Residents of Palmiste, Layou, visitors to the Layou Petroglyph Park, farmers in the mountains of the Central Leeward town and general road users can expect to travel more comfortably later this year.
Minister of Works Montgomery Daniel told Parliament that the road is already included in the repair programme and works would begin in August.
He was responding to MP for West Kingstown, Daniel Cummings who told the national assembly that the road leading to the Layou Petroglyph Park, two poultry farms and a quarry is in a serious state of disrepair for quite some time now.
Cummings asked if the Ministry of Works had any plans for urgent restoration of the road, if yes, then when is it likely to be done; and if not, why not?
“This road that is being questioned before this honourable house is already on a programme of work in the Ministry of Transport and Works at this time,” Daniel said.
He said the funding for the repairs falls under the 11th European Development Fund programme.
“This programme includes, the design and rehabilitation of the Fenton-Green Hill Road, The Palmiste Road and the Dandrade farm access road.”
Daniel said the project also involves the development of the road asset management system, which intends to digitise the road conditions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines through modern software that had been bought under this project.
“It also includes a road repair programme, a labour-based maintenance training programme. It also includes road repair equipment and it also includes institutional strengthening,” the works minister told Parliament.
He said the programme was being implemented by the Caribbean Development Bank on behalf of the European Union through the Natural Disaster Management Project Management Unit in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“The total value of the programme is 5,830,000 euros or EC$16,847,000 and based on the engineers’ estimates the construction budget can only cover Palmiste and Dandrade,” Daniel said.
He said funding for the Green Hill road is being addressed under the CDB-funded Disaster and Climate Resilience Road Project.
“However, advertisements for the Palmiste and Dandrade roads were published on the CDB websites on April 10 and in local newspapers on April 19. Two more local advertisements are expected and the bids are due on May 21,” Daniel said.
“So, construction is expected to comment on this road in August.”