No contract signed for Westmoreland road - NWA
Published:Friday | June 17, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer
The National Works Agency (NWA) on Wednesday denied claims by Information Minister Daryl Vaz that a contract had been signed for road works to be undertaken in Western Westmoreland, the constituency represented by chairman of the Public Accounts and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of Parliament, Dr Wykeham McNeill.
Clearing the air on the matter was the first order of business at Wednesday's sitting of the PAAC, and McNeill sought responses from the works officials who were appearing for the third week in a row before the committee.
"Something was said last week in the public forum and I would just like to clarify with Dr (Alwyn) Hayles (permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Works) and Mr (Patrick) Wong (chief executive officer) of the NWA. Is there any work at all going on in the Negril to Sheffield road?" asked McNeill, who was then briefly interrupted.
Wong, appearing to dance around the question after it was repeated, responded: "The Sheffield to Negril project is being funded under the IDB (International Development Bank) project 20-26. We have tendered the box culvert by the golf course in Negril and the drainage works and it includes the overlay of the corridor from Sheffield to Negril."
Intervening, committee member Ronald Thwaites said that was not the question, and asked for McNeill to pose the question a third time.
"No, as I said, the box culvert and the Negril drainage works have been tendered and is going through the procurement approval process," Wong said, still not answering the questions.
Vaz claims rubbished
McNeill's patience appeared to have run out and he asked the question again, being more specific this time.
"Has any contract been awarded on the Negril to Sheffield Road?" he asked.
"Not yet, it's going through the procurement approval process," Wong said, essentially rubbishing claims made by Vaz during last week's post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
Upset that McNeill, the PAAC and the opposition were critical of the $800M being spent on the one-mile road improvement project in Manchester, North West, the constituency represented by finance minister Audley Shaw, Vaz had told journalists that a contract was signed and road work valuing $600 million was being undertaken in McNeill's constituency.
McNeill later said he was aware of improvement to be done on a six-mile stretch in his constituency, dismissing the comparison being made between the costs of the roads in the two constituencies.
"So there is no contract on the Negril to Sheffield Road, right now?" McNeill again asked for emphasis.
"Yes. That is correct," Wong answered.