Jamaica’s road repair under SPARK programme
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared Jamaica’s road situation a national emergency and has allocated $2 billion to effect repairs to the main road network to get them up to what he said is a “drivable condition”. He made the disclosure at a Jamaica House press conference on Thursday, December 4, where China Harbour Engineering Company was also announced as the contractor for the Government’s $45 billion Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) project, set to begin this month.
The Prime Minister said the $2 billion is in addition to the $3 billion that was allocated under the Relief Emergency Assistance and Community Help (REACH) programme with significant sums already spent on road repairs since Hurricane Beryl impacted the island on July 3. “This will be done, following the law as well, using emergency procurement rules. We expect that the work will begin immediately”, he said of the additional $2 billion expenditure.
St James Southern has been selected for rehabilitation under the Government’s SPARK Programme. The roads were named the Member of Parliament and Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister (West) Homer Davis during his recent contribution to the 2024/25 Constituency Debate in the House of Representatives. “I’m happy to announce that the following roads have been selected to benefit from this programme – Bottom Road and Brissett Road in Cambridge; Richmond Hill to Mafoota; Brother’s Retreat and Horse Guard in Garlands; Catskin in Stonehenge; Maldon Road and Old Jackson Road in Maroon Town; School Road in Niagara; and Comfort Hall to Wales Pond Road,” he informed.
Davis also advised that phase one of roadworks in the constituency under the REACH Programme, which is being led by the National Works Agency (NWA), is under way.
He said the programme, which supports post-Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts, is initially targeting work in Rentland and York Bush in Mount Carey, Mars Road, Rockland Road and Carey Village, with patching slated for key stretches. These include Hampton to Point, Point to Flagstaff via Maroon Town, Anchovy to Shettlewood, Montpelier to Cambridge, and Cambridge to Retrieve.
Davis also highlighted major ongoing projects, including road rehabilitation in Copperwood, for which $10.5 million was earmarked, and a $7.7 million partnership with Cemex/Carib Cement Company Limited to repair 2,500 square metres of roadway. “Cemex/Carib Cement is also in the process of rehabilitating a stretch of roadway in the Wales Pond community, and recently completed works in the community of Eden. This was a long-overdue project, and its completion will… ensure safe travel for the residents”, he further stated.
Meanwhile, Davis expressed gratitude to the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) for financing the Lethe main road’s resurfacing, and also thanked the entity and the St. James Municipal Corporation for support and oversight in relation to the project’s execution.
