inister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool revealed during last week’s sitting of the House of Assembly that some $65,000 remains outstanding to contractors in the Georgie Hill Road Project. Photo: VINO/File

The revelation was made following questions posed by Representative for the First District Honourable Andrew A. Fahie regarding financing for the project. Photo: VINO/File

Hon Fahie stated: Manse road seems to be completed; hence, the Minister can at least provide the projected cost to the Government for the lands. Above: Manse road during construction. Photo: VINO/File

The revelation was made following questions posed by Representative for the First District Honourable Andrew A. Fahie regarding financing for the project.

Hon Fahie was told by Hon. Vanterpool that government is still negotiating with land owners and advised that the monies were outside those already spent on the Paul P. Wattley road/Manse road and the Georgie Hill road projects.

“Since taking office, government has spent $683,783.24 on the Manse road project and just over $900,000 on the Georgie Hill road project,” Hon. Vanterpool said.

In June of this year, Cabinet approved the Georgie Hill road project for a sum of $1.1M and Hon. Vanterpool said they do not intend to ask for any further monies for the project.

However, following in the trend of Members of Government shying away from providing answers to questions posed by members of the opposition, Hon. Vanterpool told Hon. Fahie that while there are pending land issues, he could not provide additional information, citing Section 17 (b) of the Standing Orders.

"As it relates to the list of the parties, the process is ongoing and to provide this would be in conflict of Standing Orders Section 17 (b)," said Hon Vanterpool.

“Manse road seems to be completed; hence, the Minister can at least provide the projected cost to the Government for the lands,” Hon. Fahie responded.

"Am I to take it that the Government has paved a road through people's land and now is going back to deal with cost; is this what I am hearing?" asked Hon. Fahie.

But again there was no direct response forthcoming from Hon. Vanterpool. He however indicated that the Ministry of Communications and Works (MCW) is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour to come up with cost issues for lands involved as it relates to the Georgie Hill road project.

Hon. Vanterpool said that MCW is continuing to work with land owners to have the matters resolved in due course. “It is expected that these matters will be resolved by the second quarter of next year," he noted.

He told the Honourable House that there was a written document with the two parties (Government and land owners) and that land encroached on for the project to go forward will see land owners eventually being paid when the project is completeD. “So in due course they will be compensated in short time, not as long as I have seen in many cases," said Hon. Vanterpool.