Jamaican infrastructure officials have issued a stark economic warning against proposed nighttime road rehabilitation projects, arguing that round-the-clock construction would impose unsustainable financial burdens on the nation’s budget. Minister Robert Morgan, who holds the works portfolio within the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, clarified the government’s position during a recent Jamaica Observer Press Club session.
The ministerial response comes amid mounting pressure from commuters suffering through chronic traffic congestion in Kingston, St. Andrew, and St. Catherine. While acknowledging the appeal of after-hours construction, Morgan detailed how Jamaica’s economic structure makes night work fundamentally cost-prohibitive. Security requirements alone would necessitate substantial additional expenditures, as construction crews would require protection during nighttime operations.
Beyond security considerations, Morgan explained how the entire construction ecosystem would demand premium compensation. Asphalt plants and quarries would need to operate outside normal hours, truckers would command overtime payments, and material suppliers would increase prices to cover extended operations. “Your economy is not built for 24 hours,” Morgan stated, emphasizing that Jamaica’s economic framework primarily operates on conventional daytime schedules.
The government has implemented limited nighttime repairs for emergency patching on critical routes, as occurred last year when daytime disruption wasn’t feasible. However, widespread adoption would force difficult trade-offs, potentially reducing the number of repairable roads due to inflated costs. Morgan posed the dilemma: pursuing ten road projects at standard pricing versus potentially only five roads at nighttime rates.
The discussion emerges alongside the ongoing Special Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Programme, a $5 billion investment targeting major thoroughfares including Arthur Wint Drive, Tom Redcam Drive, Lady Musgrave Road, East King’s House Road, and Washington Boulevard. Rather than accelerating construction, officials prioritize strategic sequencing to avoid paralyzing the capital’s traffic network, learning from past experiences that nearly “locked down the city” during simultaneous repairs on multiple arteries.
Project implementation will follow careful planning through the Public Investment Management Secretariat, with major works scheduled sequentially over the next three to four years to minimize metropolitan disruption.