SPARK programme on track to begin before year-end, says Morgan

By Racquel Porter    

 

The Ministry of Works says the Public Investment Management Committee has approved the $45 billion SPARK programme.

 

The programme is aimed at significantly upgrading Jamaica's infrastructure, with a focus on critical improvements to road networks and water systems.

 

Minister with responsibility for Works, Robert Morgan, gave an update on SPARK at Wednesday morning's post Cabinet media briefing. 

 

"It was the last act of our now departed finance minister [Nigel Clarke], where he ensured that the $45 billion SPARK programme was approved by the entity. It will now go to the Public Procurement Committee where we expect it will be approved and then it will go to Infrastructure Committee and Cabinet. So we are on track for the first road to be fixed before the end of the year on SPARK," he announced. 

 

Mr. Morgan said Members of Parliament and councillors have submitted more than 600 community roads for repairs over the two-year period.

 

Disclosing that a SPARK website will go live in two weeks, Mr. Morgan said the list of roads and timeline for repairs will be posted.

 

But he said not all roads will be fixed in the first year. 

 

"Of 63 constituencies, each constituency would have submitted approximately 10 roads each. We will not be fixing all 630 roads in the first year of the SPARK programme, but a significant amount will be procured. We've been having engagements with various stakeholders such as Petrajam to date," he said. 

 

In the meantime, Minister Morgan said work under the REACH Road Rehabilitation Programme is 80 per cent complete. 

 

REACH aims to address critical road infrastructure needs across the country, with a specific focus on damage caused by recent weather events, including Hurricane Beryl.