JACKSON
MANAGING DIRECTOR of TransJamaican Highway Limited, Trevor Jackson, has again stated that Bouygues will not be pulling out of Jamaica.
Mr. Jackson was responding to a Gleaner report which said that the developers of the Highway could leave before the Sandy Bay, Clarendon, to Williamsfield, Manchester segment is complete.
The article, he said, has led to the publication of erroneous stories in the foreign press, particularly in the World Highways magazine, that claims developer Bouygues was to pull out of the project prematurely due to "insufficient toll revenue" being generated from the current segments of the highway.
Mr. Jackson said that Bouygues Travaux Publics Jamaica is a wholly owned subsidiary of French parent Bouygues Construction, one of the world's largest construction companies. Bouygues was contracted by TransJamaican Highway, another subsidiary of Bouygues Construction, to complete work on the Sandy Bay to Williamsfield leg of Highway 2000. Trans-Jamaican, he explains, is the real developer of Highway 2000. It sources funds from banks to develop the highway.
WINDOW OF EIGHT MONTHS
In a Power 106 radio interview Bouygues director, Jean-Noel Foulard said: "There is always difficulty to securing financing for a project like that. But we still have eight months and in eight months lots of things can happen. I hope they will find the financing."
However, Mr. Jackson said Foulard's statement means nothing. He said the company has a contract with TransJamaican and if they pull out, the company must return to complete the job once funding is procured. "There is no threat to the development of Highway 2000," emphasised Mr. Jackson.
