EDITORIAL - Save the legacy of JDIP

The island's infrastructure, including roads and bridges, has come in for much scrutiny in recent times in the face of the $36-billion cross-country Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) initiated by the Government and funded by the Chinese.

The announcement of JDIP last year was received in the context of the extent to which poor infrastructure inhibits progress and disrupts economic and social activities in towns and villages, especially those which depend so heavily on agriculture.

It was clear that despite the construction of spanking new highways by former administrations, farm roads and secondary roads had been sadly neglected. Under JDIP, 300 kilometres of parochial roads are to be fixed and 270 kilometres of main roads are to be rehabilitated.

But there was scepticism from the start. The Opposition People's National Party charged that political loyalties played a paramount role in the selection of the projects. There is enough historical evidence to confirm that in Jamaican politics, faithful constituents are often rewarded by their party - in the shape of government - sometimes with new roads where none was really needed.

Now that JDIP is in full swing, it is puzzling to see almost daily protests by citizens demanding that their crumbling roads and rotting bridges be given urgent attention. They also complain of wear and tear and high maintenance costs on their vehicles as they travel on these roads. Indeed, some of the images from St Mary, St Andrew and St Catherine tell an eloquent story of years of neglect.

PM's unease

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has expressed his own unease with the project in terms of accountability. And we applaud his public expressions of concern and wonder whether he has also asked himself whether $800 million could be justified for the Christiana bypass when students in parts of St Mary are unable to get to school because of bad roads.

JDIP is scheduled for five years, and we would ask Works Minister Mike Henry, who is in charge of the programme, whether he feels that the Christiana project could have been left for a later stage and priority given to other vulnerable areas where lives and livelihoods are being threatened.

Mr Golding has announced that an independent eye will be brought in to oversee the programme, examining project identification, scope of work, and payment. This is a good move and will help to diminish the perception of corruption and partisanship.

While funding seems inadequate to keep pace with the rate of road deterioration, and whereas funds are always in scarce supply to maintain, expand and construct new infrastructure, there has to be a commitment to spend wisely.

While we believe the Government ought to be praised for moving to improve the island's infrastructure, we believe that it will damn its own record, and further entrench political cynicism, if it goes about the programme in a partisan manner.

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