Column: MP Smith On Roads, Potholes & More
[Opinion column written by MP Linda Smith]
Once again, the Minister of Public Works & Environment, Jache Adams is appealing to road users to be patient and careful, as recent rain has carved out and deepened the craters on our public roads.
To hear the Minister’s statement, it sounds like the cause of the pothole problem is the fault of the weather and the need for greater pothole reporting, but that is not the case.
The potholes are caused by long-term lack of planning and under investment in our highway system. Yes, for years the asphalt plant has needed to be replaced to improve production capability and reliability, but that could have been well on its way to correction by now.
The new $5.2 million asphalt plant was originally scheduled for delivery to Bermuda at the end of 2024 and expected to be up and running by April 2025. However, in February 2025, Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch the Minister of Public Works said the component parts of the facility had still not been shipped to Bermuda. There was no reason given as to why? Since then, Bermuda has received some of the equipment, including the shuttle buggy material transfers vehicle, but the main production plant is in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
In November 2025, delivery of the asphalt plant was further delayed for approximately three months to allow for an independent assessment on relocating the Government Quarry. Since then, there has been no announcement about the outcome of that assessment, but in the Minister’s most recent statement, he said that the new plant is expected to arrive at the end of this summer. Although, it is not clear whether the troublesome shipping and logistic issues that seemed to have plagued its arrival- have finally been rectified.
- So, as we continue to wait, the questions are:
- Where will the asphalt plant be located, and when?
- What is the timeline and what is needed to get the new plant into production?
- Once the plant is up and running, can we expect to see comprehensive highway paving plans and activity, including paving of both sides of a road and application of a centre line?
There is much to be done, which will require short-and-long-term road improvement plans that are supported by adequate investment to get our roads back to reasonable condition.
Beyond the immediate requirements, Bermuda deserves to benefit from further commitment to on-going investment in rehabilitation, road maintenance and continuous upgrades.
- Linda Smith is the MP for C31, Southampton West Central. She is also the Shadow Minister of Public Works & Environment
Linda you are always ready to jump and blame the present government. You never blame your friends. Yes your friends. The ones that have shares in WWW & BELCO.They are the ones who kept their profits in their bank accounts as opposed to reinvesting into the infrastructure. They wait until things break and then the roads have to be dug up. Then they do a half donkey job of filling the trenches or cutouts for the vaults. Shortly it will be time again for the hurricanes to visit us, have your friends and family cut back their trees? No they wait for them to be broken and blocking the roads for us government workers to clean up.
Ignore David Smith, Linda. He is pretending that Lt. Col. Burch did not admit that the state of our roads is from 20 years of Government neglect and he seems to believe that people who invest in private companies and earn a profit have some obligation to spend their profit on community infrastructure rather than as they please.
I recall that the plant was first promised to be delivered and operational long before the end of 2024. I would also not be surprised if the Chattanooga builder is withholding critical components until the plant is paid for in full.
Little doubt that they have done due diligence on this Bermuda Government and are well aware of the shenanigans frequently practiced.
In a massive display of competence and common sense the W&E road crews, under the direction of their supervisors, repaired huge pothole near the S end of Point Finger Rd while ignoring a series of others no more than 50′ away on the same side of the road. A bunch more right by the hospital, also ignored.