Ja Transportation Infrastructure , Regardless of Government

[Westman]

One of the best things the former government did and this government continues to do is to invest heavily in Transportation Infrastructure. Both have had hiccups. However, on the issue of national and major inter-area roads, they have both done well. There is real hypocrisy when one party and their supporters try to denigrate the other for the same good ideas that they are continuing or for something that is good but was not pursued before.

I think the Jamaican economy and various aspects of life such as education, health, sports, etc. have benefitted immensely from the continuing investment in this type of infrastructure. If we were to take small segments of Highway 2000 or other pieces of roads completed in the past 12 years, their per mile costs would significantly dwarf the cost of the Manchester project which is currently being debated.

Various international agencies have studied how Honduras made great strides which benefitted their entire country when they built what are superhighways compared to what exist in Jamaica. There were very difficult and expensive pieces of that system which have the same complex elements that are contained in the current contentious projects.

[Don1]

Roads are generally a positive but education trumps any other input in the development process. The fact is that Jamaica spends relatively a lot on roads and relatively little on education.... and it shows

Honduras' road network is also nothing to write home about.... here's a comparison of Jamaica's road network with Honduras below. Costa Rica (which is ahead of Jamaica's economy but has a poor road net also cannot compare with Jamaica re roads) .... Jamaica is FAR ahead of both.. with about 3X the % of roads paved...... get comparisons by clicking on the country in left column

http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indi...#country=hn:jm

[Westman]

I wonder how much money school kids used to pay to have to go through Old Harbour before the bypass. I also wonder how the educational options and travel time benefits grew for school kids after the bypass.

The big one, with some of these bypasses, I wonder how many heart attack victims will now be able to make it to a hospital within that key golden hour.

Again, the opposition is all about tarnishing the party in power.

Regarding that Old Harbour bypass, I remember Kingsley Thomas being pilloried on tv by folks who thought it was too expensive and was too disruptive. Me cyan see dem now. By the way, the current JLP helped to organize some of that opposition then, as the PNP is organizing opposition to the Christiana bypass now.

Christie's look into the project is a good thing. I just believe the huge politically based skepticism needs to be eliminated.

[Westman]

Yes Honduras needs a lot more. However, the network they have been their main economic centres amkes what we have in Ja look like child's play.

[Don1]

I don't really care about the PNP but i don't see "opposition" to the Christiana road.... I see a query on the high cost. I think it is a query which is justifiable to get more info on the project especially since the Govt had stated it would cost $500m and not $800m.... what's wrong with a query?

As far as transportation goes Jamaica needs to incentivize & improve mass transit and discourage or cap the massive amount of private vehicles.... we can't afford the FX for the fuel, vehicles, spares...and yes...the ever expanding roads. We are following an American model when we should be looking at countries in say..Scandinavia as a model

[Westman]

After all this time you finally decide to make some sense? What make you take so long?

The problem with the estimating transcends governments. It is an issue that is related to the Works ministry and the managers who are common to both governments. They had the same issues when the PNP was in power. If proper prelimiary engineering is performed, estimating can be much better and left to the relatively small market fluctuations and small variations due to the competitiveness of procurement processes.

With regard to mass transit, you really stumbled unto a tough issue. For one, proper urban planning and enforcement needs to be performed to ensure optimal densities and mixing of land uses. Second and more significant, Jamaicans, thtrough tv movies and visits, focus more on North american lifestyles instead of European lifestyles. So we tend to have a more autocentric desire than a transit based or multimodal desire.

[Don1]

I have been making sense all along.... yuh juss slow pon di uptake

1. The Christiana project is VERY expensive...and an investigation is warranted to discover if the cost is justified.

2. The broader JDIP is a political pork barrel project to impact elections...which all Govts do...but the scale of this one is the largest in history

3. Jamaica historically tends to prioritize road spending over education. So we end up with an above average road net...and a below average education system ...with devastating socio-economic consequences

As far as mass transit is concerned I'm aware of WHY Jamaica has a N. American orientation.

In view of the fact that we cannot afford that N American lifestyle...that paradigm should be changed and not pandered to.

[Willi]

Train mi seh!

[Westman]

Sir Don 1, you are mighty and brave. Go ahead and cut off the cable tv, ban dvd players, close pizza hut and Wendys, discontinue the issuing of US visas, ban escalades and Hummers.....................and return our Yugos and Ladas, as well as our regular Karate movie showing at all the local cinemas which you will be re-opening. Then anyone wishing to go abroad should be sent to England via the banana boat.

[Westman]

Tres Grande Vitesse or ICE?

[Muadib]

Hold on.. mek mi check to mek sure is who ah post dis..

lol !! woiee... man find religion ! wi nuh waan more cyar nuh more !

lol !

[Muadib]

ah wheh di.. suh yuh like train now ?

lol ! wooie !

[Don1]

Yep...juss gyal an cellie... the Dynamic Duo..nat di Holy Trinity

[Don1]

all dat nat necessary.... juss adequately tax cyar & fuel then use the proceeds to build up mass transit.... all train tuh

[Don1]

I like rail...but I don't buy into the pretty painted car PR exercise dat get people excited over nothing...a circus

Show the project plan with capital costs, maintenance costs, opportunity costs, user/rider studies, fares etc....and how it is to be funded

Afta mi si dat mi can sign up...ar nat