The Jamaican Government, under Prime Minister Andrew Holness, is decisively moving forward with its plan to establish a centralized One Road Authority (ORA), dismissing opposition from various local government entities. Cabinet has officially sanctioned the new agency to function within the Works portfolio of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development.
Robert Morgan, the Minister with responsibility for Works, provided a detailed update during a post-Cabinet press briefing. He outlined the ORA’s primary mandate: to regulate standards and oversee performance for all roads across the island, with direct implementation responsibilities for national main roads. This initiative is a cornerstone of the administration’s strategy to rectify decades of fragmented and inefficient road management.
A critical component of this overhaul is the simultaneous development of the Jamaica Road Designation Framework and the Jamaica National Road Register. The latter will be hosted on a publicly accessible website, offering citizens unprecedented transparency. Jamaicans will be able to view a comprehensive list of all roads, their condition, the responsible authority, repair schedules, contractor details, and the financial value of any work conducted. The platform will also feature a mechanism for citizens to submit complaints and inquiries directly.
The ministerial update included a strict 90-day directive for the ministry to commence immediate implementation. This initial phase involves outlining the necessary legislative and regulatory amendments, finalizing the designation criteria, and initiating stakeholder consultations. The ORA’s key functions will include enforcing a single, high standard for all roadworks, strengthening quality assurance to hold contractors accountable, and implementing robust performance reporting for public scrutiny.
Minister Morgan emphasized that the era of ambiguous jurisdiction is over. The framework will clearly classify roads as national main roads, farm roads, or parish council roads. He cited a poignant example from 2025 where roads critical to port infrastructure required urgent repairs but fell into a bureaucratic void, necessitating the Prime Minister’s personal intervention. “This is the kind of laissez-faire structure we’ve had for 60 years, and we are intent on fixing it,” Morgan stated, addressing critics who view the ORA as a power grab.
The implementation will follow a two-phase pathway. Phase One (90 days) focuses on establishing the enabling framework and drafting legal instruments. Phase Two (3-24 months) will involve declaring the initial set of national roads, publishing the interim register, harmonizing legislation, and deploying new management and data systems. The government positions this comprehensive reform as a fundamental empowerment of the Jamaican people, ensuring they finally have influence and full knowledge over the management of the nation’s vital road network.