Limited funding is the bane of the Ministry of Communications and Work’s efforts to address the issues facing the Territory’s road networks and secondary roads.
That’s according to Minister for Communications and Works the Honourable Kye Rymer who told the House of Assembly last week that the Ministry is operating in a narrow fiscal space, despite the extensive infrastructural work for which it is responsible.
At the time, Rymer was facing a line of questioning from Representative for the Second District the Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull regarding plans to undergo roadworks in the Second District.
While Rymer was able to provide updates and noted progress in several areas, others he said were not possible at this time due to a lack of funds.
More specifically, the Minister told the House of Assembly that in the case of needed roadworks in Ants Hill and Luck Hill, “current budgetary allocations do not allow for these projects to be executed”.
In the case of the road from Rudy’s to Foxy’s Jost Van Dyke and the Windy Hill Resurfacing and overlay the Minister provided the following updates and outlooks for the continuation of these projects.
The Minister also provided an outlook for plans to address priority areas, including the road from Soldiers Hill to Brewers Bay, Mt Healthy and Cane Garden Bay, once the Asphalt Plant has been commissioned.
In the case of the Mabaya Road, Minister Rymer reported that the Ministry was in active discussions with residents of that area regarding access to the road for intervention as the road there is classified as a private road.
This classification was challenged by the the D2 Representative, who said that to his knowledge the Mabaya Road was public.
Another point challenged by the D2 Representative was the Minister’s assertion that the Spooners Road Infrastructure project was the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
Hon. Turnbull shared that during his period holding the Ministerial responsibility for Natural Resources, he had discovered that the Ministries held joint responsibility for that area.
Rymer’s assertions however were that while Public Works does not hold responsibility nor the funding provisions for that project, it stands ready to assist with the undertaking of the necessary works.