16 bridges, farm to market road for Buxton/Foulis area

   ─ local contractors to execute works

Major infrastructural works will soon commence in the Buxton/Foulis area which will bring significant relief to residents of the two communities.

Works to be executed include the rehabilitation of 16 bridges and the construction of a farm-to-market road to provide access to farmers.

Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill made the announcement when he met with residents at Tipperary Hall, Buxton, Thursday.  

Minister Edghill said an engineer from his ministry will return to the villages on Friday to inspect the bridges. The inspection will give the ministry a full understanding of works needed after which, a bill of quantity will be compiled.

“If we have 16 bridges at $1.5 million, $1.3 million, we will do all 16. Sixteen contractors from Buxton will get work… so, you will be invited to bid and one lot person,” Minister Edghill stated.

The farm-to-market road will give farmers easy access to their farms.

During the meeting, residents suggested two locations where the road should be constructed. Minister Edghill said three engineers will return to inspect the two locations.

The minister said they are going to “walk both areas and see firsthand the conditions and then we make a decision within a two-week period because we cannot sit down and talk about this forever.”

Government’s intervention to construct the farm-to-market road was welcomed by farmers.

“I got a lot of stuff at the back there. The plantain falling down, my cassava under water, my potato under water and we need the commerce to come out. The road, the trench bad, and it need to clean up and we need it like yesterday. If he could do that for me it would make me pleased and comfortable,” Gavin Baird, a farmer from the Buxton community, said.

The meeting in the community stemmed from a ministerial outreach which was led by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on July 4. Minister Edghill was accompanied by Permanent Secretary to the Ministry Vladim Persaud and senior engineers.