Spring Village Bridge Reopens In Old Harbour After Four-Year Disruption

Spring Village residents in Old Harbour have regained a major road connection after four years of disruption, with the new Spring Village Bridge, valued at $250 million, formally handed over on Friday by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness.

The replacement bridge succeeds the crossing that was shut in September 2022 after concerns about its condition. Officials expect the new structure to ease travel, support business activity and strengthen safety in the community.

Speaking at the ceremony, Holness said Jamaica needs to adjust how public investments are assessed, especially where smaller works are concerned. He said the appraisal system remains important, but should be more responsive and take account of the size and impact of a project.

Holness questioned whether a $250-million bridge should face the same level of scrutiny as projects costing tens of billions of dollars. He asked whether that sum was material when measured against the $60 billion or $100 billion planned for infrastructure spending, saying that if it was not, the project should not have to pass through every stage of the process.

The prime minister said he was trying to help the public understand why some Government projects take time to move from approval to delivery. He argued that once the decision has already been taken to carry out a project, it should not be held up unnecessarily by administrative requirements.

Holness also said not every project requires the full approval route. He pointed to wider problems affecting infrastructure delivery, including too few contractors with the capacity to take on major bridge works, as well as shortages of both skilled and unskilled labour.

He described the labour gap as a serious brake on Jamaica’s growth. Holness said productivity suffers when young people remain at home or on the corner because they believe the wages being offered are not enough.

To help address that challenge, he said the Government’s HOPE programme has brought about 20,000 people into the workforce. However, he estimated that roughly 50,000 unemployed Jamaicans could still be available to fill existing jobs.

Holness said training continues to be an issue, but he suggested that work attitudes pose an even bigger challenge. He added that the Government is in discussions with HEART/NSTA Trust to increase labour-force participation, while noting that Jamaica may eventually have to look overseas for workers to help ease local shortages.

Robert Morgan, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development, said the bridge will bring practical gains for Spring Village. He said it should make daily life easier, encourage commerce, improve public safety and rebuild confidence in the area.

Morgan also pushed back against suggestions that the Government has not done enough to support Jamaican contractors. He said the available figures do not bear out that criticism.

According to Morgan, local infrastructure projects have accounted for a combined US$1.2 billion in spending, with Jamaican contractors receiving about US$700 million of that amount.

The National Works Agency ordered the old Spring Village Bridge closed in September 2022 because of concerns about its structural integrity. The shutdown placed a heavy financial burden on residents, including higher transport costs for people travelling into and out of the community.

The new bridge was completed through a partnership involving the Government and Jamaica Broilers Group, which provided $50 million toward the construction cost.

Community members welcomed the reopening, saying the bridge restores an essential route and ends years of inconvenience and added expense.