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Report slams PNP road project
The transport and works minister Mike Henry today revealed a damning report of a probe into the National Road Improvement Programme (NARIP) which was carried out under the People’s National Party (PNP).
The transport minister was continuing his defence of the Government’s controversial $8 billion Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) when he disclosed the contents of the NARIP report.
The Opposition has maintained that the Government has been biased in the selection of projects under the JDIP and that the administration has tried to hide the expenditure by excluding it from the current Budget.
NARIP was a $6.2 billion project that started under the PNP government in 2001, a year before the 2002 general elections.
Today Henry brought to Parliament a report he says was undertaken by a consultant several years ago, but which was never made public by the PNP Government.
Henry did not reveal the name of the consultant; neither did he reveal the names of the contractors who carried out the projects.
Henry says the consultant found a litany of issues which caused the National Road Improvement Programme to fail.
Among the issues: low skill levels by sub contractors and political pressure from the political directorate to expand the projects and complete them speedily.
He also says the consultant found that the PNP’s National Road Improvement Programme was never brought to Parliament because it was done through deferred financing.
Henry says under that approach the Government borrowed money from the Development Bank of Jamaica at an interest rate of 20 to 21 per cent.
Henry says this compares unfavourably to the $8 billion dollar JDIP which is being financed with a 3 per cent loan.
The minister also revealed that the consultant found that the transport ministry was not aware when the finance ministry made payments to the Development Bank of Jamaica for the projects.
As Henry continued the Leader of the Opposition left the Chamber.
It was not clear why she left, but Government members poked fun at Opposition members that the leader could not bear to hear more of report.
Henry would later reveal under National Road Improvement Programme of the 177 road projects 168 road were in constituencies represented by PNP MPs and 9 in constituencies held by JLP MPs.
damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com
The transport and works minister Mike Henry today revealed a damning report of a probe into the National Road Improvement Programme (NARIP) which was carried out under the People’s National Party (PNP).
The transport minister was continuing his defence of the Government’s controversial $8 billion Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP) when he disclosed the contents of the NARIP report.
The Opposition has maintained that the Government has been biased in the selection of projects under the JDIP and that the administration has tried to hide the expenditure by excluding it from the current Budget.
NARIP was a $6.2 billion project that started under the PNP government in 2001, a year before the 2002 general elections.
Today Henry brought to Parliament a report he says was undertaken by a consultant several years ago, but which was never made public by the PNP Government.
Henry did not reveal the name of the consultant; neither did he reveal the names of the contractors who carried out the projects.
Henry says the consultant found a litany of issues which caused the National Road Improvement Programme to fail.
Among the issues: low skill levels by sub contractors and political pressure from the political directorate to expand the projects and complete them speedily.
He also says the consultant found that the PNP’s National Road Improvement Programme was never brought to Parliament because it was done through deferred financing.
Henry says under that approach the Government borrowed money from the Development Bank of Jamaica at an interest rate of 20 to 21 per cent.
Henry says this compares unfavourably to the $8 billion dollar JDIP which is being financed with a 3 per cent loan.
The minister also revealed that the consultant found that the transport ministry was not aware when the finance ministry made payments to the Development Bank of Jamaica for the projects.
As Henry continued the Leader of the Opposition left the Chamber.
It was not clear why she left, but Government members poked fun at Opposition members that the leader could not bear to hear more of report.
Henry would later reveal under National Road Improvement Programme of the 177 road projects 168 road were in constituencies represented by PNP MPs and 9 in constituencies held by JLP MPs.
damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com
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