Hwy 2k financing struggle

[Don1]

Transport Minister seeks Highway 2000 financing Friday, 13 June 2008 Transport Minister Mike Henry has been holding talks with British financiers on a proposed US$330 million bond.

The bond is to finance the next phase of Highway 2000.

Mr. Henry who is on a two nation European tour this week met with leading financiers including the Chairman of Seymour Pierce Investment Bankers, Keith Harris.

The Transport Minister said he is hopeful that the toll road [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]financing[/COLOR][/COLOR] will come to fruition soon despite the problems facing the international [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]financial [COLOR=blue ! important]markets[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR].

Mr. Henry also held discussions on securing financing for the Vernamfield Development Project as well as the [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]Herb[/COLOR][/COLOR] McKinley Stadium in May Pen.

[Mosiah]

Mr. Henry also held discussions on securing financing for the Vernamfield Development Project as well as the Herb McKinley Stadium in May Pen.

...to go along with the railroad.

Is Mike Henry a runaway train himself with all these projects that might not be thoroughly thought thru?

I think the Vernamfield project might work. Will only support the stadium once I see the scope of it.

And I already said that we should not be trying to rehabilitate the entire railroad we had in yesteryear.

[Don1]

...to go along with the railroad.

Is Mike Henry a runaway train himself with all these projects that might not be thoroughly thought thru?

I think the Vernamfield project might work. Will only support the stadium once I see the scope of it.

And I already said that we should not be trying to rehabilitate the entire railroad we had in yesteryear.

Pickersgill is a hard act to follow... Mike wants to stake his claim here I guess... can't blame the guy.

Let's see what new projects he can produce... apart from the railway white elephant.

[Muadib]

Really hope Henry does not follow Pickersgill..

12 year Highways... bankrupt Toll Road companies... underperforming port..

"Pothole free in 2003..." Leaking like a sieve JUTC...

The list goes on...

[Don1]

Really hope Henry does not follow Pickersgill..

12 year Highways... bankrupt Toll Road companies... underperforming port..

"Pothole free in 2003..." Leaking like a sieve JUTC...

The list goes on...

you are a real comedian... or is it that you are plain ignorant?

Highways -
Jamaica will have modern limited access north coast road link - Negril to Pt Antonio shortly- within a few months.... for the first time ever. This will enable tremendous development along that entire approx. 100 mile corridor.
Jamaica will have modern Link connecting north and south coasts when the latest segment of Hwy 2k is completed Kgn to Ochie
and a modern south coast highway Kgn - Mandeville - Negril -provided Mike doesn't drop the ball - clearly the momentum for financing and furthering this project has slowed since the election- the GOJ needs to get its ass in gear.

One also notes the imminent toll increase announced by Henry- weren't we told during the election campaign that tolls were to be rolled back? hmmmm.

Bankrupt toll companies?
When the highway is completed and development along its corridor established - then and only then will adequate tolls be realised to carry the project.
Partially completed highways are not and are not planned to be financially viable anywhere in the world... as a GOJ apparatchik/policy wonk you and your so-called team should be aware of that.
Do you not have highways and also transport economists in Silicon Valley?

Underperforming port??

At 3.2m TEU/year capacity, Jamaica has the largest container port in the western hemisphere - outside of Los Angeles/Long Beach - a great achievement from humble beginnings in the 1970's.
For your edification - the transshipment business is notoriously fickle - case in point - the port's largest client, Maersk, which contracted huge volumes through Kingston - up to 1m TEU/yr - had financial problems- reneged on its commitments, downsized, changed its route structure to concentrate on the Asia - Europe trade and reduced the volume in its Kingston hub in 2007 - nothing GOJ could do about that THEN but we NOW have to replace that business - that's Mike's job or rather Noel Hylton's.
They should look to have the shipping lines invest in any new terminals (Fort Augusta Terminals- planned 2m+ TEUs) directly or take a stake in the existing terminals- one way to tie up the business.

AIRPORTS
Jamaica now has 2 modern intl airports - one of which is the largest in the region - outside of San Juan - and has attracted substantial private investment - a very notable achievement - this enables massive tourism development - when allied with the highways, water, electricity and telecom upgrades.

JUTC - in need of heavy public subsidy (and subject to corruption apparently) but every such commuter service worldwide is publicly supported.
When in Jamaica 3 years ago i used this service and was tremendously surprised at the improvement since the wild and horrible service in the 1980's into the 1990's.


The table has been well laid for Mike Henry and his portfolio - maybe he can at least fix those potholes.... and build on the obvious advances.



i don't know why i bother educating this fellow - but oh well!

[Muadib]

The only problem is we are competing with the rest of the world...

All the 'accomplishments' pale in comparison to the real world over a similar period.

Save it for an election campaign.. I am not even going to bother to debunk your cheerleading attempt.. not worth the effort.

The performance of the port is a JOKE in relative terms (which is all that matters).. MAERSK ??? LOL !

When unnuh get serious let me know.

Table well laid... LOL !!

Friggin joke.

[Mosiah]

don't have a sensible answer, huh?

[Muadib]

No, I am intimately aware of the major effup Pickersgill made with the Chinese in regards to the Port.... no point however wasting my time going into it.. casting pearls before swine...

A NFL coach does not try to explain the intricacies of an offensive game plan to a cheerleader...

[Mosiah]

like i said...

[Don1]

like i said...

Some things don't change.... one of them being the inability of the guy to see beyond his political blinkers.

so be it.

[Muadib]

The funny thing is you clearly have to have on political blinkers to hold up Pickersgill as some standard to reach.

My perspective is from a 'real world' angle.. SERIOUS opportunities lost, not modest gains.... sorry if I not impressed.

[Don1]

The funny thing is you clearly have to have on political blinkers to hold up Pickersgill as some standard to reach.

My perspective is from a 'real world' angle.. SERIOUS opportunities lost, not modest gains.... sorry if I not impressed.

OK real world Silicon Valley policy expert... I see your point.

However my objective is not to impress you or anyone else... it's just to state the undeniable facts be they positive or negative to me .. everyone is free to come to their own conclusion.... yours as usual is coloured by simplistic political bias ie JLP = good PNP = bad

so be it.

[Muadib]

How do you arrive at your rather complimentary stance regarding Pickersgill if not by bias ??

[Don1]

How do you arrive at your rather complimentary stance regarding Pickersgill if not by bias ??

I spent all of 10 minutes on my post detailing from memory certain of the infrastructural developments of the past decade and firm plans in place left for the current regime to complete or advance significantly .... you need another thesis from me defending my views?

Your response to my opinion is a vague reference to some ephemeral "missed opportunities" by Pickersgill.
Every politician experiences missed opportunities and failures... including Pickersgill and no doubt your JLP champions will have their fair share of that... so your argument is insubstantial and inconsequential.

I criticize or compliment either side as I see fit... not that I necessarily recommend and definitely don't expect - such an approach from you.

so be it.

[Muadib]

You are speaking from a position of disadvantage.

Dem seh what you don't know cyaan hurt yuh...

Enjoy.

Yuh have certain KEY players in the port expansion have blood come inna dem eye when dem haffi recall the royal eff up...

"if it was another year.."

"better we create di problem to get back in then KARRECK IT..."

You can always count on Mosiah party fi dat, dem believe the world waits on them..

But continue... ignorance is bliss....