MONTEGO BAY, St James — Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government will continue to improve water systems islandwide to ensure residents’ access to the amenity, as it is pivotal to the country attaining significant economic growth and development.
Mr Holness was speaking at the launch of the Essex Valley Agriculture Project at Lititz Primary School in St Elizabeth last Wednesday
The project, which represents one of the largest investments in irrigation infrastructure in Jamaica, will impact the livelihoods of over 700 farmers on 718 hectares of land, through the provision of irrigation water and improved access to local and global agricultural markets.
Prime Minister Holness also indicated that the neighbouring Hounslow Water Supply Project is to be completed in another six weeks.
“So another set of farmers and domestic households in this area [Lititz] will have access to potable water,” he stated.
The Essex Valley Agriculture Development Project is being funded at a cost of £35. 5 million by the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund, through the Caribbean Development Bank, and seeks to enhance the productivity of farmers in the Essex Valley, in a socially inclusive, gender equitable and climate sensitive manner.
Meanwhile, Holness advised that repairs have been completed on one of two damaged National Water Commission (NWC) pipelines beneath Mandela Highway which serve sections of the Kingston Metropolitan Area.
This, he said, is expected to alleviate challenges residents of Kingston and St Andrew are currently experiencing with their water supply.
The other broken 18-inch pipeline, which runs 35-feet beneath the highway will take another three months to be replaced, Holness said.
“We have assessed the issues [and] we will have to abandon that and run new lines. When that is done, Kingston will be adequately and sustainably served,” Holness said.
— JIS
