Transport Minister suggests emergency response to repair damaged roads

By Clinton McGregor    

 

Transport Minister Daryl Vaz has joined the call for an urgent response to the poor road conditions across the island.

 

Motorists have expressed frustration about the prevalence of potholes and deteriorating road surfaces, some of which have contributed to fatal crashes.

 

Speaking in an interview with Radio Jamaica News on Wednesday afternoon, during a tour of Norman Manley International Airport, Minister Vaz conceded that the road conditions are unbearable.

 

He has suggested that the administration bypass the procurement process and implement an emergency response to repair the roads.

 

"If you look at the roads in Jamaica, across Jamaica, and the damage that has been done to them, and the scouring of the roads, it is impatient of response. And I know that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the NWA (National Works Agency), has a plan that he will announce, but it is impatient of waiting. We cannot go through Christmas without starting work, even to patch before the SPARK programme," he proposed. 

 

The minister, who noted that all types of roads have suffered damage, said this has resulted in a loss of productivity as Jamaicans are spending hours in traffic having to "come to almost a complete stop to navigate some of the trenches and the holes that the rains have caused". 

 

The National Works Agency has said hotmix patching of roads under the REACH programme will resume on Friday.

 

The agency said road repair work was stalled due to persistent rainfall across the island last week. 

 

Meanwhile, Minister Vaz, who is also Member of Parliament for Western Portland, said several landslides have occurred in the parish over the last few days caused by heavy rains.

 

"We have not gotten a break, and especially over the last 10 days, we have been battered in Portland, especially in the hills and the valleys, because of the amount of rainfall, and of course, the damage that has been done. You'll recall that there has been a breakaway of a road leading to Bangor Ridge, and just today, we are clearing three or four more roadblocks that have blocked the roads completely. Children [are] unable to go to school, people unable to get in and out, and the fact of the matter is that there's substantial damage that has been done."

 

While the landslides can be cleared with urgency, Minister Vaz said NWA will not be able to assess the infrastructure damage until the rains subside.  

 

He expects there will be "multi-millions of dollars of damage" to road infrastructure in Portland.