Warmington rips contractors, NWA for ramshackle roads
Published:Thursday | May 12, 2022 | 12:10 AM
Shoddy roadwork that can hardly stand the test of a heavy shower of rain will no longer be tolerated, de facto works minister Everald Warmington has signalled, even as he demanded proper supervision of contractors by engineers at the National Works Agency (NWA).
In his presentation to the 2022-2023 Sectoral Debate in Parliament on Tuesday, Warmington said that the Government was “deeply concerned” about the standard of roadwork done by some contractors.
Warmington, who is known to be blunt, said, in some instances, it was the lack of supervision of contractors by the NWA that resulted in the defects.
“When we make the sacrifice to fix corridors across the country, the least we are expecting is that we get the maximum life from the works undertaken,” said the Cabinet minister, referencing rehabilitated roads.
“A road that is rehabilitated and is expected to last for a minimum of 10 years should not show signs of failure at the first shower of rain. The Government is very uncomfortable with this situation,” he said.
Warmington told his parliamentary colleagues that he had engaged E.G. Hunter, chief executive officer of the NWA, on the matter. Warmington said he pledged the support of the Government in addressing the problem.
According to the minister, the Government cannot continue to spend significant sums to rehabilitate roads only to be “back at square one shortly thereafter”.
Warmington acknowledged that the greater part of the country’s main road infrastructure was in need of repairs.
He said that an NWA estimate showed that the Government would need to spend at least $100 billion to make a dent in the crisis.
The Government is now moving to establish a National Road Service Improvement Programme that will guide routine maintenance.
Warmington said that regular training sessions will be conducted for contractors.
He indicated that the Government will insist that the procedures and methods developed by the NWA for effective road maintenance be understood before contractors are assigned projects.