JOSEPH SHAKO, former Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Works, has been appointed as project co-ordinator for the Northern Jamaica Development Project, including the North Coast Highway and the South Gully Projects.
Mr. Shako will now have direct responsibility for the management of both projects, in keeping with the Memoranda of Understanding signed recently by the Ministry of Transport and Works and project contractors, Bosung Engineering and Construction Company Limited.
The appointment was made recently by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Dr. Alwin Hales. He said that Mr. Shako would supervise the nominated sub-contractors who would be undertaking aspects of the project; and would also provide administrative assistance to Bosung, in an effort to expedite completion of the projects.
Mr. Shako was a member of the Special Ministerial Task Force which spearheaded the recent discussions leading to the resurrection agreement with Bosung.
Over the years, he has served the Public Works Department as project manager on several road improvement and construction programmes. These include the Mandeville Bypass and the Rural Road Improvement Project.
In the meantime, Dr. Hales said the former Project Director on the North Coast Highway and South Gully Projects, Mr. Karl Martin, has been reassigned to the Directorate of Major Projects. He will now manage the Urban Road Improvement Project, which includes ongoing works on Hope Road, the Mandela Highway/ Washington Boulevard upgrading, and the widening of Trafalgar Road, as well as improvements at Barbican Road/Russell Heights, Sandy Gully Bridge and Manor Park.
