Damage control

Work will start as early as today to repair roads damaged across the country as a result of Tuesday’s heavy rainfall, which drenched the island and resulted in severe flooding in many communities.

 

The assurance came yesterday morning from Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Lashley, who explained that even yesterday some roads which were made impassable by debris were being cleared by his Ministry. 

 

He was speaking to the media at the top of Oistins Hill at its junction with Cane Vale, where the asphalt road was reduced to broken pieces in several places, causing motorists and pedestrians to exercise extra caution as they moved through the area. 

 

This was one of Minister Lashley’s first stops as he conducted an assessment of the damage to the island’s road infrastructure. He informed the media that given that it is a major artery in the road network, the technical experts  from the Ministry will inspect the area today and a decision will be made regarding whether the Ministry or a private contractor will be employed to execute the repairs. He also made it clear that work will have to start sooner rather than later, as anymore rain could result in further damage. His comments came as he indicated that at that time no decision had been made as to whether the road would be closed until the repairs are complete, but he asked motorists to be careful when traversing it.

 

Speaking to other areas he had visited, the Minister said that parts of St. Philip had experienced damage to roads as well, but not as extensive as Oistins Hill. He made the point while noting that the Ministry was engaged in a programme to patch potholes across the island, and the heavy rains have created more work for the staff executing that project.

 

“All in all we have to go back to the drawing board with our technical team, along with the private sector to ensure that we bring back the roads to a state that is acceptable to the motorists and the general public,” he said.

 

Turning his attention to some of the projects currently being carried out by his Ministry to improve the road network, he said the roads damaged by Tuesday’s torrential rains would either have to be included in those projects, the $5 million Mill and Pave Programme or the $10 million CAF Road Rehabilitation Programme, or he said, they may have to initiate another programme to address those repairs. He explained that if included in the existing programmes they would have to seek additional funding, as the roads to be fixed under those initiatives have already been identified.

 

Meanwhile, giving the media an update about the Ministry’s plans regarding concrete roads, he explained that the pilot project is underway involving three roads, one of which is Scott’s Gap, Brittons Hill. He said the goal is to test the durability of the cement roads in comparison to the asphalt roads. Minister Lashley said the project has attracted a lot of support from the private sector, and he admitted that while the upfront costs of building roads from cement is high, it pays for itself in the long run as the maintenance costs are lower.

 

“If you look at St. Patrick’s roundabout, that was built years ago and there are no issues, it is still standing. So there is evidence there that we can go towards concrete roads” he added.

 

On leaving Oistins Hill, Lashley journeyed to South District, St. George where a road which collapsed two years ago from heavy rains was again impassable. He was accompanied by former parliamentary representative for St. George South, Minister of Labour, Social Security and Human Resource Development, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, who noted that the watercourse which ran through the area had brought with it a substantial load of rubble which was cutting off part of the community.

 

“This water comes from way up by Blackman Gollop School; the water just comes down a watercourse and comes here. There is a well behind here, but little good that well would do with the kinds of rains we had yesterday. So it has washed all these boulders and mud into the road [and] it is practically impassable unless you have a four-wheel drive or some other vehicle like that. Minister Michael Lashley is here with me today and he is arranging to have a bobcat or excavator to come and clear this,” she said. (JRT)