Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, visited the Sandy Gully in St. Andrew today  (October 22, 2025), to view the work being done to remove silt and excess debris from the gully ahead of Tropical Storm Melissa.

“There is a lot of debris that is close to the bridge. It is a risk to the bridge and the bridge is a very important national asset. There is a bigger plan to do some work in the Sandy Gully and that plan is going through the PIMS (Public Investment Management System) process which is a major capital project. But we always have to be cognizant of the risk to the gully when there is heavy rains”.

Minister Morgan noted that Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced an allocation of approximately J$4 billion to assist in the rehabilitation of the Sandy Gully and other major infrastructure across the Corporate Area, as well as the North and South Gully in St. James.

However, the Minister noted that remedial work would also be undertaken, outside of that capital project,  to look at the most critical areas that are under threat, adding that the National Works Agency has done detailed assessments of the gully, as well as drawings and designs to facilitate the work.

He added that with Tropical Storm Melissa approaching, the Government has an obligation to do all that is necessary, to ensure the protection of life and property.

“What we are doing here is a temporary measure. It will not solve the problem that faces the gully.  Right now our main focus is to be prepared for what could be a very damaging storm and to protect life and property by protecting this bridge, which is spanning the major artery heading into Kingston”, he stated.
Minister Morgan was joined on the tour by Member of Parliament for Western St. Andrew, Anthony Hylton, who highlighted some of the issues with the gully.

In addition to the Sandy Gully, Minister Morgan also toured McGregor Gully, Wickie Wackie and Pondside in St. Andrew.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Developoment (MEGID) Hon. Robert Nesta Morgan, says the Montego Bay Perimeter Road is 80 percent complete with completion set for May 2026.

Minister Morgan who has responsibility for the Works portfolio, made the disclosure during a tour of sections of the Perimeter Road today (October 15, 2025)

“The completion date for this section of the Perimeter Road, not the Long Hill Section, is May 2026. We are a little bit ahead of target as the contractors have been moving a little bit faster than we predicted, which is a good thing. The work that we have done on this road is a testament to the collaboration between China Harbour, our local contactors as well as the engineers, a lot of them from local companies and the management of NROCC (National Road Operating and Constructing Company). I think it is an example of how we can build roads in the future” the Minister stated.

Pointing to the work that has already been done, Minister Morgan noted that the road has been asphalted, where before there was only aggregate.

“There was base material in the form of aggregate and now we have 2 inches of asphalt which is the base course. There is another layer of asphalt which is to be put on, which is going to be another inch and a half of asphalt. So the standard for this road is another three and a half inches of asphalt which our engineers tell us is sufficient to deal with the traffic”, he noted.

Responding to a question from the media about opening sections of the road ahead of completion, Minister Morgan said any such plans would have to be guided by the safety of the motorists.

“We’re putting in railings and other safety features to ensure that motorists who will use the road are able to use it in a very safe way. It is an active construction site so you wouldn’t want to open the road too early and put persons lives at risk.

So when the time is appropriate and when we feel that we have put in the necessary safety measures and the paving has been done in a particular way, we will definitely announce that we are opening a section of the road to the motoring public”, he stated.

Work on the US$274 million Montego Bay Perimeter Road project includes the:

• Montego Bay Bypass Road,
• Barnett Street/West Green Avenue Road Rehabilitation,
• Long Hill Bypass to reduce road traffic congestion, and, a comprehensive drainage study of the Montego Bay Bypass area.

Construction on the $231 million Troy Bridge in Trelawny is on track for completion by December 2025, says Hon. Robert Morgan, Minister with portfolio responsibility for Works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development.

Minister Morgan, who toured the site today Wednesday, October 8, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the project, noting that the bridge will bring much needed relief to residents affected by its collapse in 2021.

“I’m happy that Jamaica can see the work that we’ve done.  There is still some work left to be done to finish in December, but we’re very sure that when the work is finished, the people of this area will be very proud”, the Minister stated.

He added that road rehabilitation works on both sides of the bridge are set to begin in January 2026, further enhancing access for residents, students, and businesses.

“For the past 4 years this bridge has been out, and it has really had a devastating economic impact… Troy is a very important economic hub for both Manchester and Trelawny.   We have to rehabilitate the roads for the farmers, for the students, for the residents, for persons who are coming here to do business, because we want to reinvigorate Troy”, the Minister noted.

Minister Morgan said the project underscores the Government’s commitment to modernising Jamaica’s infrastructure. “This bridge is from the 1800s… and it just gives you an example of the tremendous task we have on our hands in rehabilitating or rebuilding the infrastructure. But the government is committed to doing it”.

The Troy Bridge collapsed in August 2021 during the passage of Tropical Storm Grace.  It serves the residents of Trelawny, Manchester and St. Elizabeth.

Construction on the $231 million Troy Bridge in Trelawny is on track for completion by December 2025, says Hon. Robert Morgan, Minister with portfolio responsibility for Works in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development.

