The Dominica government has officially signed a contract to initiate repairs on edge failures along the Dr. Nicholas Liverpool Highway and Edward Oliver Leblanc Highway. The agreement was formalized during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance‘s Conference Room on Friday.
Minister for Public Works Fidel Grant described the day as a “significant step” in the nation’s ongoing recovery efforts. “We are here for this contract signing where we will undertake road repair and rehabilitation at six locations,” Grant stated. He further outlined that the total cost for the seven planned interventions will be $5,809,362.13.
Addressing the challenges posed by past disasters, Grant acknowledged that extreme weather events, including Hurricane Maria and Tropical Storm Erika, had severely impacted the island’s infrastructure. “Seven years later, we continue to restore and repair our vulnerable road network,” he added, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing safety measures for both workers and road users during construction.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit revealed that the government had been saving funds since the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for such necessary infrastructure repairs. “We established a vulnerability risk reduction fund and have been saving half a million dollars every month since 2022,” Skerrit shared. He explained that these savings would be used to fund the current roadworks.
Skerrit also hinted at additional projects in the coming weeks, including addressing water crossings and replacing temporary road solutions like drums along the roads. He added that the Ministry of Public Works is reviewing proposals for further interventions.
The government remains committed to enhancing Dominica’s infrastructure resilience, maintaining road safety, and creating long-term solutions to withstand future weather challenges.
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