ADDRESS

BY

THE HONOURABLE BRADLEY B. ROBERTS MP

AT

THE CONTRACT SIGNING CEREMONY

FOR

THE ENHANCEMENT TO THE MACKEY/SHIRLEY STREETS INTERSECTION

“A JOINT VENTURE PROJECT”

11.30 AM THURSDAY 17^TH AUGUST 2006

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS

THE HON. GLENYS HANNA-MARTIN, MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND AVIATION,

MR. FRANK SMITH, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR THE ST. THOMAS MORE CONSTITUENCY

PERMANENT SECRETARIES BERNARD AND NAIRN,

REVEREND FR. JAMES MOULTRIE RECTOR OF THE ST. MATTHEWS PARISH,

MR.ED FIELDS OF KERZNER INTERNATIONAL AND OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF KERZNER INTIONAL,

UNDER SECRETARIES POITIER AND BALFOUR

MR. ALBERT BROWN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BAHAMAS TAXICAB UNION,

SENIOR OFFICERS OF THE MINISTRY OF WORKS & UTLILITIES,

MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,

JUST OVER 15 MONTHS AGO MY NEIGHBOR ED FIELDS OF KERZNER TELEPHONED AND REQUESTED THAT I SET ASIDE AN HOUR ON A SATURDAY MORNING SO THAT HE MIGHT SHOW AND SHARE WITH ME SOME CONCERNS HE HAD WITH RESPECT TO THE MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC AND OTHER ISSUES AROUND NEW PROVIDENCE. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAS THE PROJECT WE ARE GATHERED TODAY WHICH I HAVE DESIGNATED AS THE ENHANCEMENT OF TRAFFIC FLOW HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF SHIRLEY AND MACKEY STREETS.

AFTER CONSULTATION WITH MY TECHNICAL OFFICERS, THEY CONCURED THAT IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE TO PROCEED AS WAS AGREED BY ED FIELDS AND MYSELF.

JUST YESTERDAY, ED ADVISED ME THAT IN REPORTING BACK TO HIS PRINCIPLES ON OUR AGREEMENT, IT WAS BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION THAT  IN THE NINETEEN NINETIES  THAT HNTB CORPORATION WAS COMMISSIONED BY KERZNER INTERNATIONAL TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO EXAMINE ACCESS TO PARADISE ISLAND FROM LYNDEN PINDLING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. 

THE CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE STUDY REVEALED THAT IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE FREE FLOW OF TRAFFIC EXITING PARADISE ISLAND VIA THE BRIDGE IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE SIGNAL TIMINGS TO BE UPGRADED AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS BE COMPLETED AT THE JUNCTION OF MACKEY AND SHIRLEY STREET.

THE PRIMARY INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE TO THIS INTERSECTION UNDER THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ISSUED WILL BE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SEPARATE RIGHT TURNING LANE ON TO SHIRLEY STREET FROM MACKEY STREET THEREBY FACILITATING THE PRIMARY MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC EXITING MACKEY STREET AND ACCESSING SHIRLEY STREET.

THE UPGRADE OF THE SIGNAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE REPHRASING OF THE JUNCTION’S TIMINGS WILL ALSO TAKE PLACE WITH THE VIEW OF REDUCING THE CURRENT CONFLICTS BROUGHT ABOUT UNDER EXISTING CONDITIONS BY LANE ENCROACHMENTS. 

THE MINISTRY IS UNDERTAKING THIS UPGRADE AT THIS TIME TO ACCOMMODATE FURTHER CHANGES TO THE SIGNALIZED NETWORK THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND NOTING THAT THE SHIRLEY STREET CORRIDOR IS A PRIMARY LINK WITHIN THE EXISTING SIGNALIZED NETWORK. 

WITH THE INCREASING NEED TO PROMOTE SAFETY, NOT ONLY FOR DRIVERS BUT ALSO FOR PEDESTRIANS, THIS PROJECT WILL GREATLY ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF BOTH ROAD USER TYPES AND ENCOURAGE A MORE HARMONIOUS USE OF THE INTERSECTION.

THE GOVERNMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH KERZNER INTERNATIONAL, WILL BE ISSUING FOUR CONTRACTS UNDER THIS PROJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONTRACTORS:

(1) R AND M TRUCKING LTD. IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,500.00 - FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE MILK STAND;

(2) A CONTRACT TO BILL SIMMONS CONSTRUCTION AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT CO. LTD. IN THE AMOUNT OF $210,222.90 - FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE CIVIL ROAD WORKS;

(3) A CONTRACT TO V.C. CONSTRUCTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $139,000.00- FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE CONCRETE AND DRAINAGE WORKS; AND

(4) A $55,794.00 CONTRACT TO HY-POWER INTERNATIONAL - FOR THE UPGRADE OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.

