RESIDENTS of Amelia’s Ward, Linden are head over heels that the 2018 budget has included the construction of the community’s main access road, called ‘Main Street’.

This thoroughfare spans several housing schemes and small communities in Central Amelia’s Ward and residents were suffering tremendously because of its deplorable state.
On Wednesday, at a community outreach held in Cinderella City by Minister Simona Broomes and other regional officials, the residents celebrated the news that the road will definitely be done and works will commence soon, since tenders are already out.

Residents were forced to walk more than a mile out of the long stretch of road filled with huge potholes to access transportation, since short-drop taxis refused to drive through the road because of its state.

For those who decide to do so, an extra cost is attached to the fare. It has been the main cry of the residents since it affects pensioners, schoolchildren, pregnant women and others who cannot walk the long stretch of road and cannot afford the additional cost.
“We were very much frustrated with that road. We the people of this community are suffering because of that road, vehicles don’t want to come in,” Webster, a resident of Cinderella City said. Broomes said the government realised that the people were suffering and that is why the road is being done.

The residents of Cinderella City, especially women, will benefit from the contracts since Minister Simona Broomes would have held discussions with the contractors to employ the women to do ‘clean up’ jobs while the road is being constructed.
Discussions were held with the RDC to have the residents employed to clean the drains in the community as well. On Monday, community representatives gave the minister a list of those interested in employment.

“The whole idea is that whenever persons come into your community to do work, you must be a part of it,” Broomes said.
The residents were encouraged to be good workers as contractors have made complaints of undisciplined workers. Broomes distributed tools to the residents to assist them in their community road construction employment work.

The women expressed appreciation that some form of employment will come their way since most are only employed on a part-time basis, cleaning drains and parapets in their communities

In addition to the Amelia’s Ward Main Street, other roads that will be done are Toucan Drive Main Road; Speight Land Access Road; Riverside Drive Road; Stanley Road in the Wismar Hill Primary School area; the Ballfield Road; the Teachers’ Compound Main Access Road; and the Post Office Road in Wismar.

Out of the $3.4B budget, $322.5M has been allocated for public infrastructure in Region 10.
With a portable asphalt plant available in Linden that is currently being assembled at the Christianburg area, road construction in Linden in 2018 is expected to be expedited.
The plant is fully automatic and computerised and is being powered by a low emission generator and will produce 160 tonnes of asphalt per hour.

With asphalt being available right in Linden, the production of roads is expected to be lower and therefore surplus funds can be used to construct and repair more roads.