Stephen R.P. Edwards '02

What does your job entail? We’re responsible for building, maintaining, and operating Jamaica’s highways. Part of the process is acquiring land for development of the highway, and we have to sometimes acquire private property, and that has a whole lot of issues around it. We’re also managing the financial aspect. These are very, very big projects, so a lot of them, by law, have to go out to international bidding. There are long-term plans to expand the highway network across Jamaica, which will require the continuous expansion of the country’s technical and institutional capacity.

What is most rewarding about your work? Seeing that the work you’re doing is really making an impact on people’s lives locally. Because Jamaica is a developing country, this type of capital expenditure on infrastructure really drives the economy. It opens up areas for development, it generates a lot of jobs, and it really affects the country’s gross domestic product.

What is your favorite road to drive on? The North-South Highway links the capital of Jamaica—Kingston—to a major town called Ocho Rios. There’s all this land along the way that is ripe for development, but in addition, the scenery is just picturesque. It’s like a postcard, especially on a sunny day.