JUTC to get new buses

The Government is to spend $1.3 billion this fiscal year to increase its fleet of Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) buses.

The money has been provided in the 2016-17 Estimates of Expenditure that is now before the House of Representatives.

A sum of $500 million of the allocation will be used to complete the acquisition of 35 Chinese buses by the JUTC for use on the hilly routes of St Andrew.

Another $799.4 million is to be used for the payment of spare parts and special tools for the JUTC.

The remaining $10.3 million will be used to complete the feasibility study for the Portmore Transportation Hub initiative, which commenced during the 2015-16 financial year.