New Providence Roads to be Repaired Says Deputy Prime Minister

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Bahamas Government is implementing the Road Maintenance and Management System of the New Providence Infrastructure Improvement Programme. The system is advocated by the Inter-American Development Bank-funded Institutional Strengthening component of the road works programme. The Hon. Philip Davis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development, made the announcement in the House of Assembly, March 24, during his contribution to the debate on the Mid-Term Budget for the period 2015/2016.

Minister Davis said “relatively small” contracts have been awarded on a local area-by-area basis to offer diverse employment opportunities.

Minister Davis also reported that “small” contracts have also been issued to rehabilitate roads that have fallen into disrepair.

“The same level of contractors has qualified for these works and my Ministry is happy to supervise them.  All of these initiatives have proven good as we are able to facilitate wider employment opportunities.

“We know that these contractors are, in many cases, unable to insure their projects.  For this reason, my Ministry (including the Urban Renewal Commission) maintains Contractors’ All Risk Insurance for small contracts under $50,000.00.

“In that way, the Ministry’s interests are protected in the event of unsatisfactory results and this represents one less hurdle for small contractors to clear,” he said.

Minister Davis told Parliamentarians that these opportunities at the Ministry of Works and Development are ordinarily unavailable to the average man or woman.

“Some are of the view that this is not the better path, but I hold fast to ideal that small businesses form the crux of economic growth in The Bahamas and we should do all that we can to encourage it.”

The $120 million road project is an initiative designed to improve the road network by constructing 9 new road corridors and improving 10 existing ones. It includes 11.6 miles of roads and entails installation of street lighting, drainage, landscaping and pavement markings.