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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Now we're talking, Minister Pickersgill</SPAN>
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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>On the Ides of March, we are pleased to find common ground with Transport Minister Robert Pickersgill, who is definitely talking our language when he says the need for flyovers at major intersections is "becoming more of a reality".<P class=StoryText align=justify>What we like about the transport minister's tone is that it is upbeat and modern, the way a minister of government should be talking about traffic in today's world and, indeed, today's Jamaica.
Expressing his government's concern about the unbearable traffic congestion in the Corporate Area, Mr Pickersgill told a press conference in Kingston Friday that: "We are now in the era of overhead bridges and we can't escape it. We have all the studies and designs, but it is always at the end of the day a question of resources."<P class=StoryText align=justify>According to the transport minister, while it was too early to go into details, the timeframe for the use of the bridges was "yesterday". "It (traffic congestion) is upon us in the Corporate Area, we have to deal with that," he added. ".The designs are there, we are looking at one now and the quicker we put it in the better," Mr Pickersgill added.
Although he could not go into the nuts and bolts of timelines and cost for construction of the flyovers, Mr Pickersgill said offers had been received for deferred financing.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Before 1993/94 when the used-car industry mushroomed, it would have been hard to imagine the kind of traffic situation we now have. But if, as our old folks used to advise, we 'tek sleep mark death', we can see from now that in another 10 years traffic would be one of our worst nightmares.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The construction of highways, despite criticisms from the naysayers, is positioning us for a leap forward into the future. It represents one of the most significant developments in our time.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It's obvious that we are already running out of roads in the main towns. There are still some that can be widened, and still some areas where, with relocation of residents, we can still squeeze some more road space out of what is there. But that is not going to be enough to deal with the present and coming traffic.
The Government needs to move ahead with the flyovers which have been the answer to traffic congestion in many of the world's largest cities and towns.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Of course, the naysayers, or 'againsters' will have their say. It is their right. The 'againsters' opposed the building of the National Stadium; they opposed the University of the West Indies; they opposed Emancipation Park; they opposed Highway 2000; they opposed and still oppose the building of a new Parliament; they opposed the staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup. And usually it is with the same argument - that we can't afford it.<P class=StoryText align=justify>But a visionary government will not be deterred by those who can't catch the vision. Leadership means grabbing the ball and running with it. Mr Pickersgill is on to a good thing. He needs now to put talk into action.
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>On the Ides of March, we are pleased to find common ground with Transport Minister Robert Pickersgill, who is definitely talking our language when he says the need for flyovers at major intersections is "becoming more of a reality".<P class=StoryText align=justify>What we like about the transport minister's tone is that it is upbeat and modern, the way a minister of government should be talking about traffic in today's world and, indeed, today's Jamaica.
Expressing his government's concern about the unbearable traffic congestion in the Corporate Area, Mr Pickersgill told a press conference in Kingston Friday that: "We are now in the era of overhead bridges and we can't escape it. We have all the studies and designs, but it is always at the end of the day a question of resources."<P class=StoryText align=justify>According to the transport minister, while it was too early to go into details, the timeframe for the use of the bridges was "yesterday". "It (traffic congestion) is upon us in the Corporate Area, we have to deal with that," he added. ".The designs are there, we are looking at one now and the quicker we put it in the better," Mr Pickersgill added.
Although he could not go into the nuts and bolts of timelines and cost for construction of the flyovers, Mr Pickersgill said offers had been received for deferred financing.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Before 1993/94 when the used-car industry mushroomed, it would have been hard to imagine the kind of traffic situation we now have. But if, as our old folks used to advise, we 'tek sleep mark death', we can see from now that in another 10 years traffic would be one of our worst nightmares.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The construction of highways, despite criticisms from the naysayers, is positioning us for a leap forward into the future. It represents one of the most significant developments in our time.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It's obvious that we are already running out of roads in the main towns. There are still some that can be widened, and still some areas where, with relocation of residents, we can still squeeze some more road space out of what is there. But that is not going to be enough to deal with the present and coming traffic.
The Government needs to move ahead with the flyovers which have been the answer to traffic congestion in many of the world's largest cities and towns.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Of course, the naysayers, or 'againsters' will have their say. It is their right. The 'againsters' opposed the building of the National Stadium; they opposed the University of the West Indies; they opposed Emancipation Park; they opposed Highway 2000; they opposed and still oppose the building of a new Parliament; they opposed the staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup. And usually it is with the same argument - that we can't afford it.<P class=StoryText align=justify>But a visionary government will not be deterred by those who can't catch the vision. Leadership means grabbing the ball and running with it. Mr Pickersgill is on to a good thing. He needs now to put talk into action.