THE EMOTIONAL response to the new toll rates for Highway 2000 notwithstanding, there is no doubt that drivers will be better off economically by saving on gas, the cost of tyres and general repairs to their vehicles.
The reduction in travel time should also help to improve productivity and cut costs for transportation of goods across the centre of the island to the country's south and west coasts and vice versa.
These considerations may not be strong enough to offset public opinion that the government has pulled a fast one on those obliged to use the highway, nor allay fears that if the Jamaican dollar continues to devalue toll rates will be put up again in the future.
But extensive infrastructure development projects such as Highway 2000 do not come cheap. We do note, however, that when the project was first announced and it was revealed that the toll rates were tied to the U.S. dollar we expressed our concern, an apprehension which has now become a reality with the increased toll rates announced by Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill.
With the distance of completed highway now increased from 11 kilometres to 22 kilometres, the toll rate for private cars will be $120 compared with $50 previously. This, and increases for other types of vehicle, are already being seen by the public as excessive. The dispute with residents of Portmore, who object to having to pay a toll to get into and out of their community, is headed for the courts so the timing of these increases couldn't be worse. We suspect, however, that the specifics of the franchise contract negotiated by Bouygues, will leave the government little room to manoeuvre.
Perhaps with a little more pro-active public education by the
Government through its information agencies about the benefits
of the highway to economy and less emphasis on the political hullabaloo
about the benefits of the highway, and a more objective and dispassionate
response to the increases might be expected. As it is, the Government
may well lose some political capital but will no doubt weather
the storm.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO
NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
