Over seven million dollars for road works for post Erika rehabilitation

DOMINICA:  The Honourable Minister for Public Works and Ports, Senator Miriam Blanchard, gave a forecast of projects tendered to the tune of EC$7m to begin soon.
Senator Blanchard spoke at the ground breaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the West Bridge on Friday, 22^nd April.
There, she revealed some 30 projects to commence after Erika hit Dominica with an over one billion dollar blow of infrastructural damage.
“I would like to share with you today that the staff of the Ministry of Public Works and Ports has been extremely busy since the passage of the storm. In the last month 30 small and medium sized projects were tendered totalling in excess of over EC$7m. We expect to continue the signing of contracts to execute these works as early as next week. In general, these works at the community level will focus on the construction of retaining walls, river dredging and pavement of roads.”
Hon. Blanchard also announced that in the next few days signing of an implementation contract for construction of the York Valley Bridge will take place.
“This project will be grant financed through the generosity of one of the Government’s strongest allies the Government of the People’s Republic of China,” she explained.  “Once that contract has been signed works will follow in approximately four months. Additionally the planning phase of the West Coast Rehabilitation Project to address the damage of the infrastructure in that part of the island continues. This project too will be financed from grant funding from the Government of the People’s Republic of China.”
The Honourable Senator stated that significant employment will be generated by this project as the contractor has assured the Government of Dominica that local skills and talents will be used as much as possible.
Additional projects were also mentioned.
These include a project to restore and construct river defences west of the Hillsborough Bridge. The minister says tendering is ongoing for this project.