Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
PETERKIN
WESTERN BUREAU:
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Horace Peterkin, is calling on the National Works Agency (NWA) to fast-track repairs along the Flankers main road in Montego Bay, St. James.
Hit by controversy since recent rains lashed sections of Montego Bay, the roadway is the sole entry and exit point between the Montego Bay city centre and hotels such as Sandals Montego Bay, Half Moon and the Ritz-Carlton.
MASSIVE LOSSES
According to Mr. Peterkin, the damaged road has caused million-dollar losses.
"It has been affecting the tourism industry very badly," Mr. Peterkin told The Gleaner yesterday. "We have had visitors missing their flights and we have had cruise ships that have been delayed because their passengers were not able to make it back from this end of the city on time."
He said the road has been in disrepair for far too long and it was "simply unacceptable" for it to continue as the winter tourist season begins next week.
"We are not convinced that they (the NWA) are taking the situation seriously," Mr. Peterkin added.
Stephen Shaw, senior communications officer in the NWA, acknowledged the magnitude of the problem and hinted that there was little that could be done to significantly reduce the traffic until January.
"When the second phase of the North Coast Highway begins on January 15, the roadway will be realigned to make way for a dual carriageway starting at the Sangster International Airport and on to the Rose Hall main road in the vicinity of
the Sea Castles Resort," he explained. "This would solve congestion problems."
In the meanwhile, Mr. Shaw says the NWA is doing its best to reduce the build-up of silt and debris along the roadway.
He also disclosed the intention of the works agency to cut across the road to lay culverts by next week.
