Right to freedom of movement must be respected on highway project - PM

Measures are being taken to alleviate any inconvenience being faced by residents as a result of the work being done on the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, said that “very strict instructions” have been given to the National Works Agency (NWA) to ensure that contractors respect the rights of residents to enjoy free movement and use of the roadways without undue discomfort.

He said there has been an increase in the watering of the roads to minimise the dust nuisance and more paving is being done, which should make travel easier for motorists.

Holness, who was speaking following a tour of the St Thomas leg of the project on July 14, said arrangements are being made to address flooding concerns by residents.

“Concerns have been raised about the possibility of flooding for communities given the new alignments and the new arrangements of the roadways. We have given strict instructions to the NWA [and] to our supervising consultants to ensure that drainage is carefully attended to,” he said.

“In the case of Grants Pen, arrangements have been made to improve the drainage there so that they are not flooded out,” he added.

Holness said that the project represents “a profound change to how we have accessed the parish of St Thomas over the last 50 years”.

“It will create new opportunities, and it will create new flows into St Thomas; new flows of business, new residential flows and new interests, possibly tourism and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies and that will change the nature of the parish,” he noted.

Holness thanked the residents for their patience and support as the Government and its partners carry out the important infrastructure development.

The Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project considers the roads from Harbour View to Yallahs Bridge, Yallahs Bridge to Port Antonio, and Morant Bay to Cedar Valley.

The project also includes the construction of the May Pen to Williamsfield segment of Highway 2000 by the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC).

It is aimed at improving the capacity and alignment of the existing southern coastal main arterial road to make it safe and efficient, free from flooding, and able to provide for future development.

- JIS News

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