RESIDENTS and motorists of the Mabaruma Sub-Region are breathing a sigh of relief as infrastructural works have commenced on sections of the road network in the area.

Region One’s first town has been plagued with pot-holed roads in recent months. Works commenced on Saturday last during which the roads along the Kumaka Stretch, those within Mabaruma and along the Hosororo Stretch were graded and leveled.

The contractor is expected to compact and later, plaster the thoroughfare with bitumen before the week ends. According to reports, the contractor met with motorists on Tuesday to discuss a scheduled period when the roads will be closed in order to facilitate works.

The roadways in the region have been in a deplorable state for weeks as slothfulness by the contractor was cited as a factor in remedying the situation. In September, Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said persons would complain of their inability to secure contracts to for works across the country, but their ability to undertake works are hampered by identified challenges such as availability of equipment since some contractors would have more than one contract and continue to bid for more.

According to Patterson, a contract was signed since July for works to be undertaken on the roads at Mabaruma and a commencement order was given in August for a four-month contract, yet no work has been undertaken.

The minister said he called the contractor’s engineer who informed that the works will be finished within a month and a half. This, he said was not realistic.

“On revocation, we are moving to that,” he said, but noted that someone may be awarded a contract for a period of four months but works may not commence until late in that period.