New public-works programme to boost economy, says Golding

Prime Minister Bruce Golding says the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) will have a positive spin-off by stimulating the economy.

Golding was speaking at the Manchester launch of the JDIP in Christiana yesterday.

"One of the important benefits from this programme is that it is going to inject more money into the economy," the prime minister said. "It is going to create jobs, it is going to expand demand, it is going to put some life in the economy again."

The JDIP is a five-year public works programme, funded by a loan of $36 billion secured by the Road Maintenance Fund from the Export/Import Bank of China at an interest rate of five per cent. Implemented by the National Works Agency on behalf of the fund with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd as contractor, the JDIP is to repair roads and bridges, train rivers, reinforce sea defences and build bridges.

The roadworks in Manchester will include a development road for the town of Christiana that will ease traffic congestion and allow for orderly expansion of the town.

The prime minister repeated that all categories of public roads are targeted for repair and rehabilitation.

"Wherever roads are, so long as people need the road, we going to fix them. We going to try and stretch this programme as much as possible to make the greatest impact on them," Golding said.

'Road is road'

"We not separating public works road from parish council road. Road is road and people are taxpayers and when they pay taxes, they don't want you come with no fool-fool argument 'bout that road is NWA road and that is parish council road and that is farm road. Them no business with that, they want their road fix; this programme is going to attempt to respond as much as possible."

Golding also acknowledged the leadership of Minister of Finance and the Public Service Audley Shaw in managing the economy that has been severely affected by the global economic downturn. He also showed appreciation to Mike Henry, minister of transport and works, for his vision in developing the JDIP and to the government and people of China for funding the project.