Prime Minister Andrew Holness says Chief Executive Officer of the National Works Agency, (NWA) E. G. Hunter will supervise the south coast highway improvement project directly, to ensure timely completion.
This decision comes in response to delays caused by broken water mains on a section of the roadway, rendering it nearly impassable for several hours.
In a statement on Monday evening, the office of the Prime Minister said overnight, two breaks occurred on existing water mains which scoured the road surface.
It said the contractors and the National Water Commission (NWC) would not have been on site to immediately repair the breaks at the time they occurred.
Once there was awareness of the matter, the contractor and the NWC were mobilized and repairs effected.
The OPM said in acknowledging and apologizing for the inconvenience caused, Mr. Hunter reported to the prime minister that the broken water mains have been repaired and the section of the road made drivable once again.
It said to prevent further occurrences of such water main breaks, the NWA will conduct inspections along the roadway to detect signs of leakage.
According to the OPM, to date, a 14.1-kilometer stretch of the 17.4-kilometre section of the road from Harbour View to Yallahs which was affected by the water main breaks, has been asphalted, with full completion expected by August 23, this year.
Mr. Hunter noted that the road is of significant importance as it carries over 15,000 motor vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks that support the aggregate industry.
He stressed the complexity of managing the road upgrade alongside existing traffic, involving the installation of pipes, fiber-optic cables, sewerage, and other utilities while ensuring the functionality of the current infrastructure.
Upon receiving the report from Mr. Hunter, the OPM said prime Minister Holness has directed the contractor, china harbour engineering, to increase their resources and expedite the project’s completion.
Furthermore, the CEO of the NWA will provide direct oversight to ensure the contractor meets the designated targets.