NWA head says JIS report on cost of Christiana road 'inaccurate'

THERE IS more controversy over the cost of the one- kilometre Christiana road project, with National Works Agency (NWA) head, Patrick Wong, dismissing as "inaccurate" a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) report that the initial cost was projected at US$6 million, or J$500 million.

Wong told a committee of Parliament last week that the project would cost US$8.9 million, or nearly J$800 million.

In an article on the JIS website dated September 10, 2010, the government media entity said the Christiana Development Road "is to be constructed in Manchester under the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) at a cost of US$6 million".

In its story, the JIS reported that Finance and the Public Service Minister Audley Shaw, who made the announcement, pointed out that the road would ease traffic in the town of Christiana and open space for the expansion of businesses in the area.

not correct

However, the NWA chief executive officer told The Gleaner's Power 106 News yesterday that the sum quoted by the government news agency was incorrect.

"It's totally inaccurate, and all of that information, when it is presented to the contractor general, he will speak to it.

"You see, all of this is speculation. I don't know where the $500 million came from because it was never $500 million," Wong declared.

The JIS story, which has been posted on the government news agency's website for the past nine months, apparently had not been challenged until the question was put to Wong yesterday.

Speaking with The Gleaner Power 106 News yesterday, chief executive officer of the JIS, Donna-Marie Rowe, acknowledged yesterday that its story last year gave the cost of the project as J$500 million, noting that (it) "was our understanding at that time".

"We also have a story in January (headlined) 'Work starts on Christiana Development Road', and in that story we indicated that the project was budgeted to cost some $700 million," Rowe explained.

A firestorm was ignited in a Public Administration and Appropriations Committee meeting on June 1 when committee members were told the cost of the Christiana road project.

Contractor General Greg Christie has since written to the NWA CEO demanding details on the cost of the roadwork.

Wong has until this Friday to submit the requested information to the Office of the Contractor General (OCG).

The Christie-led OCG wants the NWA to provide an executive summary setting out the reasons for the "seemingly high construction cost for the project".

shaw defends cost

Meanwhile, Shaw, who is MP for North East Manchester where the road is being constructed, has defended the cost of the project.

"It's a development road to expand the town of Christiana and it is about one kilometre in length. But it involves the construction of two bridges, the acquisition of land costing about $150 million-$160 million, and tremendous technology, to make sure that the road has the integrity to make it an outstanding quality of work," Shaw contended.

He was speaking at last Thursday's Kia Motors 2011 Sorento and Sportage launch in Kingston.