MAY PEN, Clarendon — Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie says his ministry will be providing $10 million to repair roads in the Spalding Division of the Clarendon North Western constituency.

McKenzie made the announcement following a tour of sections of the constituency on Wednesday. He said he was extremely concerned about the areas and committed to providing a solution.

“The funds will be made available once the requests and the estimates are received by the ministry. I want to say this: We can find as much money as we want but there’s a question of maintenance as to how we do these things. I understand that there are a number of roads that are being worked on through the SPARK (Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network) programme, but we have responsibility for municipal roads and we have to ensure that whatever we do is done in a way that we get the desired response,” added McKenzie.

He pointed out that a section of Mina Road was repaired through his ministry a few years ago.

“Prior work was done on the road leading to the bridge but because the bridge was compromised, the work was paused. We have to get the assessment first, look at the cost, and after that we will take steps
— but once we do that we will put in some measures in the short term to mitigate against further deterioration of the bridge,” said McKenzie as he expressed concerned about the impact this could have on surrounding communities if it is not dealt with expeditiously.

“If the breakaway continues, then eventually access to this entire area by vehicular traffic will be in extreme danger. I have asked the technical team to write to the NWA (National Works Agency) and ask them to join us. This is going to need not just the input of the local authority but the NWA, because they had done some work here before, so we will have a collective response to this project,” McKenzie explained.

“My visit here this morning doesn’t mean that it is going to be repaired tomorrow; this will take some time as we have to do all the necessary things. But whatever work can be done in the meantime to secure access and prevent further deterioration of the bridge, then we will do so,” he promised.

In the meantime, residents who use Mina Road are happy it will finally be getting some attention.

“Whenever it rains the water used to fall off the bridge foot, but now it break away so the water start fall under the bridge. It has been compromised, and only small vehicles can access the area,” Shawn Benjamin explained.

He said the deteriorating condition of the bridge has severely hindered further infrastructural development in the area.

“There are houses, buildings, and roads to fix over there, because a lot of people live round there. But because of the bridge, no big truck can drive on it to bring the material over there. At the moment, smaller vehicles are being used to move farm produce from the area but I’m concerned about the homes and other users who are at risk,” added Benjamin.

He pointed out that students who attend Sanguinetti Primary and other schools in Spalding use the thoroughfare. The Mina Bridge serves more than 500 residents between Sanguinetti and Dykes Hill, with districts such as Coffee Piece and Low Wood also relying on it.

For Delbert Wright, the repairs could not have come at a better time.

“One Thursday I wanted to go to Copper Wood and no taxi not running here. I could pay $200 to Copper Wood and $200 come back, but because of the poor road I had to pay to Spalding and then pay to Copper Wood, and instead [of] it cost[ing] me $400 it cost me $800,” the senior citizen explained.

He said the bridge lessens the journey to Copper Wood, and he is happy about the work to be done.