Vaz calls for answers on stalled roadworks after Westmoreland roadblocks

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica

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Westmoreland Central Member of Parliament Dwayne Vaz is calling on the Government and the National Works Agency (NWA) to account for delays in road rehabilitation works following roadblocks in Hertford and Shrewsbury over deteriorating road conditions. In a release, Vaz said the roadblocks come amid prolonged delays under a road-patching programme. He said the Hertford to Williamsfield Road was scheduled to be addressed from June, but work has yet to begin. “I have to sympathise with the residents. I really can’t blame them for taking this action, given the very poor condition of the road. It has been in this state for quite some time now,” Vaz said. Vaz said the contractor assigned to six roads in the constituency has only commenced preparatory work on two of them, the Dunbar’s River to Torrington Road and the Savanna-la-Mar to Tollgate Road, with no substantial work completed to date. The MP said he has been lobbying for the necessary repairs and that the Government has approved the road-patching programme and allocated funding. “As I have said previously, I have done my part. We secured the Government’s approval for the road-patching programme, and we had every expectation that the necessary works would have been completed by now. Unfortunately, that has not happened,” Vaz stated. Vaz said residents deserve clarity on the status of the works and why the approved interventions have not yet been carried out. “We need the Government and the NWA to come forward and provide the people with a clear and transparent account of what is happening,” Vaz said. “People continue to call me with concerns, and while we have been doing our best to provide answers, the continued delays are simply unacceptable.” Vaz also addressed concerns about the Shrewsbury road, saying he has engaged the mayor and other relevant officials to identify funding for the necessary repairs. He said he will continue to engage the relevant authorities and advocate for the roads in the constituency to receive the attention and intervention required. “At the end of the day, the people deserve to see the work being done. I will continue to do my part to push for the necessary interventions, but the responsibility for executing the approved works rests with the agencies and contractors tasked with delivery,” Vaz said.