KINGSTON - Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, at a press conference yesterday - September 7, said that the Ministry’s Force Account Unit will soon be strengthened with an increase of personnel and the addition of equipment.
The Minister was responding to a question which sought to ascertain the Ministry’s plan to ensure quality work from contractors, in light of the numerous infrastructure projects that will soon commence. Minister Ferguson explained that the rehabilitation works recently executed on a number of roads in and around Georgetown, along with work on the road leading into the new Giftland Mall at Liliendaal, were all done by the Force Account Unit. Ferguson said that with the strengthening of the unit, the Ministry will be better positioned to execute road works, which means rather than tendering out the contracts, the Unit can execute works, thereby ensuring better value for taxpayers’ money. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, making his contribution, explained that a request was already made to increase technical staff at the Ministry. He added that, with increased technical staff a minimum of two engineers will be placed in each region to supervise the implementation of a number of infrastructural projects. They will also lend their technical skill to supervising works that will be executed by the region.
