M.O.W. Explains Why More Funds are Needed for Highway Rehab

Errol Gentle

Today, C.E.O. Errol Gentle told the media that at the end of last year they had to request additional funds for some of the rehabilitation works being done on the highway. He says they need additional monies because they have undertaken massive works to ensure that the highway meets international standards – but they have also had to spend more monies to acquire private lands because they have had to widen the highway. Here’s how he explains it.

Errol Gentle, C.E.O., Ministry of Works

“The request for additional funds that went to the House was basically supplementary funds for sections two and three.  When we did the initial study and then the plan and design for this road section, there were certain things that were left out, actually. I mentioned earlier, climate change. We need to build climate resilient infrastructure. We also need to build the roads that are safe. So, we have to take into consideration all the road safety aspects. And then we have to take into consideration, the burdensome costs of land acquisition. Because our roads run through village and once we need to widen the roads, in some instances we need to straighten some of these curves, we have to acquire lands from private individuals. That is one of the reasons we need that additional fund. I don’t foresee any requests for any additional funds because those funds were supposed to cover both sections two and three.”