NWA says road repairs started, but rain hindering progress

By Kimone Witter    

 

The National Works Agency says it is committed to the rehabilitation of roads under the REACH programme, in the shortest possible time, however, almost daily rainfall is hampering progress.

 

Work started on the weekend in the Corporate Area and Portmore.

 

"We were trying to make a push this past weekend. We did manage to get some things done, but not enough from what we would have set ourselves," conceded NWA Communication Manager Stephen Shaw, who said the work will continue as the weather permits.

 

He acknowledged the extremely poor state of some roads. 

 

"Right around the country, we have experienced heavy rainfall over the weekend, and so this has stymied the effort. But we are committed to ensuring that the persons...who drive, do get a better experience moving around the country," he promised. 

 

He was speaking Tuesday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.

 

The Cabinet was scheduled to be updated on the other road rehabilitation programme - SPARK - on Monday.

 

It's expected that Minister with responsibility for Works Robert Morgan will update the country on the discussions when he addresses the Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. 

 

 

In the meantime, the National Works Agency has reiterated that the patching of roads is dependent on the availability of funds from the government.

 

Taxi operators in Clarendon on Monday withdrew their services to protest the poor condition of several roadways, which they believe were not properly rehabilitated.

 

This was one of several protests in recent weeks.

 

The NWA Communication Manager said the agency is moving as quickly as the procurement process allows. 

 

"We have had protest action in several areas around the country. And we do understand the frustration of some of the persons who go along some of these corridors daily. It is not that, you know, we are sitting on our hands. We have to go through the different processes that are mandated by law, and we have to ensure that the funding is received and in place before we can get certain things done," Mr. Shaw sought to explain.