The government and representatives of the China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), this morning signed a contract for the commencement of the South Coast Highway Improvement project.

Work on the 14 kilometre dual carriageway is expected to begin by the end of September, starting with the section from Harbour View in St. Andrew to Cedar Valley in St. Thomas.

The project is expected to cost some US $195 m.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at Jamaica House this morning, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the roadway will open up the eastern end of the island.

He said the improvement project will also see infrastructural development with the construction of houses, water irrigation, and telecommunications.

And Prime Minister Holness has directed the procurement authority to submit to Cabinet, a policy outline for the introduction of a performance management system, aimed at evaluating contractors.

He says this will assess the performance of contractors and prevent the awarding of works to tardy contractors who have done poor work in the past.

He says this will be the start of a rule setting framework, to change the culture of tardy contractors.

The Prime Minister is also hopeful that the system will make local contractors, globally competitive.