THE GOVERNMENT last week admitted that it owed contractors undertaking road work across the island nearly half-a-billion dollars with interest.
As a result, contractors in six parishes have ceased working while the Government has terminated the contracts for three of them.
Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works, made the disclosure in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, while responding to questions posed by Joseph Hibbert, Jamaica Labour Party Member of Parliament for the St. Andrew East Rural constituency.
According to the Minister, "up to a few days ago," more than 100 contractors were owed in the region of $1 billion by the National Works Agency (NWA). That figure has since been slashed by nearly half-a-billion, leaving the Government agency owing just under $450 million. To date, Government has spent in the region of $10 billion on road rehabilitation and repair Mr. Pickersgill told the House.
Commenting on the amount owed, the Works Minister said: "The non-payment of bills has caused a shift in the implementation schedule of the work as contractors have suspended their operations on some projects including two in Clarendon, two in St. Mary and one each in St. Thomas and Westmoreland.
CORRECTIVE WORK IN PROGRESS
Meantime, Mr. Pickersgill has admitted that corrective work was being undertaken on the approaches to six of the eight bridges on segment one of the recently constructed multi-million-dollar North Coast Highway. He explained that the corrective action was due to subsidence of the embankment that forms part of the approaches to the bridges. "I wish to advise that the bridges themselves are sound and do not require corrective action," the Minister stressed.
He said corrective work to smooth out the uneven surface at the approaches to one of the bridges has been completed and a programme drawn up for work to commence shortly on the other five bridges. Costs for the rehabilitation will be borne by the consultants and the contractor.
- L.S
