Huge road repair bill hits Jamaican Government

The Government is facing a $100-million bill to repair infrastructure damaged by the heavy rains last weekend, and indications are that the cost could increase.

"That ($100 million) is preliminary because the rain just subsided," Daryl Vaz, the minister with responsibility for information told journalists at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday.

Vaz noted that some road repairs that were already started had been affected by the rain and would have to be redone.

In the meantime, communications manager for the National Works Agency (NWA), Stephen Shaw told The Gleaner yesterday that all roadways blocked by debris as a result of the rains have been cleared and reopened.

He said early indications were that Clarendon was the parish where most money would have to be spent to carry out repairs.

St Andrew, St Thomas, St Elizabeth, Portland, Hanover, St James, Trelawny and St Mary were the other parishes hard hit by the rains.