Dominica’s Road Network to Get Improvement Program

Dominica’s road network is to receive much needed focus through the Road Improvement Program under the 9th European Development (EDF) National Indicative Program (NIP).

Speaking at the signing ceremony to mark the commencement of the Program this week, Minister for Public Works and Public Utilities, Ambrose George, explained the Program will undertake specific objectives.

Those objectives include efforts to develop a ten year strategic road maintenance program for the identification and sourcing of equipment, spares and new plant for use by the Public Works Corporation, to train all the Corporation and Maintenance staff, to undertake institutional and organizational reform of the Public Works Corporation and the Roads Maintenance Unit, and to implement a road maintenance program using the balance of funds under the Plan.

Ambrose George further explained that €455,000 will be spent on a consultancy by WSP International over a period of eighteen months. Another €420,000 will go towards the purchase of equipment and supplies for the Public Works Corporation. A further €50,000 will be used for the project evaluation and audit at the end of the program.

Initially the construction of the Petite Soufriere/Rosalie Link Road was intended to be financed under the 9th EDF. However Ambrose George told the media that additional financial resources would have to be found to construct that road.

According to George, the remaining €8 million is expected to go towards the financing for the maintenance of Dominica’s roads. The Road Improvement Program is designed for a period of three years and is expected to come to an end in December 2010.