadway project ballooning by approximately 233 per cent. Last year he stated that the initial estimate was $20 million to $30 million.

On Tuesday, he told the Observer that infrastructure work, such as the installation of culverts, began at the end of last year. “Last week we did an asphalting of a section of it; we are working now to complete the other section. Drain work should start on Tuesday so it is basically being worked on,” Wilson said.

“We are working in several areas as well. We are working on the Fullersfield section where asphalt is to be laid there as well. We are working in Cottage, and then we will be moving on to the Sheffield [Primary] School road,” the MP added.

Residents have in the past staged protests because of the condition of the road.

“While it is a parish council road, I took on the initiative to lobby the Government for money to get it repaired because it has been neglected for quite some time,” explained Wilson, who said he is awaiting a commencement date from the NWA.