Statement By Prime Minister And Minister For Infrastructure Hon Dickon Mitchell On The Update Of Projects

The year 2026 marks a pivotal moment for continued focus on national  development, with a strong emphasis on improving national infrastructure,  with particular emphasis on roads and bridges.

STRATEGY FOR 2026 

Our strategy is built on four key pillars:

  • Resilience: Strengthening infrastructure to withstand climate and  environmental challenges.
  • Sustainability: Promoting green technologies and renewable energy  solutions.
  • Innovation: Leveraging digital transformation and smart systems for  efficiency.
  • Connectivity: Improving transportation and aviation networks for  regional and global integration.

This approach aligns with national development plans and international best  practices, ensuring long-term benefits for citizens and businesses.

Moreover, having regard to the current geopolitical uncertainty and the effect it  may have on our economic outlook, 2026 will be approached with deliberate  strategy to do more with less whilst employing tighter management and cost  saving measures. Projects must be strategically chosen with the higher impact  initiatives given priority.

To ensure that the Ministry of Infrastructure consistently achieves value for  money, the following measures will be implemented:

  • Standardization of Heavy Equipment Rental and Trucking Rates: A  comprehensive review and standardization of rental rates will be  undertaken to eliminate inconsistencies and ensure fair and competitive  pricing.
  • Enhanced Design Reviews: Design assessments will evaluate not only  structural integrity and functionality but also prioritize cost efficiency to  prevent unnecessary expenditures.
  • Targeted Contractor Negotiations: Negotiations with contractors will be  more deliberate and focused, ensuring that only justifiable and  transparent costs are approved.
  • Strengthened Internal Capacity: The Ministry will expand and enhance  its internal technical capacity to manage and supervise major projects  in-house, thereby reducing reliance on external consultants.

STATUS UPDATE MAJOR ONGOING PROJECTS 

  1. The Cliff Road 

The Cliff Project was originally designed by Beston Consulting as part of  the larger Western Main Road Project. The project seeks to rehabilitate a  section of the eastern main road linking Springs/Woodlands junction to  the Cliff/Woburn Junction (0.6 km long). The works contract is awarded  to CCCCI, and the supervision consultant is SAFED Inc. The original  contract amount was $16,541,362.60. The estimated cost to complete  the project is $7,000,000.00. Payments to Contractor and Consultant (as  per approved valuations) are up to date at the time of closure of the  financial year 2025.

Payments to landowners for acquisition of project affected will be  completed in the first quarter of 2026. The relevant cadastral surveys  have been completed and pending submission. Valuations of properties  are yet to be done.

Project progress has been very slow due to several factors, most of which  can be attributed to the contractor’s slow pace of work despite several  interventions.

The promised end of December 2025 completion to allow traffic was  delayed due to the following reasons:

  • Continued delays in the provision of the approved asphalt mix  design from the contractor.
  • The placement of the backfill material and base course is  progressing at a suboptimal rate in manly due to the weather.

The Revised Completion Dates are within Q1 of 2026 (middle of  February) for traffic and 100% completion by the end of the quarter. 

  1. Clozier  Retaining Wall/Road Project  

The Clozier Retaining Wall Project commenced in June 2025 and has  been significantly delayed due to unforeseen ground conditions onsite.  Consultancy services of SAFED Inc. have been engaged, and additional  design work is ongoing to have final designs prepared for the project to  be completed. A topographical survey for the area has been completed,  which was the cause of the delay in the completion of the additional  design works.

Project Financial Details:

  • The original cost  of the project is $249,171.01 
  • However, due to  unforeseen ground conditions and other challenges faced on the  project site, the revised estimate for the entire project has  increased to $1,367,907.71. The cost variation includes  additional retaining walls and stormwater drains and realignment  of the roadway.

Owing to the delays the estimated project completion date is May 2026. Work should resume by the middle of February.

  1. Willis Road  Rehabilitation Project

The Willis Road Rehabilitation Project is a sub-project of the Feeder  Roads Project which sought to upgrade ten (10) roads and bridges and  which were assigned to Hanover Construction.

To have the project recommence, the Ministry engaged with three local  contractors to form a joint venture to have the work completed. However,  the week of the contract signing the main partner in the joint venture  unfortunately passed. This situation has upended the arrangement and  hence the start of the project. The Ministry is making every effort to have  the project resume in the first quarter of 2026.

  1. Seamoon  Cultural Centre  

The Seamoon Cultural Center Project is a culture-based project that  seeks to reconstruct the performance facility that was damaged following  the passage of Hurricane Ivan. The new project comprises of a main  pavilion and performance facility (stage) as well as other ancillary  features to create a modern venue for events.

The construction contract is awarded to Kenny’s Trucking & Equipment  Services, and the supervision consultant is Glean’s Engineering. The  project has faced some delays relating to design changes and subsequent  contract amendments which have since been resolved. Works are  expected to be completed in Q2 of 2026 (end of May 2026).

  1. Snell Hall  Bridge 

A construction contract has been awarded to CAPS Consulting Inc. for  the construction of this bridge at a contract cost of $1.4 million. The  Works have commenced and are being supervised by the design  consultant Mr. William Bautista Cruz of Williams Design Company. A  temporary pedestrian bridge has been installed, and vehicular traffic  diversion is in place.

The bridge is expected to be completed mid-May. There were some delays  due to the weather. One would appreciate that the abutments are being  constructed on the riverbed requiring temporary diversion of the natural  flow of the river. However, whenever there is heavy rain, this interrupts  the work significantly.

