The Editor, Sir:

I write as someone familiar with the development of the Highway 2000 project as I was the coordinator of the Farquharson Institute of Public Affairs public forum on the project on September 1, 2001. The forum raised a number of critical questions and a number of presenters were sceptical of the project in terms of viability and financing. I for one as a columnist at the time at The Gleaner was supportive of the idea though there were outstanding issues which were to be resolved and these were outlined in the column at the time.

However, what has happened in the implementation has created a nightmare and the future looms like the proverbial economic noose around Jamaica' neck.

Greatest injustices

For starters, the removal of the former Causeway bridge access from Portmore to Kingston is one of the greatest injustices done to a community in recent times. In spite of the ruling of the various courts on the Mandela Highway, this is not, in my view, a realistic alternative. Portmore has been made the proverbial captive cash cow.

The toll rates, according to the agreements, should be raised as it has not been done for some time by the previous administration and the costs have been subsidised by the taxpayers. The present Government is, however, caught in a bind. A campaign promise to roll back or review the toll has not been kept while others such as the education and health subsidies have been kept. The issue is, however, much larger than the present toll rate and the Government needs to take bold and decisive action on the following matters.

1). The Portmore toll should be immediately rolled back to the original values. This was a promise that needs to be kept. It should be noted that the Mandela Highway, the so-called alternative, is jampacked while the toll road is now empty. Has the increased toll brought in the extra earnings while motorists take the free road? Clearly, the citizens of Portmore are applying an economic boycott. The other toll rates can remain for now. A major accident on the Mandela Highway is just waiting to happen.

Greater noose

2). The contract with the French firm Bouygues should be renegotiated immediately and construction halted on the north coast leg pending such negotiations. Suggestions for increasing the time of the payment of the contract are simply putting a greater noose around the Government's neck. There are good grounds for the renegotiation of this international contract.

First, the clause restricting the expansion of the Mandela Highway is restrictive of national development and clearly unacceptable.

Second, the same applies to the reopening of the railway link to Kingston.

Third,, the social crisis and the potential for expanded protest involving the citizens of Portmore need to be heeded.

3). The suggestion that the Williamsfield leg should be constructed is economic madness. The economic viability of that leg was always suspect. This should be abandoned immediately.

I am, etc.,

ALFRED W. SANGSTER

Executive Chairman

The Jamaican Institute of Management