Public Infrastructure Contracts and Corruption
Infrastructure, including roadworks, water supply, sewerage, and road drainage has historically been the 'feeding tree' of Jamaican politics. What the taxpayer sees on the physical surface of a project is typically a fraction of the total work done. Most is underground. This allows shoddy work to be done quickly and covered up, away from prying eyes. The road foundation layer that should be 12 inches thick, is laid 4 inches thick, only to be discovered when it fails. A building is very different. It has a superstructure and a substructure. The part you see above ground is typically a significant portion, if not most of the work done (especially for buildings of a few storeys). It's easier to measure and test after the fact. The truth is that Jamaican construction industry is in a 'goldie-locks sweet-spot' for corruption and overpricing. It is not small enough for one or two local contractors to be shamed by repeated failed projects, eventually getting forced...