Clarke: Engage private sector

WITH Government struggling to finance road projects, it must look to buy-in with the private sector to push these developments.   

 

This was the view expressed by former Transport and Public Works Minister, Gline Clarke, as he spoke during a compulsory land acquisition debate in Parliament yesterday and said that Government must develop a programme of merging with the private sector, which would allow the latter to help fund these projects.

 

“I believe this is the way to go for the future because you need $50-60 million to develop this and it should have been done by the private sector. It must be done because you do not have the money,” he said, stressing that every delay was costing Government more money, especially in the area of acquisitions. 

 

Clarke later emphasised, “There is money in the banking system. The private sector has the money, not you, so allow it to finance these projects and Government could use its money for something else.”

 

He also pointed out that the Transport Ministry was often suffering from a lack of funds, explaining “sometimes we complain when we see MTW workers sitting down, but they are sitting down because they do not have resources. 

 

“They do not have concrete, they do not have enough tools, machinery and the machines are always breaking down,” he stated.

 

The MP for St. George North also insisted that now was the time to look at the Physical Development Plan for Warrens to see how it would develop in the future and to revise the Highway Act.

 

Explaining that it had cost Government a pretty penny to relocate individuals with homes too close to the highway, he suggested that this would continue if Warrens continued on its developmental path.

 

Anticipating that a six-lane highway may be in the cards in the future, Clarke therefore cautioned the DLP administration to be careful in its selling of superfluous lands that are close to the highway.

 

In his wrap-up, Transport Minister Michael Lashley highlighted that the private sector has been involved in several projects, and several others were being looked at in terms of feasibility. (JMB)