|
HURRICANE DAMAGED ROADS TO BENEFIT FROM IDB LOAN AGREEMENT
Persons at the head table are from left to right: Mr. Colin Bullock, Financial Secretary; Hon. Mike Henry, Minister of Transport and Works; Hon. Audley Shaw, Minister of Finance and the Public Service; Mr. Gerard Johnson of the IDB and Mr. Ronald Jackson, Director General of ODPEM.
A loan agreement of US$10M was signed between the Government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) on Wednesday, March 5 at the Offices of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, National Heroes Circle.
The Loan is to be utilized in the rehabilitation of various roads across the island, which were damaged during the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane season. Among the roads that will come in for attention are:
| Location |
Type of Works |
| Bog Walk, St. Catherine |
Protective Works/asphalt concrete |
| Rozelle, St. Thomas |
Road protection/Sea Defence/Bridge rehabilitation |
| Muirton-Fair Prospect |
Protective Works/Asphalt Concrete |
| Georgia, St. Thomas |
Launching of a Bailey Bridge |
| Yallahs, St. Thomas |
Protective Works/Asphalt Concrete/Earthworks |
| Fern Gully |
St. Ann Construction of drain/repaving of roadway |
Speaking at the Signing Ceremony, Minister of Finance, Hon. Audley Shaw said that he was pleased to be associated with the initiative and thanked the IDB for partnering with the Government on the project. He said that the GOJ was getting excellent co-operation from multilateral institutions such as the CDB, the World Bank, the IDB, etc. He said that the government was in the process of negotiating another major loan with the IDB.
For his part, Minister Mike Henry also thanked the IDB for facilitating the repair of the various roads and pledged his Ministry’s support in the execution of the works. He noted that this aspect of the work would constitute Phase one of a two part project. He said that Phase Two would address the remaining works through the provision of a regular loan in the amount of US$20M.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony was Mr. Gerard Johnson who did so on behalf of the IDB. He highlighted the fact that the signing was the first in many years between the IDB and GOJ and that he was pleased to be a part of it. He explained that there was great enthusiasm within the IDB within the IDB in the execution of investment loans and congratulated the various teams who spearheaded the arrangements for the loan agreements.
Also speaking at the signing was Mr. Ronald Jackson, Director General of the ODPEM who signed on behalf of his organization for a grant of US$1M from the IDB to strengthen disaster risk management in towns and cities located coastal areas in the island. This programme has three components, ie – Risk Analysis and Planning; Improving Communities’ Reliance and Institutional Strengthening of ODPEM.
Mr. Jackson noted that this was the first time the ODPEM would be undertaking such a programme and that he was excited at being a part of it. He said the Project would help development and Social Planners in doing their work and to extend capacity building in various communities. He pledged his organisation’s commitment in moving the disaster preparedness agenda forward.
|