MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Opposition spokesman on transport and works Mikael Phillips is calling for the contractor of the US$188-million May Pen to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000 and the company responsible for oversight of the project to swiftly address concerns of residents affected by the highway’s construction.

Following a tour of St Toolies in Manchester last Thursday, Phillips said China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC) need to address serious flooding concerns, dust nuisance and safety hazards.

“After doing the tour with members of the community that the highway is passing through, [there are] a few things that make me very concerned. First thing is how the contractor treats the residents that are impacted by the construction,” he said.

“Now we are in 2022 and it is as if we have dictators trying to dictate to residents,” he added.

Phillips pointed to a lack of safety barriers and the continued protests by residents over the dust nuisance caused by the highway construction.

“How it is that they (contractors) cut the hillside away without even any safety barriers for falling rocks coming down into the communities?” he asked.

He added that the level of drainage work now on the highway is unacceptable, as it will cause flooding in communities like St Toolies.

“When I look right here, this is a main road going into St Toolies and the water drain is coming right down into the main road, so during construction the community is impacted,” he said.

However, Stephen Edwards, managing director at NROCC, which is responsible for overseeing the design, construction and maintenance of Jamaica’s highways, told the Jamaica Observer that work is currently in progress on the drainage features in the St Toolies area.

“Hence, people are now observing drainage systems which the contractor is still constructing. It is important to note that drainage designs were done for a 100-year return period for the worst-case scenario,” he explained.

The highway project – which will reduce travel time between Kingston, Mandeville and points west – is now 73 per cent complete and is fast advancing with it expected to be completed ahead of the March 2023 deadline.

Phillips urged NROCC and the National Works Agency to properly oversee various aspects of the project.

“The community has been impacted by bauxite [already]. You look here now, this is road construction. We are not against development. What we are for is for development to work in tandem with the people and not treat the people as if they are non-existent in the middle of the construction,” he said.

“We should not forget that the owner of the contract is the Government of Jamaica and not [CHEC],” he added.

He said there needs to be greater dialogue with affected residents to have their concerns addressed.

“The residents who I have met with are going to be greatly impacted. They say that they have been waiting for over a week now for the Member of Parliament (Manchester Southern, Robert Chin) and Councillor (Claudia Morant Baker, Porus Division) to come and sit with them,” he said.

“This project itself is impacting the lives of many and this that I am seeing here is unacceptable and an explanation needs to be had with the residents,” he added.

However, Edwards said NROCC representatives are “regularly present on the construction site”.

“Residents of all communities along the construction alignment are constantly engaged. NROCC continues to encourage people to bring all their concerns to the attention of the agency or contractor. All complaints received are logged and addressed. At present records show that 90 per cent of complaints have been resolved, up from 70 per cent in 2021,” he explained.

He said NROCC is greatly concerned about unauthorised visits to the active construction site.

“The agency received reports that groups of people unrelated to the project traversed various sections of the construction site without permission and without the required construction personal protective equipment. This is a major breach of safety standards and presents serious risks. NROCC is requesting an immediate stop to this unsafe practice,” he said.

Meanwhile, Phillips reiterated his concern about flooding risks, which he believes the highway will bring to communities.

“I have made it known from early, from even before the start of the construction, water runs from uphill to downhill… you’re seeing it out at the beginning of the highway that the culverts are inadequate to take the water flowing downhill to head to the sea,” he said.

“At the beginning of the highway on the May Pen side there has been a damming of the water. Once we have a day or two of rain there is a damming of the water, so you are having problems with mosquitoes. You [are] having problems with flooding,” he added.

He claimed that the treatment of residents affected by the project in Manchester and Clarendon is different from in urban areas.

“It is good development for the country, but it cannot be that there is one standard for some and another for others. They would not treat the residents in Kingston and St Andrew during construction as they are treating the folks in south Manchester and in Clarendon,” he said.