Jamaica’s infrastructure advancements are fueling economic growth and improving lives, with transformative road and port developments contributing to 7.6% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022.
According to Kady Ann Rowe-Smith, Director of the Works Policy Monitoring Branch of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, the programme of work on the country’s roads, bridges, and ports, has significantly improved the infrastructure landscape and increased employment in the construction and tourism sectors.
“For example, in 2022, the construction sector accounted for the employment of approximately 141,000 persons across the island in various areas, in housing development, road expansion and rehabilitation, in port development, and in the construction of hotels and commercial spaces” she stated.
Mrs. Rowe-Smith cited a number of notable projects that have increased economic connectivity and enhanced the transportation of goods and services across the country. They include the major upgrading of urban corridors such as Marcus Garvey Drive and Hagley Park Road, as well as the completion of sections of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP).
“Under the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, the east-west leg of Highway 2000 was expanded from May Pen in Clarendon to Williamsfield in Manchester, and that component was completed in September of last year. The road section from Harbour View in St. Andrew to Yallahs in St. Thomas, was completed in February of this year and the project is ongoing. We are still doing rehabilitation works on 15 corridors, which are expected to be completed by the end of this financial year”, she added.
In terms of tourism, Mrs. Rowe-Smith, noted that Jamaica is now cemented as a global leader in cruise travel, thanks to cutting-edge port developments.
“The completion of port development projects by the PAJ (Port Authority of Jamaica), such as the Montego Bay Cruise Ship Terminal, the Port Royal Cruise Ship Terminal, and Hampden Wharf, has significantly increased cruise passenger arrivals to the island and has importantly, positioned Jamaica as a leading cruise destination in the world”.
Looking ahead, Mrs. Rowe-Smith said efforts are underway to revise the National Construction Policy and develop a Public Right-of-Way Access Management Policy, laying the foundation for continued growth and resilience in the construction sector.
The Works Infrastructure Policy and Monitoring Branch facilitates the development, implementation and the monitoring of policies, programs, projects, and legislation, including those of the Ministry’s portfolio agencies, the National Works Agency (NWA), the National Road Operating and Constructing Company (NROCC), the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and the Professional Engineers Registration Board, (PERB).
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