George Henry, Gleaner Writer SPALDINGS, CLARENDON: THREE MONTHS after a promised start up in the construction of a transportation centre in the town of Spaldings in north west Clarendon, not a block has been laid.
The transportation centre, whose construction was announced for a July start up, is yet to get off the ground, despite announcements in June by Mayor of May Pen, Milton Brown, and Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Azan, at a public meeting held at the Spaldings United Church Hall that work would have commenced.
Mayor Brown, while speaking at the meeting, noted that the new facility was expected to cost $7.5 million and completion would have taken place within two months of the start up date.
He also said a significant portion of the funds for the two-phase project had been identified and, all being well, the project would have been completed within the time specified.
But that has not been the case so far, as transport operators are still eagerly awaiting the commencement of the work on the multi-million dollar facility, which, according to the Mayor, should be able to accommodate up to 200 vehicles.
TITLE HOLD-UP
When Mr. Azan was contacted, he stated that the survey for the three-acre property on which the facility is to be constructed has been done and that the drawings are close to completion.
Mr. Azan also noted that the hold-up in the start up was also due to the slowness in the acquisition of the title for the property. But he stated that he has now received word that the document should be available some time this month.
He pointed out that now that the title will be available soon, work could begin on the facility some time during this month.
Meanwhile Mr. Azan has expressed disappointment in arrangements made by the Spaldings police to have transport operators work out of designated areas close to the town to ease traffic congestion.
He said the arrangements made to have transport operators work from an area close to the National Gas Station and in the vicinity of the police station could work to ease the congestion which Spaldings have been experiencing for years, but lack of co-operation on the part of transport operators has caused it to fail.
He is calling on the police to give the new arrangements another chance, as when it was introduced it helped to ease the congestion in the town centre.
Before the new parking arrangements were implemented, transport operators were in agreement with the changes and agreed to comply. However two days after implementation they started to complain that the parking areas were too far from the town and that passengers had to be walking too far to get vehicles.
It is learnt that taxi operators who work out of the private property at the Sam Fo Supermarket will soon have to find a new area to work from, as Restaurants of Jamaica Limited has shown an interest in acquiring the property for expansion.