Minister Morgan, who toured the site today Wednesday, October 8, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the project, noting that the bridge will bring much needed relief to residents affected by its collapse in 2021.

“I’m happy that Jamaica can see the work that we’ve done.  There is still some work left to be done to finish in December, but we’re very sure that when the work is finished, the people of this area will be very proud”, the Minister stated.

He added that road rehabilitation works on both sides of the bridge are set to begin in January 2026, further enhancing access for residents, students, and businesses.

“For the past 4 years this bridge has been out, and it has really had a devastating economic impact… Troy is a very important economic hub for both Manchester and Trelawny.   We have to rehabilitate the roads for the farmers, for the students, for the residents, for persons who are coming here to do business, because we want to reinvigorate Troy”, the Minister noted.

Minister Morgan said the project underscores the Government’s commitment to modernising Jamaica’s infrastructure. “This bridge is from the 1800s… and it just gives you an example of the tremendous task we have on our hands in rehabilitating or rebuilding the infrastructure. But the government is committed to doing it”.

The Troy Bridge collapsed in August 2021 during the passage of Tropical Storm Grace.  It serves the residents of Trelawny, Manchester and St. Elizabeth.

After significant technical planning, the Government of Jamaica has officially signed the contract to implement the e-Titles system, a groundbreaking digital platform that will modernise the country’s land administration framework. This project, fully funded from the Government’s budget, marks a historic first for the country.

Spearheaded by a local technical team, the e-Titles system will replace the traditional paper-based process with a secure, fully digital registry. It will enable digital issuance and storage of land titles, real-time updates to records, and secure online access for property owners, legal professionals, and government agencies. Key transactions, including transfers, mortgages, and subdivisions, will be processed more quickly and efficiently, drastically reducing delays and administrative burdens.

The e-Titles initiative is part of a broader strategy to formalise over 350,000 informal and unregistered parcels of land, valued at approximately J$200 billion, providing secure ownership to citizens and communities. By empowering Jamaicans with legally recognised property titles, the project will transform informal settlements into thriving, formally recognised communities and enable land to be leveraged as a valuable economic asset.

“This is more than a contract signing; we are moving to implement a strategic national imperative,” said Ms. Cheriese Walcott, CEO of the National Land Agency (NLA). “We are not just digitising land titles; we are modernising Jamaica’s future.”

Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Arlene Williams, also lauded the progress made, explaining that the initiative followed significant work, to include approval by the Public Investment Management Committee (PIMC), and subsequent approval by the Cabinet for inclusion in the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, speaking during the 2025/26 Budget Debate, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to modernising land titling, highlighting the role of e-Titles in regularising informal settlements and improving access to land as an economic asset. The contract, valued at just over Thirty-Four Million United States Dollars, was executed by the Fujitsu Caribbean (Jamaica) Limited and the Government of Jamaica, through the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and the National Land Agency.

With the contract signed, the implementation phase begins immediately, including public consultation, system development, education campaigns, and a phased rollout of digital operations. Full adoption is expected by 2027–2028, following amendments to the Registration of Titles Act.

Approximately 550 residents in the rural communities of Cascade and Section in Western Portland, now have a steady and reliable source of water, following the commissioning of the $40 millon Cascade/Section Water Supply Rehabilitation Project into service yesterday (August 20, 2025).

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Cascade,  Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Matthew Samuda, noted that the Government has prioritised investments in rural water systems, stating that there  has been “no segregation where only urban town centres receive water”.

Minister Samuda added that the island is blessed with rainfall, but this has become intermittent due to climate change.

“It means your water systems to store, extract, process and distribute water, and have to outpace the ravages of climate change.   So when your Government takes $40 million of taxpayer money and says it’s time for the people of Cascade to put water woes behind them, we hope you understand that priority was based on commitments made to you, but is also made on good, sound economic management and the fact that we decided that communities like Cascade can no longer continue without water”, the Minister stated.

Noting that there are 100 projects underway throughout Jamaica in both urban and rural areas, the Minister added that the provision of water is an “investment in the comfort, future and way of life” of the residents of these communities and is a commitment to the objectives of the Vision 2030 National Development Plan.

“Jamaica has made a commitment to itself that we will ensure that there is no community left behind by 2030.   It is within our Vision 2030 document, it is accepted within the UNSDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals), but it is (also) a firm commitment of this Government.  That is why we are investing J$22 billion currently, to make our water systems resilient, to extend our water systems to those who are left out, and to ensure that we can manage the ravages of climate change  as best as possible”, the Minister stated.

The Cascade/Section Water Supply Rehabilitation project, which was executed by Rural Water Supply Limited (RWSL), seeks to mitigate the acute water shortages that both communities face during the dry season, due to inadequate storage facilities and deteriorated and undersized infrastructure.

Work on the project involved the installation of an upgraded 2-inch distribution pipeline to serve both communities as well as the installation of an elevated storage tank.