Cement shortage stalls Portmore Labour Day sidewalk works

A shortage of cement forced Portmore to scale back parts of its Labour Day improvement programme, leaving planned sidewalk rehabilitation unfinished across sections of the Sunshine City.

The disruption followed reports of limited supply from Caribbean Cement. Although the industry ministry has cleared cement imports, the shortage continues to affect construction and community projects that depend on the material.

Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas said the Labour Day work was meant to form part of a wider sidewalk rehabilitation effort across the municipality. He said the city had hoped to complete about a mile of sidewalk, but the lack of cement prevented that target from being reached.

Thomas said several communities had also been seeking cement for separate local projects, but the shortage slowed those efforts as well. He said the municipality intends to resume the work once cement becomes available again.

The mayor also tried to reassure motorists ahead of major road repairs scheduled to begin tomorrow. The National Works Agency warned last week that delays should be expected as contractors prepare to pave the roadway from Municipal Boulevard to Hellshire.

Thomas said he does not expect severe gridlock, noting that the asphalt work is expected to start after the heaviest morning traffic has already passed. He said the intersections being prepared for paving should not create a major traffic problem.