The procurement of six JCB Pothole Pro Patchers by Government is expected to bring with it higher levels of efficiency in the way the island addresses the issue of potholes and enhances it roads.

This was emphasized as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works, Santia Bradshaw, received the first of three JCB Pothole Pro Patchers during a Presentation ceremony at Inchcape headquarters, Warrens St. Michael.

Minister Bradshaw, noting there would be six patchers in total , said the other three, would shortly be on island and once cleared at the Bridgetown Port, these would be “quickly pressed into operation” to address, for MTW, a number of concerns, directly impacting the public on a day-to-day basis.

Pleased with the new technology, she noted the equipment possessed multiple capabilities for cutting, cropping and cleaning in a single mobile unit, while also allowing MTW to have small crews complete road repairs quickly.

Further explaining the need for the new pothole patchers, the DPM stressed that every Barbadian would have experienced potholes which plagued them and evoked media attention.

While she pointed out that at MTW there were 13 depots with pothole patching teams, Ms. Bradshaw commended the employees, saying: “You may see from time to time, those teams are on our highways…(with) the asphalt on the backs of the trucks; …with shovels, taking the asphalt which is extremely hot, off of the back of those vehicles.

“And I can tell you, for anybody who has been close to those pothole patching teams, you really have to admire the work of those workers who work with this very difficult material. It is hot; it has a particular scent that is not necessarily pleasant and they are working… often in the very hot sun where they have to basically fix these potholes.”   

Adding that MTW teams do their best to reach a certain standard to patch the potholes, the Minister also noted that what had obtained decades ago could not remain the norm for the Ministry which is seeking to improve its efficiency and operations, being also mindful of concerns expressed by its staff and the general public.

Meanwhile, Regional Representative for JCB in Barbados, Eric Montero, in handing over the equipment to MTW, said: “We are starting a new era on the technology for the service of the country for the continuous improvement of the roads with the latest technology that JCB has to improve the roads; this has been an initiative taken by the Government of Barbados, the Ministry of Transport and Works, to develop and improve the tools and equipment available to give even safer roads and easier to transit.

The six new JCB Pothole Pro Patchers have been purchased by the Ministry of Transport and Works, at a cost of nearly $4 million. (PR/MTW)

Top Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Works (MTW) Santia Bradshaw receiving the new Pothole Pro Patchers from Regional Representative for JCB in Barbados, Eric Montero, while representatives from the Ministry, JCB and Inchcape look on. (Photo by W. Murray/MTW)

(Photo by W. Murray/MTW)