$84m more for controversial Christiana road

Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer

TAXPAYERS' EARNINGS will be dented by $84m as they must pay for lands directly in the path of the most expensive kilometre of road in Jamaica's history, located in Christiana, Manchester, in the constituency of Finance Minister Audley Shaw.

The road already has a price tag of $800m under the Jamaica Infrastructure Development Programme (JDIP), but does not include the cost of lands directly in its path, or roads immediately bordering it.

During Wednesday's meeting of the Public Accounts and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) of Parliament, officials from the National Works Agency and transport ministry who have been taking heat on the matter responded to even more questions.

"The total amount of land involves 34,500 square metres and the total budget that we have had, that is, the figure that we have submitted to Cabinet, is $84m," permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transportation and Works, Dr Alwyn Hayles, told the PAAC. The land acquisition was being handled by the National Land Agency.

Compensation

Hayles said the lands were not all bare and some had agricultural produce as well as structures.

Responding to committee chairman Dr Wykeham McNeill, he said the $84 million includes all compensation for houses, lands and produce.

The cost of the road has ignited public outcry and demands for investigations by the Opposition. Contractor General Greg Christie is now part of the probe.

"All 29 parcels of land are being acquired by them. I have got a summary report, which indicated that they have concluded on five pieces of land. In terms of concluded, the negotiations, they are acquiring four pieces by compulsory acquisition; the five pieces that have been concluded value $10 million. The four pieces by compulsory acquisition that have been virtually completed is estimated, or the amount of the award is $24m. The remainder of the land, some of them involved compulsory acquisition and some are still in ongoing negotiations," Hayles advised the committee.

He said there would be a hearing on July 6 regarding nine parcels of lands for which discussions are ongoing, adding that negotiations regarding valuations are being kept confidential, "because they don't want to create a situation in which one person hears that this person got so much and it affects the negotiations".

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com