Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter
Robert Pickersgill (left), the Minister of Transport, Works, Housing and Water addressing journalists yesterday at his Maxfield Avenue office in St. Andrew. Looking on is Richard Azan, Minister of State in the Ministry. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
RESIDENTS OF Portmore will have to wait at least one more week to know how much they will have to pay to use the new six-lane bridge across Kingston Harbour.
"We have to advertise the cap figure which is not the toll rate and offer the public the opportunity to respond to that cap figure and make suggestions," said Robert Pickersgill, Minister of Transport and Works.
Mr. Pickersgill told reporters yesterday following a meeting with the Portmore Citizens' Advisory Council (PCAC) that after the consultations are complete, the toll rate would be announced. He said that process usually takes seven days.
The Toll Road Act stipulates that consultations are to be made with constituents before a final decision is taken.
"I am somewhat concerned (that the citizens have to be waiting this long) but I think the citizens of Portmore understand that we are still agonising over it ... and the consultations are not yet complete," the minister said.
Sources say the toll rate will be $70, but Mr. Pickersgill declined to comment. He, however, said he was confident that come July 13 all things would be in place for the opening of the toll road. (because) "if we are not ready, charges will begin to accumulate."
PCAC CHAIRMAN CONCERNED
But, Yvonne McCormack, chairman of the PCAC, said she was concerned that the people of Portmore still did not know how much they will be paying for the toll. "We have to travel the Portmore Road every single day so it's going to be part of our budget," she lamented.
She said she was not satisfied with some of the decisions that came out of yesterday's meeting which was held at the Transport Ministry's Maxfield Road offices in Kingston.
She noted that the minister indicated that the residents could not get a $30 toll rate because the Government would have to pay a subsidy of $600 million per year for that to be possible.
