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$15M repaved road for CMI

Published:Sunday | March 8, 2015 | 6:44 PM
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Cadets in formation during the ceremony.
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The access road is declared officially opened with the cutting of the ribbon by Minister of State Richard Azan (second left). Assisting him are: Audrey Sewell, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing; and Lorraine Dobson, counsellor of Port Royal. Observing the proceedings are Dr Fritz Pinnock (left), executive director, Caribbean Maritime Institute; Clement Watson (second right), executive director, Road Maintenance Fund; Eudides Ador (back), chief engineer, and Eron McLean, director of corporate planning and administration.
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Cadets in a guard of honour at the entrance of the Institute.
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Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing Richard Azan during his keynote address at the road-opening ceremony.
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Infrastructural improvements to the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) continued last week with the opening of the newly paved road connecting the campus to Palisadoes Road.

Repaved by the National Works Agency (NWA) at a cost of $15m, the access road to the campus now includes safety features and is the latest development in a series of infrastructural improvements that the CMI is undertaking to strengthen its campaign to transition to a maritime university.

The 950-metre roadway now has a levelled surface, brightly coloured periodic speed bumps, appropriate traffic markings, and handrails for the small bridge. The road was repaired through the collaborative efforts of the NWA, the Road Maintenance Fund, and the Surrey Paving & Aggregate Company Limited.

 

official ceremony

 

The road was officially re-opened at a ceremony held on Tuesday, March 3, at the CMI, by Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Richard Azan; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Audrey Sewell, and Councillor of Port Royal, Lorraine Dodson. Representatives from the Road Safety Unit, executives from the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), and staff and students of the CMI were on hand to witness the new development.

Azan commented on the cost and quality of the road work and cautioned motorists to use the road with care. "It is funds well spent, and those who drive ... please drive carefully on this road. The worst thing I could hear is that a student gets hurt on this road," Azan said. He also used the opportunity to appeal to motorists islandwide to be considerate on the roads and to observe the speed limit in order to reduce crashes and prevent loss of loved ones.

Executive director of the CMI, Dr Fritz Pinnock, pointed out that safety is a priority for the Institute and this was the motivation for seeking assistance in repairing the access road which had been in disrepair for many years and posed a risk to staff, students and visitors to the Institute and the neighbouring Royal Jamaica Yacht Club - who use the road daily, either as motorists or pedestrians.

 

expansion and evolution

 

Dr Pinnock expressed that a solid infrastructure is an important factor in the Institute's expansion and evolution. "As the Institute grows in capacity and reach, it must also strengthen its physical resources to meet the growing needs of students, staff and other stakeholders," Dr Pinnock said.

Deputy managing director of operations of the JUTC, Kirk Finnikin, stated that the development is fully endorsed by the bus company. He used the occasion to announce that the company now has additional buses covering the CMI/Port Royal route, to support the Institute's growth and additional activities in the community.

The CMI is the Caribbean's school for maritime excellence. It recently expanded its campus to the neighbouring community of Port Royal, to expand its reach as it moves towards university status in Jamaica.