By Rayon Dyer, Gleaner Writer ST. ELIZABETH:
COUNCILLOR FOR the Lacovia Division Broderick Wright of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has called on the St. Elizabeth Parish Council to investigate the performance of some of the contractors who are carrying out road repair work under the Parish Infrastructure Development Programme (PIDP), in St. Elizabeth.
The councillor was speaking at the monthly general meeting of the council at the agencies meeting room in Black River on Thursday, December 11.
"I am wondering why, Y.P. Seaton and Associates (one of the contactors) is taking so long to complete the Rading Rad in my division. There are other contractors who receive contracts under the programme and have completed their work long ago. What is the problem with this one?" Councillor Wright asked, adding that the council should get an explanation for the long delay with the particular road in question.
Y.P. Seaton and Associates also took a lashing from councillor for the Mountainside Division, the JLP's Anthony Montaque. He told the meeting that he was having a similiar problewm with the same contractor who is working on the hilltop road in his division.
COMPLETION TOO LONG
"The road is taking too long to be completed, the people need road, we need to know what's happening" said councillor Montaque in an angry but calm tone of voice.
Councillor Wright also suggested that the time has come for the agency to start having contractors in the parish dealing with the contracts at the local level rather than awarding them to persons outside of St. Elizabeth.
But People's National Party (PNP) councillor for the Brompton Division Dorothy Buchanan, said that there were very few registered contractors in the parish. She explained at the meeting that if contractors are not registerd with the Contracts Commission under a grading system, they would not be able to get these contracts.
She urged potential contractors in the parish to get themselves registered with the Contracts Commission, after which they can participate in the various tendering opportunities.
