Myton Gully Project Proves Government is Getting the Job Done
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Government is delivering critical infrastructure projects, pointing to the newly completed Myton Gully Drainage Improvement Project in St. Catherine as clear evidence that the government is getting things done.
Speaking on Tuesday (June 10) at the handing-over ceremony, Prime Minister Holness said significant work is being done across the country, but much of it is overlooked or unacknowledged.
“What you hear about are the roads that aren’t fixed. But you don’t hear about the roads that we have fixed. What you hear about are the communities that don’t have water. What you don’t hear about are the communities that have gotten water,” Dr. Holness stated.
The $326 million Myton Gully project addresses a long-standing flooding issue that has threatened thousands of residents in Old Harbour for decades. The government expanded the drainage system by installing four large culverts and paving over 200 meters of the gully’s invert, benefiting approximately 38,000 residents and countless motorists.
The Prime Minister emphasized that projects such as this reflect a shift in government performance, from talk to action.
“You are living in a different Jamaica created by a different government. This is a government that understands, a government that has a comprehensive plan for development, a government that cares, but more than anything else, a government that has the wherewithal to create the funds to deliver the benefits that you need,” the Prime Minister said.
Dr. Holness pointed out that while citizens may not immediately see or feel the impact of every project, the administration has consistently delivered through economic growth and long-term planning.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Holness addressed skepticism in some sectors of the country, noting that it had been programmed into the Jamaican psyche over the years.
“We have been programmed to be suspicious of government, to be disbelieving of government. We have been programmed to only highlight governments that don’t perform. That’s how it has been. And so, the confirmation bias that exists within people is to believe that government is not performing, even when confronted with the facts,” Dr. Holness said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that there is still much more to be done but emphasized that his administration has done more work than any other in modern history.
“No other administration in the history of Jamaica has spent more on roads and building of highways than this administration has in the last nine years. None!” Prime Minister Holness stated.
Dr. Holness reminded the public that infrastructure projects take time and don’t happen overnight.
Prime Minister Holness added that this government has put in place programmes aimed at meeting the needs of the people at a faster pace.
The Myton Gully project was implemented by the government through the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and marks another major milestone in the government’s push to improve infrastructure, reduce disaster risk, and build climate resilience across Jamaica.