Video: Minister & Polaris On Paving Partnership
Polaris Holding Company Limited CEO Randy Rochester and Public Works and Environment Minister Jache Adams outlined a new partnership to advance road paving, with the Minister saying that “Government has secured a partnership with Surface Expertise Limited to undertake the next phase of paving works along Middle Road.”
Randy Rochester, CEO of Polaris Holding Company Limited Statement
Randy Rochester said, “Good afternoon,
“For those who may not know me, I am Randy Rochester, CEO of Polaris Holding Company Limited, the parent organization of Stevedoring Services Limited, Ornamental Concrete Products, and Surface Experts Ltd., the asphalting company I am representing today.
“I am pleased to be here alongside Minister Adams to speak about this important partnership with his Ministry. As the largest privately operated asphalting company in Bermuda, Surface Experts Ltd. continues to deliver high-quality paving projects across the island.
“Those traveling in the west near Middle Road in Southampton — heading towards Warwick, will see firsthand what SEL can do…..which has received positive feedback from members of the public. It has been very encouraging to hear road users commend the collaboration between Surface Experts Ltd. and the Government in addressing the condition of Bermuda’s roads.
“I would like to thank the Minister for his leadership and vision in bringing this initiative together. We are optimistic that this partnership will continue to grow as we work together to support the Government to improve its road infrastructure — an issue that has been of significant public interest.
“Minister, thank you once again for the opportunity to partner with the Government on what we believe is a valuable and impactful initiative.”
Minister for Public Works and Environment Jache Adams Statement
Minister Jache Adams said, “Good afternoon everyone,
“Thank you for joining us here today on Church Road, Southampton.
“I am particularly pleased to be joined by my colleague, the Minister of Education, the Hon. Crystal Caesar, who has been a longstanding advocate for improving safety along this corridor. For many years, she has raised concerns about the safety of students, parents, teachers, and the wider community who use this roadway every day.
“Her continued advocacy and partnership have helped ensure that these important improvements are now being delivered, and I want to thank her for her commitment to protecting the school communities and families who rely on this corridor.
“We have chosen this location deliberately.
“While today’s update is focused on the progress of our road improvement programme across Bermuda, it is also an opportunity to highlight the important traffic calming improvements currently underway here on Church Road.
“This roadway serves a unique role within our community. Along this corridor are two schools and two churches, creating a significant level of pedestrian activity throughout the week. Children cross this road each day to attend school.
“Parents and families use this corridor during school activities.
“Members of our faith community use this road to access places of worship.
“Because of this concentration of activity, the Ministry’s civil highway engineers conducted an impact assessment following concerns that were raised. That assessment confirmed the need for a comprehensive traffic calming programme designed to improve safety for everyone, especially the children, who use this corridor.
“The improvements being implemented include paving, speed humps, updated road markings, improved signage, and other measures aimed at reducing vehicle speeds and improving driver awareness.
“I recognize that residents in other communities may ask why these improvements are being made here first.
“As a Ministry, we must make decisions based on engineering assessments, road usage, public safety, and the areas where our interventions can have the greatest impact.
“In this case, the combination of two schools, two churches, and significant daily pedestrian activity made Church Road a clear priority.
“Ultimately, roads are not just about asphalt and infrastructure. They are about people, they are about ensuring that our children can travel to school safely, and that our communities can move around with confidence.
“Today, I also want to provide the public with a broader update on the work taking place across Bermuda’s road network.
“Let me begin by acknowledging something every Bermudian already knows: the condition of many of our roads is not where it should be.
“We understand the frustration caused by potholes and deteriorating road surfaces. They affect daily commutes, raise safety concerns, and inconvenience the thousands of residents who rely on our roads each day.
“The challenge has been made greater by the fact that Bermuda has experienced above-average rainfall over the past year. Water is one of the most damaging elements to road surfaces. It enters small cracks, weakens the underlying structure, and accelerates deterioration and pothole formation.
“As a result, the demand on our maintenance crews has increased significantly. The number of defects can change daily, particularly after periods of heavy rainfall.
“That is the reality we are managing, and we are responding to it.
“Across the island, our teams are actively inspecting, identifying, and repairing road defects. Many residents will have seen the spray markings appearing on roads throughout Bermuda. These markings are part of our inspection and prioritisation process and help our teams systematically address repairs.
“Beyond our routine maintenance work, we continue to advance our broader paving programme. Over recent months, we have completed major paving works from Rose Hill in St. George’s through to Ferry Reach, around the Flatt’s Village area, from Spanish Point Road through to St. John’s Road, as well as Verdmont Road and Orange Valley Road.
“We have also continued to improve road safety through our traffic calming programme, with completed improvements along Spice Hill in Warwick, Parsons Road in Pembroke, and Brighton Hill in Devonshire.
“These improvements demonstrate that while we recognize there is still much more to do, we are not standing still.
“We are making progress.
“Today, I am also pleased to announce that the Government has secured a partnership with Surface Expertise Limited to undertake the next phase of paving works along Middle Road from Camp Road heading eastward to Longford Hill in Warwick, then Lighthouse Hill to Camp Road. This partnership reflects our commitment to increasing capacity and accelerating delivery through collaboration with the private sector.
“While the Surface Expertise Limited team undertakes this work, our Government crews will focus their efforts on preparing the site in St. David’s for the upcoming Swing Bridge project, a critical piece of national infrastructure.
“Importantly, I also want the public to understand where we are going next.
“Once the current work in St. David’s has been completed, our teams will transition to Palmetto Road and then move into the Crawl Hill and Shelly Bay areas.
“We believe it is important for the public to have visibility not only into the work we have completed, but also into the work we intend to undertake in the immediate future.
“We are also continuing discussions with Surface Expertise Limited on further opportunities for collaboration, with the goal of increasing our capacity and progressing road improvements as quickly as possible.
“Maintaining Bermuda’s road network is ongoing work. {t requires planning, coordination, careful use of resources, and the ability to respond to changing conditions.
“Years of wear and tear cannot be reversed overnight, but that cannot become an excuse for inaction.
“Our responsibility is to keep moving forward, to continue investing, to continue improving, and to continue delivering for the people of Bermuda.
“Before I close, I want to acknowledge the hardworking men and women of the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, as well as our private-sector partners, whose dedication makes this progress possible. Much of this work takes place early in the morning, late in the evening, and under challenging conditions, and I thank them for their commitment to serving Bermuda.
“So I want to leave here today with three clear messages.
“First, we understand the frustration. Second, we are making progress. And third, we will continue to deliver.
“The roads we have completed demonstrate that progress. The projects currently underway demonstrate that progress.
“And the work planned for the months ahead demonstrates that progress. Road by road. Community by community. We are moving Bermuda forward. Thank you.”
