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Portmore toll going up - HA HA HA HA
Portmore toll going up
KARYL WALKER, Observer staff reporter walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, December 14, 2007
THE Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government, faced with a huge subsidy bill of $22 million monthly and the steady devaluation of the Jamaican dollar, is considering increasing the cost of the toll on the controversial Portmore leg of Highway 2000.
The planned increase would, however, run counter to promises made by the JLP while in opposition that it would renegotiate the agreement with the toll operators to lower the rates, especially to ease the burden on residents of the municipality.
At present, cars, sports utility vehicles and large vehicles pay a toll of $60, $100 and $200, respectively.
"We always have to consider it (increase); the toll is tied to the value of the Jamaican dollar and there is a contract that allows the operator to apply for an increase every six months," Transport Minister Mike Henry told the Observer yesterday.
However, he declined to say what the increased toll rates were likely to be.
"That I cannot answer at this time," Henry said.
The transport minister said the previous People's National Party administration had not granted an increase to the operators, Bouygues Travaux Publics, for a year and that an increase was overdue.
However, he said his government was looking at inking a fresh contract with the toll road operators.
"This government is thinking of renegotiating the contract to extend the period from 30 to 40 years and look for lower interest money," he said.
The Portmore leg of Highway 2000 was built at a cost of US$100 million, but the imposition of a toll after the old road was converted into a six-lane expressway drew condemnation from residents of the Portmore community. They said the toll was an infringement of their constitutional right to travel freely.
A group of aggrieved residents, mostly members of the Jamaica Labour Party, took the previous government to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, before making a last ditch attempt in the United Kingdom-based Privy Council in October for a roll back of the charges.
However, Privy Council law lords ruled recently that the imposition of a toll would not prevent them from having unrestricted access to their properties.
KARYL WALKER, Observer staff reporter walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, December 14, 2007
THE Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government, faced with a huge subsidy bill of $22 million monthly and the steady devaluation of the Jamaican dollar, is considering increasing the cost of the toll on the controversial Portmore leg of Highway 2000.
The planned increase would, however, run counter to promises made by the JLP while in opposition that it would renegotiate the agreement with the toll operators to lower the rates, especially to ease the burden on residents of the municipality.
At present, cars, sports utility vehicles and large vehicles pay a toll of $60, $100 and $200, respectively.
"We always have to consider it (increase); the toll is tied to the value of the Jamaican dollar and there is a contract that allows the operator to apply for an increase every six months," Transport Minister Mike Henry told the Observer yesterday.
However, he declined to say what the increased toll rates were likely to be.
"That I cannot answer at this time," Henry said.
The transport minister said the previous People's National Party administration had not granted an increase to the operators, Bouygues Travaux Publics, for a year and that an increase was overdue.
However, he said his government was looking at inking a fresh contract with the toll road operators.
"This government is thinking of renegotiating the contract to extend the period from 30 to 40 years and look for lower interest money," he said.
The Portmore leg of Highway 2000 was built at a cost of US$100 million, but the imposition of a toll after the old road was converted into a six-lane expressway drew condemnation from residents of the Portmore community. They said the toll was an infringement of their constitutional right to travel freely.
A group of aggrieved residents, mostly members of the Jamaica Labour Party, took the previous government to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, before making a last ditch attempt in the United Kingdom-based Privy Council in October for a roll back of the charges.
However, Privy Council law lords ruled recently that the imposition of a toll would not prevent them from having unrestricted access to their properties.
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