“Tree-Mendous Beautification”
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Volume 4, Issue 1 A Publication of the Communications and Customer Services Department November 2004 “Tree-mendousAdopt-a-Roadway BlooBeautification”ms In May 2004, the Agency launched its beautification programme dubbed "Tree-mendous Beautification" Adopt-a-Roadway pro- gramme. Conceptualized in 2002 by the National Works Agency, the programme provides Corporate and Volunteer Organizations a unique opportunity to beautify and maintain sections of road- side, verges and median strips, along the main road network. Five Corporate bodies embraced the opportunity to maintain and beautify sections of Trafalgar Road. These are National Commercial Bank, Life of Jamaica Limited, JN Real Estate, Guardian Life and Jamaica Mortgage Bank. Minister Pickersgill said he was pleased to observe that this desire "has began to blossom from concept into reality" Since its launch in May, other entities have shown keen interest in becoming a part of the programme, the most recent being Nature's Paradise, a member of the Guardsman Group of Companies. In addition, the companies sought to bring Marcus Garvey Drive - adopted by Petrojam. Christmas cheer to Trafalgar Road by sponsoring the decoration of JPSCo. poles with Christmas lights. Those who got a chance to view the magnificent array of lights, will agree that the lights brought the splendor and festivity of the season, to the lovely stretch of roadway. The lights were switched-on in a brief cere- mony on Tuesday, December 15, 2004, held at the new Life of Jamaica Sculpture Park (intersection of Lord Nelson Way & Trafalgar Road), to mark the occasion. Both activities, the lighting of the poles and beautification of the road reservation have started to bring cheer to the many motorists and pedestrians who traverse Trafalgar Road daily. Last year, at a similar event, Minister of Transport & Works, Robert Pickersgill challenged the sponsors to transform Trafalgar Road into the most scenic example of Jamaica's main roads. He also intimated his desire for pieces of sculpture, high- lighting aspects of Jamaica's heritage, to be erected at strategic locations along the roadway. When complete, Trafalgar Road would be designated; "The Road of Sculptures". On Tuesday December 14, 2004, Minister Pickersgill said he was pleased to observe that this desire "has began to blossom Life of Jamaica’s Sculpture Park. This one of the projects under the Adopt-A- from concept into reality", with the completion of the Sculpture Roadway programme at the corner of Lord Nelson’s Way and Trafalgar Road. Park, developed by Life of Jamaica. These stories and others inside this issue New traffic Signals 2 Contract Signings 3 Hurricane Ivan - Update 4-9 Dining etiquette and you 11 2 Volume 4, Issue 1 November 2004 New traffic Signals Commissioned at Old Hope Road/Monroe Road Intersection Motorists using Old Hope Road and Munroe Road, in metropolitan Kingston, will now have a smoother ride. This, as Transport & Works Minister, Robert Pickersgill commissioned a new traffic signal into operation at the intersection of both roads on Tuesday December15, 2004. The commissioning of the sig- nals marked the completion of the third phase of improvement works along the corridor. The 51 million dollar improvement works, financed by the Road Maintenance Fund, is one of several projects undertaken by the Agency, specifically designed to arrest the problem of congestion in met- ropolitan Kingston and St. Andrew. The project start- ed in March, this year and was geared at improving the traffic flow along 1 kilometre of Old Hope Road between Fairway Ave. and Munroe Road. The improvement was undertaken in three phases: • Phase 1 - Seaview Ave. to Retreat; • Phase 2 - Fairway Ave. to Seaview & Retreat Ave. to Halart Drive: and • Phase 3 - Halart Drive to Munroe Road. A pleased Minister of Transport and Works, Hon. Robert Pickersgill beams a smile as he commissioned Phase 3, Halart Drive to Munroe Road, began in May the New Traffic Light at the intersection of Monroe Road and Old Hope Road. this year and was completed at the end of November Looking on are Dr. Fenton Ferguson (2nd right) State Minister in the Ministry of Transport and Works at a cost of 29.5 million dollars. Speaking at the func- and Mrs. Valrie Juggan Brown Managing Director, Guardsman Group of Companies. tion, Minister Pickersgill said, the "widening of the corridor to accommodate four lanes has resulted in a smoother flow of traffic and less travel time for motorists". All told, he said, the improvements trans- late into savings for motorists and is a direct result of tax payers dollars working for them. Minister Pickersgill congratulated the National Works Agency's team, headed by Mr. John Wright, for com- pleting the improvement activities, in record time and with minimal disruption to the motoring public. He also congratulated Nature's Paradise for beautifying the road reservation and median strip at the intersec- tion. "Nature's Paradise" he said "has embraced the