MONTEGO BAY, St James — Works Minister Robert Morgan has thrown cold water on claims by Member of Parliament for St James Southern, the People’s National Party’s Nekeisha Burchell, that her advocacy resulted in work finally being done on the Montpelier to Anchovy road in St James.

“We will fix the Montpelier Road. That’s a commitment that you have from me as the minister with responsibility and from the prime minister. It is not something that you have to force us to do. It is something that was planned long ago. We could never dig up Montpelier Road and not fix it back,” Morgan said in response to reporters during a tour of the Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project on Wednesday.

“So, for those who are saying that this is advocacy that has caused us to plan to fix the road, no, we plan our projects. Yes, there have been delays. We welcome advocacy. Advocacy is good. But as a responsible Government we plan our projects, we budget our projects, and we have a budget to fix that road, and we will fix that road,” he added.

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) is funding pipe-laying work by the National Water Commission (NWC) as part of the Government’s $500-million Integrated Community Development Project to improve water supply in several St James Southern communities. However, the ongoing works have worsened already poor road conditions, causing heavy traffic and travel delays.

Three weeks ago public passenger operators withdrew service along the route in protest, citing the deteriorating road surface. Burchell was on the scene of the protest, calling for intervention. In response, JSIF urged the public to remain patient.

The first-term MP recently took to social media claiming that she has finally been successful in her push for the start of long-awaited road repairs.

“After weeks of follow-up, letters, meetings with the NWA (National Works Agency), the JSIF (Jamaica Social Investment Fund) and the NWC (National Water Commission), and after writing directly to Minister Morgan when I wasn’t getting anywhere, I am pleased to report that we finally have some movement. Mister [EG] Hunter, who’s the head of the National Works Agency, has confirmed for me that the remedial work on the Montpelier to Anchovy road has now been scoped and costed. The NWA is currently working with JSIF to finalise the financing arrangements. Their most optimistic projection is that work should begin within the next two weeks, once the contracting process is properly finalised,” Burchell said in her post.

On Wednesday, Morgan did not fully commit to the two-week start date. Stressing that the road cannot be paved while construction is ongoing, he said work will begin as soon as JSIF completes its work.

On Thursday, managing director of JSIF, Omar Sweeney, told the Jamaica Observer that reinstatement of the road will start in about two weeks.

“November 1 is when we are working to begin. We should finish the testing of the pipe in the next two weeks or so, and then be in a position to start reinstating the road,” Sweeney said.

“We have other works [that] we’ll be doing, but they’re not on the Montpelier main road. We’re doing works in Roehampton and some other areas connected to this work. But what we’re going to do is get off the Montpelier main road in the month of November,” he added.

Meanwhile, Morgan pointed out that as with any development, challenges were expected. He explained that the road had to be excavated to lay pipes and that heavy rains have since delayed progress. Additionally, he said, there is ongoing dialogue with JSIF to address the issues.

“There has been recent commentary on television, and we have seen demonstrations. I want to assure the people of Southern St James, the people of Hanover, and the people of St James generally, that your Government cares about you. If we did not care, we would not be making the investment in the water facility there,” the works minister said.

In this September file photo protesters demand urgent repair to the road between Montpelier and Anchovy in St James.

Member of Parliament for St James Southern Nekeisha Burchell (left) speaking with protesters on the Montpelier to Anchovy road recently.