KINGSTON, Jamaica—Transport Minister Daryl Vaz is accusing Opposition Spokesperson for Land and Works, Lothan Cousins and the People’s National Party (PNP) of misleading the public, doubling down that the recent increase in toll fees is a result of agreement between the PNP administration and private concessionaires.

Cousins in an earlier statement on Friday rejected what he described as attempts by Vaz to attribute the toll adjustment mechanism to the previous PNP administration.

Cousins noted the principal agreements that established the framework for the North-South Highway project were negotiated and executed under the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration in 2011.

READ: Opposition accuses Vaz of misleading public about toll fees

Vaz however described Cousins and the PNP as being disingenuous and attempting to mislead the Jamaican public as the facts, he said, are documented and clear that the PNP administration negotiated and inked the agreement with the private concessionaires, six months after they were returned to Government in 2011.

“Cousins is clearly out of his depth on this matter. His statement is both inaccurate and misleading, and it is not surprising given the PNP’s consistent pattern of distortion when it comes to major infrastructure projects. This release is demonstrative of the PNP’s scant regard for the truth and highlights both poor leadership and mentorship within their ranks,” Vaz said.

Vaz clarified that the toll adjustment mechanism is governed by long-standing concession agreements. He noted that the toll cap is subject to adjustment based on the valuation of the Jamaican dollar against the United States dollar, and the inflation rate in the US economy, plus one percent.

He said for Cousins to suggest that Jamaica’s domestic inflation rate is a direct factor in the contractual toll adjustment is both ignorant and grossly misleading.

The minister further noted that while early agreements were advanced under the JLP administration in 2011, it was the PNP administration under Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller that executed the binding Amended and Restated Implementation Agreement in June 2012 and finalised the concession with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

Concerning the planned expansion at the Mammee Bay Toll Plaza, Vaz emphasised that this forms part of the North-South Highway Extension Project as announced by the prime minister during the Budget Debate.

“The expansion of the toll plaza serves the Jamaican people, who for months have complained about severe traffic congestion and delays at the booths. For Cousins to question whether this represents value for money is narrow-minded. Hours of productivity are being lost on a daily basis, especially during peak seasons and major events. I am astonished that this is something I even have to explain to the opposition and its spokesman,” Vaz added.