  1. Sauteurs  Costal Protection (Breakwater)  

The Sauteurs Coastal Protection Project is meant to halt and potentially  reverse the degradation of a section of coastline in Sauteurs. This is a  CDB funded project. The design consultants Smith Warner International  have already been retained to supervise the works contractor. Pre

qualification of the works contractor has concluded with two (2)  shortlisted contractors being identified. They have since submitted their  bids which is currently being reviewed by the Bank.

A final public presentation of the ESIA must be done. The Project  Manager and the Social Safeguards and Monitoring and Evaluation  Specialist have all been identified and contract negotiations have  commenced.

Other things being equal, work should be able to commence in Q2 of  2026.

  1. St. Johns River  Project (River Road) 

The St. John’s River Project was a flood mitigation project geared towards  solving the persistent issue of flooding along River Road, between Mt.  Gay/Steel’s Automotive to the Green Bridge/Mouth of the St. John’s  River. The following phases comprise the entire project:

– Phase 1 to 4  (River Training Works) have been completed

– Phase 5 & 6  (Humpback and Steel’s Bridge Reconstruction) Discussions  are ongoing on the best solution. The Ministry will report  more on this soon.

– Phase 7 (Road  Rehabilitation) is yet to be completed. However, this will be  done in the first quarter of 2026 providing that there are no  delays with the availability of asphalt and a competent  contractor having regard to other ongoing projects.

– Moreover, we  believe that watershed management is important to reduce  the volume of water getting into the St. John’s River.

NEW PROJECTS FOR 2026 (Focus: Roads and Bridges) 

Roads 

Design, Build & Finance. Negotiations are almost complete and draft contracts  are being prepared

Package 1

  • Cliff Junction to Maurice Bishop Highway,
  • Eastern Main  Road from Cliff Junction to Westerhall Point

Package 2

  • Mabouya Land  Slip
  • Tempe to Mt.  Kimar

Package 3

  • Old Westerhall  to St. Pauls Police Station

Package 4

  • Republic Bank Roundabout to Burns Point

In addition to these projects, the Ministry will continue to do focused and  deliberate maintenance work on our roads in 2026.

– Grand Etang  reinstatement and road widening project

– Perdmontemp’s  to Vincennes Road Project (paving should begin in March. Small walls,  sidewalks and gaps are being finalized)

Focused Maintenance 

– Eastern Main  Road

– Western Main  Road

– Grenville to  Tivoli

– Town of  Grenville (repaving of the entire town)

– Mt. Moritz  Junction to SOL Plant

– Other secondary  roads

Pothole Patcher 

As part of the drive to improve our efficiency and effectiveness in road  maintenance the Ministry procured a pothole patcher truck. This vehicle will be  equipped with an asphalt mix tank and tools for cutting and compacting. This  truck will be on the move daily addressing potholes.

The truck was scheduled to be driven in a container to the Florida Port,  yesterday, 26th January 2026, however, due to the bad weather this could not  happen. In this regard, the truck should arrive in Grenada by mid-February.

Bridges 

Marquis

  • Designs for this bridge have been completed internally, reviewed and are  awaiting tendering.

A two-lane temporary bypass bridge has been procured and will be  installed soon. This must happen before the construction of the bridge  begins. The construction of the bridge is expected to begin at the start of  the Second Quarter.

There is one relocation that is necessary. There is a workshop in the  path of the temporary bypass bridge. Preliminary discussions have been  held with the impacted person.

Morne Fendue

  • The design for this bridge was prepared by Beston Consulting and is  pending review and tendering. Tendering and selection of a contractor  should be completed in the first quarter of 2026.

This bridge, however, must be constructed after the Madeys bridge,  since they are the best alternate route for each other. One caveat is that  the condition of the Morne Fendue bridge is somewhat worse than that of Madeys and it is also on a more critical leg of the main road to Sauteurs.

Mt. Rich

  • The design for this bridge was prepared by Mr. William Bautista Cruz,  and upon completion the tender process will begin. This should be  completed in the first quarter of 2026.

Since this bridge is on the same leg of the road as Snell Hall, it may be  prudent to commence construction soon to reduce the inconvenience to  the road users who may have to take two bypasses to reach their  destination.

The construction of these bridges (most of which we expect to commence in  2026) must be carefully planned to minimize disruptions and inconvenience to  residents in the area especially.

Police Stations 

St. David Police Station 

Designs and Bills of Quantities have been developed to rehabilitate this  building with tendering and construction to commence at the beginning of the  second quarter.

The relevant offices housed in this building will be relocated to the fire station  adjacent. These include the St. David Magistrate’s Court, Police Station and  District Revenue Office.

Grenville Police Station 

Demolition of the old building will begin in the first quarter of 2026. Designs  for the new building will commence once a new location is confirmed.

Victoria Police Station 

Work is ongoing on the new location (Victoria Hotel Building) and should be  completed by the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Union Police Station 

Work will commence on the renovation of the Union Police Station by the end  of the first quarter of 2026 as the entire roof needs to be replaced.

Schools 

Tivoli RC School and Calliste Government School 

Both schools are progressing well on time and within budget.

Florida Government School  

Work has just commenced. The contractor is Kenny’s Trucking and Equipment  Services

Conclusion 

The above is merely a summary of the array of Works being undertaken,  managed and supervised by the Ministry for Infrastructure. The Ministry will  continue to provide monthly and on an ongoing basis updates of the several  public works it is undertaking throughout 2026.

Thank you.

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