Dave Lindo, Gleaner Writer

CHUDLEIGH, Manchester:

RESIDENTS OF Green Bottom and Bottom Coleyville communities in North East Manchester are to benefit from the rehabilitation of their roads which have been in deplorable conditions for years.

The roads are to be fixed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). The signing of the contracts for the project, which will be done by Maxwell Construction and Shercon Construction companies, was carried out at a signing ceremony held in Chudleigh, Manchester last week.

Located 3km out of the town of Christiana, the project was funded by the Caribbean Development Bank and administered by JSIF.

Leroy Mitchell, former Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Walderston division said it was a dream come true. "The Lord stretched out his hand and he touched them (JSIF) … ," Mitchell said.

He thanked Audley Shaw, member of parliament for North East Manchester and the Chudleigh Path Jamaica Agriculture group, whom he said made the representation for the project to be realised.

Shaw, in expressing his joy for the impending project, said it was a day of celebration for North East Manchester.

He commended the work of JSIF who he said has done many projects in North East Manchester including a newly built health centre in Christiana and the building of community centres and basic schools.

Shaw,who disclosed that he was born on Green Bottom Road, said JSIF conducts its work professionally. "JSIF is a model public-sector agency, which ought to be emulated by other public-sector agencies in Jamaica," Shaw said.

Residents of both communities for years have lamented the poor state of the roadways.

The 1.7km of Green Bottom will cost J$12.1 million of which the community contributed $J1.82 million, while the 1.6km of Bottom Coleyville Road comes at a cost of J$17 million of which the community contributed J$1 million. The Green Bottom Road is scheduled to be completed in four months while the Bottom Colleyville road is to be completed in two months.

Scarlette Gillings, managing director of JSIF, in her message read by Celia Dillon, JSIF project manager, Community Investment Project, said, "The rehabilitation of these roads will create better social-economic linkages for the residents as well as links between the community and major towns."

rural@gleanerjm.com