CONSTRUCTION HAS resumed on segment one of the controversial North Coast Highway after several stoppages.
Joseph Shako, project director and co-ordinator for the Ministry of Transport and Works, said work resumed late last week on the highway which is to run from Negril, Westmoreland to Montego Bay, St. James. The nature of the work done since the resumption involves the excavation of rocks and the back filling of box culverts by the Public Works Department, in the Steamer Beach area near Montego Bay.
Mr. Shako, in a statement, said excavation work was also being carried out to the west of Lucea, Hanover, by another contractor, M & M Jamaica Ltd. According to the project director, base course and paving works are scheduled to begin by November 15 and work on the 15 bridges to be built and repaired under the project should get under way by the third week of November.
Work on the North Coast Highway is now nearly 14 months behind schedule, having missed the original deadline of September 1999 and a December, 2000 deadline is now most likely to be missed.
A contract for US$25 million was signed between the Government and Bosung Engineering of South Korea in 1997, but numerous stoppages have plagued the project since. The delays are expected to significantly increase the final cost to the Jamaican taxpayer.
Last April, Bosung ceased all work citing, among other things, economic upheaval in its native Korea as affecting its ability to complete its contract with the Jamaican Government. After protracted negotiations, Bosung was retained as the main contractor last month, but eight local sub-contractors were brought on board to take on various aspects of the project.