tenets of the "Tree-mendous Beautification" Programme, launched in May 2004, with the partici- pation of five corporate bodies along Trafalgar Road. “I am impressed by their dispatch to adorn the medi- an with flowers and plants. Their contribution has added value to the millions of dollars spent to upgrade the corridor," the Minister said. Minister Pickersgill presented a certificate to Mr. Kenneth Benjamin, Director of the Guardsman Group, in recognition of the company's participation in the project. In his reply to the Minister's accolades, Mr. Benjamin expressed appreciation for the opportu- nity to volunteer, in what he described as a meaning- ful venture. New Traffic signals at Old Hope Road/Monroe Road intersection. Volume 4, Issue 1 November 2004 3 ofCEO $257M Signs over the contracts period November valued to December in excess 2004 Minister of Transport and Works (2nd from right, seated), Hon Robert Pickersgill signs a multimillion contract for the reha- bilitation of the Albert Town to Troy & Albert Town - Ulster Spring main roads, Trelawny this morning at the CEO's Conference Room at the National Works Agency. Looking on, are Peter Schroeter - Asphalting Specials (1st left), Ivan Anderson - CEO, NWA (2nd left), Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson - Minister of State ( right), O'Rielly Henry - Major Projects Manager, NWA (left standing); V. George Palmer - Manager Communications and Customer Services, NWA (right standing). Minister of Transport and Works (3rd from, left seated), Hon Robert Pickersgill Minister of Transport and Works (3rd from left seated) Hon. Robert Pickersgill signs a $33M dollar contract to patch main roads in all parishes except Trelawny, signs contracts to rehabilitate Orange Lane, St. Catherine and Free Town - Alley Hanover, St. Ann, and St. Elizabeth. Also participating in the function were Prakash main road in Clarendon. Looking on L-R (standing) O'Rielly Henry - Major Vaswani - Chairman of the Road Fund (left), Milton Hodlin Director, Regional Projects Manager, V. George Palmer - Manager Communication and Customer Implementation (left, standing), Leighton Anderson assistant Parish Manager for Services Department. L-R (seated) Ivan Anderson - CEO, Donovon Bryan of B&F Kingston (right, standing) and Vando Palmer, Manager Communication and Pavement and Consultants, and Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, State Minister, Customer Services (leaning over). Ministry of Transport and Works. 4 Volume 4, Issue 1 November 2004 NWA assists Jamaica to rebound quickly, after the passage Ivan. The most notable were the Palisadoes main road in Kingston, a section of the main road from of Category IV Hurricane Kingston to Morant Bay, at Roselle in St. Thomas and the Bog Walk Gorge in St. Catherine. In June 2004, the National Works Agency embarked Response Centre Notwithstanding these challenges the Agency on a 100 million dollar Flood Damage Mitigation pro- achieved the following, only one month after the pas- gramme aimed at cleaning drains in the flood prone Emergency Operation Centre sage of the storm: areas of 11 parishes. At the time, the programme did For the first time, the NWA/MTW Emergency 1. Provided access to the Norman Manley not receive any unusual interest, until August, when Operation Center was established at the NWA’s cor- International Airport (Monday September 13, the island was put on a hurricane watch. By then, porate office. Its operations began operation early 2004) with the assistance of Bouygues Travaux Hurricane Charlie was on course, for Jamaica. Friday, September 10, 2004. The center operated on a Publics; twenty-four (24) hour basis with a four-shift schedule. 2. Filled extensive breakaway at Roselle in St. Thomas; By September 27, 2004, the Agency had received 3. De-silted the Yallahs River, upstream/downstream over 1600 reports of damage to roads, gullies and of the ford, installed culverts and constructed con- drains as well as landslides, fallen trees and flooding. crete ford thus restoring single lane traffic by These reports were prioritized so that access to criti- September 21, 2004, and full access on September cal institutions, hospitals, shelters were first acted 29, 2004 with the assistance of Bouygues Travaux upon, after which, the arterial roads are treated with Publics and Premix Company; priority before all other classes of roads, provided that 4. Repaired damaged sections of the Bog Walk there were no incidents which were life threatening. Gorge; 5. Re-opened to single lane, four roadways that were One month after the passage of Hurricane Ivan, the closed due to breakaways: Palisadoes - Front-End Loader removing sand National Works Agency had: - Petersfield to Yallahs via Danvers Pen main road that covered the Palisadoes main road. • Restored access to 99 % of all main roads island in St. Thomas; wide; - Sandy River to McNie via Rhoden Hall main road As is customary, there was a flurry of activities asso- • Repaired 95 % of malfunctioning traffic signals in Clarendon; ciated with the pending catastrophe.