Ceila Morgan and Tenesha Thomas, Gleaner WritersTRANSPORT AND Works Minister Robert Pickersgill insisted yesterday that French construction firm Bouygues Travaux Publics Jamaica (BYTPJ) was not about to abandon future segments of the Highway 2000 project.
"There is no such threats. None, none. So far things are proceeding in accordance with schedule and budget," Pickersgill told reporters yesterday during a tour of road works in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew.
At the same time, Mr. Pickersgill admitted that there had been a dispute over payment by the government agency, National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC) to TransJamaica Highway, the vehicle used by Bouygues to develop the highway.
MADE CLAIMS
"The contractors have made claim for work that they have done and TransJamaica has called upon NROCC for those payments," said Pickersgill. "The undisputed section of that has been paid. (But) there is a disputed section as happens with all projects of this kind."
Mr. Pickersgill was reacting to the lead story in yesterday's Gleaner which quoted Bouygues spokesman Jean-Noel Foulard as saying his company would leave the island if funding for continuation of the other segments of the highway project was not forthcoming.
Following his previous statement to The Gleaner on Thursday, Foulard was more optimistic a day later. "There is always difficulty to securing financing for a project like that. But we still have eight months and in eight months lots of things can happen. I hope they will find the financing, if not we have to demobilise and remobilise the funds," he told The Gleaner/Power 106 News Centre yesterday.
Asked whether there was the possibility that Bouygues would still pull out of the highway project if financing is not secured Mr. Foulard said, "There is always the possibility but, I don't think so. I am confident that we can solve this problem of financing."
NO RISK
In addition to Foulard's comments yesterday, Trevor Jackson, managing director of TransJamaica Highway said in a statement, "There is no risk to the continued development of Highway 2000."
But Jackson confirmed that the future of the Highway 2000 project was dependent on securing finance. "... It is probable that continuity of construction will not be possible and this may result in BYTPJ demobilising," Jackson said.
"They (Bouygues) are contracted to complete the works from Sandy Bay to Williamsfield and would thus return to execute this work once planning and finance are in place," the statement continued.
Yesterday Mr. Pickersgill confirmed that Government was contemplating whether to advance the Sandy Bay to Ocho Rios leg of the highway, and delay the Bushy Park to Mandeville leg.
"We are to decide whether we are going to do the Ocho Rios leg or the Mandeville leg (and) we are now in the process of securing the financing for that," he disclosed.
