New asphalt plant will bring new jobs

Director of Public Works, Jeremy Hodge has announced that the BVI is only weeks away from having its own asphalt plant, which will give the department the capability to fix roads in a more timely manner.

Hodge said some equipment is still being configured and finishing touches are being added to others as the department works to have the plant ready by the end of June. Once the plant is brought into commission, Hodge said Public Works will be recruiting men and women from the community to operate the plant and build asphalt roads across the territory.

“After the plant is up, we’re going to train people on how to build and run the plant. We’re also going to train people on how to build asphalt roads. We’ll be inviting an engineer to come and do work with our engineer to administer training so that persons who have that interest and inclination for that (building roads) can train and build their own teams because we have lots of roads to rebuild,” Hodge explained.

Hodge said additional workers will be needed because the need to rebuild roads is great and the current team at Public Works does not have the capacity to do all the work.

“We have lots of roads to rebuild and we want to be able to spread out. My team — they’re very good, well-trained but they won’t be able to do it all. And if we do attempt to do it all, it’s going to take us a long time,” Hodge stated.

Hodge also said his Department will recruit young men and women who received employment opportunities under the government’s RATED (Registration, Apprenticeship, Training, Employment, and Development) programme. He said those individuals will be paid while they learn to pave asphalt roads.

“I’ve worked with and seen some of you on the RATED programme who are just hungry for the opportunity and the opportunity will be given to you,” Hodge added.

The Public Works Department also received auxiliary equipment to support the plant, including five tanks of oil, equivalent to fifteen 20-yard Public Works trucks; a paver; a roller; and a milling machine used to recycle old asphalt.

The asphalt plant is being touted as an investment that will save the government thousands of dollars as it will not have to contract private companies to pave roads in the community.