The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL kvirgil@tribunemedia.net THE government signed contracts worth almost $4 million for the repair of badly damaged roads in Andros and Harbour Island yesterday. Works, Transport, and Housing Minister Neko Grant travelled to Stanyard Creek, Andros where residents have reportedly lost vehicles to roads that have become almost unusable. Charmain Lubin, a preschool teacher on the island, said she lost two vehicles because of the "deplorable roads". She said: "I've been back here 10 years and I have changed two vehicles since I came back here - front end gone. "That's how bad the roads are, especially the inner communities, that's in Stanyard Creek, Blanket Sound, and Stafford Creek." "We prefer to ride bicycles and walk because we cannot afford to ride our cars on the roads." Mr Grant and other officials signed a $2,523,280 contract to repair 5.3 miles of road in Stanyard Creek. He said: "Just over a month ago I executed contracts for some $3.5 million on infrastructure works in Andros and today I will execute a contract for some $2.5 million." "Never in the history of this island has $6 million in contracts for infrastructure work been executed in such a short period." The contract, awarded to Mr Basil Neymour, the father of Phenton Neymour, will be completed in phases, with plans for the first phase to be completed in six months. Basil Neymour, who built 78 miles of road in Long Island, and 51 miles of road in Cat Island more than 40 years ago, said he is the best man for the job. "You should have seen my product, I am one of the best and I have proven that," he said. Another contract was signed in Harbour Island where residents have complained for months about the poor roads. Nu View Construction Company will spearhead the $1,285,208 project. Earlier in the year, the government signed a contract to repair the island's roads, however, preexisting water problem's prevented the work from being carried out. The minister responsible for the Water and Sewage Corporation, Earl Deveaux, said the government had to make some important decisions before the road works could continue at that point. "When we were here to do the roads, we signed a contract and the infrastructure for your water was so bad and so advanced in corrosion that we were stuck and we were asked not to pave the road until we restored and rehabilitated the water mains," he said. "Unfortunately it took a long time to fix." Quinten Kemp, the lead contractor for this project, hopes to begin the road work on Friday. The project is expected to take six months.