THE PROJECT WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $500,000.00 OF WHICH KERZNER INTERNATIONAL HAS AGREED TO CONTRIBUTE $250.000.00 DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT.  I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT IN ADDITION TO ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, KERZNER HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED IN EXCESS OF $60,000.00 FOR THE DESIGN WORKS AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT ALONG WITH ANOTHER $30,000.00 FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE VENDOR WHO WAS A TENANT IN THE MILK STAND BUILDING. 

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS I INDICATED EARLIER, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN FOSTERED AS A RESULT OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE INITIATIVE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS AND KERZNER INTERNATIONAL.  ONCE THIS PROJECT WITHIN NINTY DAYS IS COMPLETED THE BENEFITS TO BE REALIZED, NOT ONLY TO COMMUTERS LEAVING PARADISE ISLAND AND ALSO THE GENERAL MOTORING PUBLIC, SHOULD ACT AS A CATALYST FOR THE INITIATION AND COMPLETION OF OTHER SUCH PROJECTS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN NEW PROVIDENCE.

A SECOND OF MR. FIELD’S CONCERN WAS THE WILLIAMS AND SHIRLEY STREETS INTERSECTION, JUST TO THE EAST TO HERE.   

WHEN TRAVELLING SOUTH ON WILLIAM STREET TOWARDS SHIRLEY STREET, THE VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO TRAFFIC EXITING ONTO SHIRLEY STREET DUE TO A CONCRETE WALL ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER. 

AS A CONSEQUENCE VEHICLES OVERSHOOT THE INTERSECTION IN AN UNSAFE MANNER IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCESS SHIRLEY STREET.  THE PROPOSAL TO DEAL WITH THE TRAFFIC ISSUE AT THIS INTERSECTION IS TO HAVE THE PRESENT BOUNDARY WALL CHANGED WHEREBY THE SIGHT DISTANCE FOR MOTORISTS ENTERING SHIRLEY ST FROM WILLIAM STREET NORTH WILL BE ENHANCED, RESULTING IN ADDED SAFETY TO MOTORISTS.  IT WILL THEREFORE BE NECESSARY TO COMPULSORILY ACQUIRE A SMALL PORTION THE SAID PROPERTY AND PROCEED THEREAFTER TO HAVE WILLIAM ST REALIGNED SUCH AS TO FORM A PROPER 4-WAY INTERSECTION. THE DESIGN FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS IS CURRENTLY BEING COMPLETED. 

AS REGARDS A NUMBER OF OTHER INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND WHERE ISSUES OF SAFETY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND/OR THE CAPACITY OF THE INTERSECTION IS INADEQUATE, MY TECHNICAL OFFICERS ARE CURRENTLY INVENTORYING THESE INTERSECTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO SAFETY AND/OR CAPACITY IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.

SOME OF THE INTERSECTIONS ALREADY IDENTIFIED ARE:

1. FOX HILL/JOE FARRINGTON RDS;

2.        FAITH AVENUE AND COW PEN ROAD;

3.        EAST STREET AND BAMBOO BOULEVARD; AND

4. AT JOHNSON ROAD AND EAST BAY STREET.

I WISH TO ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM YOU THAT IN MAY OF 2005, MY MINISTRY CONTRACTED THE SERVICES OF THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING FIRM OF PAUL HANNA & ASSOCIATES TO CARRY OUT AN INSPECTION OF THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF BOTH THE EAST AND WEST BRIDGES LEADING TO PARADISE ISLAND.

 THE ENGINEERING REPORT ADVISED THAT BOTH BRIDGES WERE IN FAIRLY GOOD CONDITION.  HOWEVER, A PRIORITY RANKING OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO EACH OF THE BRIDGES HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR SPEEDY ATTENTION.   THE COST ESTIMATES FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE EAST AND WEST BRIDGES ARE $5-6 MILLION AND $2.5 MILLION RESPECTIVELY FOR A TOTAL COST OF $8.5 MILLION MAXIMUM.  IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THAT MY MINISTRY WILL BE GOING OUT TO TENDER FOR THESE REPAIRS VERY SHORTLY.

IN CLOSING, I WISH TO AGAIN TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE KERZNER GROUP AND ED FIELDS, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS, FOR THEIR BOLD INITIATIVE WITH THIS PROJECT AND MY MINISTRY LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE KERZNER GROUP ON A NUMBER OF OTHER PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND.

MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THE COMMOMWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS.