April works on the A1 road project
The A1 Road project from Salem to St. John’s for which a total of EC$ 23.1 million dollars was reportedly granted to Montserrat, is falling by the way side with another reported $5 million left in the project. DFID acknowledges that the project has had challenges, but in the following press release issued today, says that better planning could have achieved better results.
The release states: “The Department for International Development would like to inform members of the public of the suspension of further funding for the A1 Road Improvement Project.
DFID has just completed an annual review of the project with particular emphasis on its management and implementation. DFID have consistently asked for a detailed program outlining activities and timelines to completion. This has not been forthcoming and the chaotic nature of the implementation does not give us confidence that the project is delivering as planned. Equally, it is difficult to argue that the project is demonstrating value for money let alone meeting the needs of the Montserratian public.
DFID are aware of the challenges that the project has faced with regard to the material supply. Nevertheless with better planning these problems could have been foreseen and the implementation programme adjusted accordingly. We are suspending any further financial contribution to the project until such a time as Government of Montserrat produces an implementation plan that clearly demonstrates an effective management framework to deliver original project objectives.”
We have reported constantly that not all seemed well with the project from the outset, and the above comes as no surprise.
Runaway Ghaut not long completed
Meanwhile, according to a GIU release, Public Works Department officials say they are working to comply with the requests from DFID and sought to explain some of the reasons for the delays.
Director Ron Beardsley, of PWD said they are presently working to bolster the management supervision of the road programme and will shortly complete negotiations with a project manager in order that the work can resume. He added that the lack of aggregate on island has been an on-going challenge and they are presently awaiting the arrival of materials from abroad.
Credible reports say that an urgent GoM/DFID meeting which included the Premier was held at his office to discuss the Project situation at Government Headquarters on Thursday morning where the management supervision of the project above was discussed. The meeting had no sooner concluded than a former Millenium Holdings employee showed up. That company was a major contractor on the troubled Little Bay Infrastructure development.
