• Bahamas Striping and Caribbean Pavement chosen for partnership

• Andros contract also being finalised

By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

ELEUTHERA is to have $100m spent on it in roadworks, Minister of Works and Family Island Affairs Clay Sweeting announced yesterday.

Speaking at the Office of the Prime Minister’s weekly press briefing, Mr Sweeting said a public private partnership with the Bahamas Striping Group of Companies and its subsidiary Caribbean Pavement Solutions will be signed today in Rock Sound Eleuthera.

He said 163 miles of road will be paved with asphalt and contractors will take on the “monumental task” of rebuilding, paving and striping the roads as well as placing cat eyes.

He said: “This is a public private partnership initiative with Bahamas Striping Group of Companies and subsidiary company Caribbean Pavement Solutions. This venture is very significant. It will be a major investment for Eleuthera and the Family Islands.

“It will also play a critical role in effectively and efficiently providing the necessary materials needed as contractors will take on the monumental task of restructuring, rebuilding, paving, striping and placing cat eyes on the roads across Eleuthera.”

Mr Sweeting said contracts will also be signed with two local companies, Quick Fix Construction and Nu View construction, for road paving and asphalt is expected to be laid in April.

He said: “We will also have an official signing contract with Quick Fix Construction and Nu View Construction for the paving of community roads and highways in Eleuthera from Hatchet Bay to Bannerman Town. These two companies our local building companies right from the island of Eleuthera that will be engaged throughout the entire process.

“Tomorrow’s contract signing will kickstart road construction as asphalt is expected to be laid in April. And I want to reiterate this asphalt not sand and seal. So Eleuthera will be getting asphalt and these initiatives will be well over the investment of $100m in Eleuthera alone.”

Mr Sweeting said road work is being undertaken in New Providence and on several Family Islands.

South Andros residents voiced their frustrations about the deplorable state of their roads and the Ministry of Works cancelled the $8m roadworks contract assigned to KW Paving in summer 2021 prior to that year’s general election amid concerns over how the project was handled.

Mr Sweeting said they are finalising a new roadworks contract for South Andros that will see the scope of the project expanded and upgraded from sand and seal to asphalt roads.

He said: “We’re finalising the assessment. Previously, it was sand and seal. South Andros will now be receiving asphalt roads instead of what the previous con- tractor had. So, we’re finalising where we’re going to expand the scope to include in the new budget.

“So, you’ll see shortly some work will start there but we want to provide more roads in the contract than what was previously allocated.”