THE Dr Andrew Holness-led Administration is sticking with its decision to establish a new executive agency, One Road Authority (ORA), despite criticisms and opposition from several local government players.

Cabinet has given the nod to the ORA to operate under the works portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development.

Providing an update during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday, minister with responsibility for works Robert Morgan said the ORA will have a core mandate to regulate standards and performance for all roads, while implementing works on national main roads.

Morgan told the media briefing that Cabinet has also approved the development of the Jamaica Road Designation Framework as well as the Jamaica National Road Register.

“And we’re already in the process of creating the Jamaica National Road Register website where every Jamaican will have access to a list of all roads, the quality of the roads, and who is responsible for your road. And ultimately, when will your road be repaired, and if it has been repaired, who repaired it, the value of the repairs,” said Morgan.

He pointed out that members of the public will also be able to submit complaints and questions to the road register website.

Morgan explained that under the designation framework the ORA will determine which roads are main roads, farm roads, or parish council roads.

He said Cabinet has directed that his ministry begins implementation immediately and, within 90 days, indicate the recommended mechanisms and the necessary legislative and regulatory amendments, and to also begin consultations with stakeholders.

According to Morgan, the ORA will be mandated to:

• set and enforce a single standard for road works across the island, ensuring quality is consistent and roads are durable;

• strengthen quality assurance and compliance monitoring so that contractors and executing entities are held accountable for road standard requirements;

•introduce stronger performance reporting so that the public can see what is planned, what is delivered, and what standards are being met.

Morgan added that for national main roads the ORA will be disciplined in planning, procurement, contract management, and maintenance programming.

Of significance, he said there will be stiffer penalties for people who cause material to be spilled on and destroy roads.

The works minister also told the media briefing that Cabinet has approved a two-way pathway for the implementation of the ORA.

Phase one imposes a 90-day deadline to set up an enabling framework within the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development to start operational design and outline the legislative and regulatory changes that must be made.

Also, during this window, the technocrats will view the core instruments such as the designation criteria and the Jamaica National Road Register structure. Cabinet will have to give approval for these mechanisms, including any legal amendments that will be required.

Phase two will last three to 24 months and will include declaring initial national roads under approved criteria as part of the ORA. It also includes publishing the interim road register while starting the process to harmonise relevant legislation and putting in place management, data, performance, and maintenance systems.

Morgan stressed that road designation is important to determine which agency is responsible for certain roads, like those leading to critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and the ports.

He recounted an incident from 2025 when the roads leading to the ports needed urgent repairs, but the public was told no government agency had responsibility for those roads, which were never gazetted as National Works Agency roads. This needed the intervention of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness to ensure the repairs were undertaken, said Morgan.

“How can the roads leading to the ports not be under anyone’s jurisdiction or control? And that is the kind of laissez-faire structure that we’ve had in our country for the past 60 years, and that is something that the Government is very interested in fixing,” declared Morgan as he chided “those who may resist the ORA on the basis that it is taking away their power”.

He argued that with the Road Designation Framework and the Jamaica National Road Registry, the consultations that are going to have to take place in the communities to hear the views of the public, the Government is preparing “a very robust piece of legislation that at the end of it, we believe, Jamaicans are going to feel empowered that they finally have some influence and full knowledge of their roads, and how their roads are going to be managed”.