Works and Transport Minister, Rohan Sinanan, has made a commitment to residents of North Oropouche Road and Fishing Pond, Sangre Grande, to begin paving roads in the communities in the next three weeks.
He made the promise as residents staged a fiery protest yesterday morning.
The minister said the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has taken the responsibility to pave the roads in these part of the country following a meeting with Public Utilities Minister Fitzgerald Hinds, WASA’s CEO and other officials.
Sinanan said WASA agreed that the authority dug up the road for the laying of pipe lines and made a commitment to him to pave the road in three weeks time.
Councillor for the area, Anil Juteram, said Sinanan has been visiting the area quite frequently and even made a Local Government election promise to have the road paved, but it never happened. He claimed it was political victimisation as the road is long overdue for paving.
Residents took to the streets from as early as 2 am yesterday, falling trees, placing debris and lit fires from Non-Pariel Estate to Fleming Road in Caigual and Boodoo Highway forcing residents from using the roadway.
Residents refused to give their names, but told the T&T Guardian the road problem got worst over a period of time.
One resident said the last time the Fishing Pond Road was paved was when Basdeo Panday was prime minister.
The road paving which commences next three weeks will be out of the hands of the Ministry of Works and Transport and will come directly under WASA.
In a statement yesterday, WASA said it acknowledged the concerns of residents regarding the condition of the roads following work on a pipeline project in the area.
The authority said although temporary restoration of the roadway was carried out after completion of the project, the entire roadway requires rehabilitation. It said in this regard, the authority has been in discussions with the Ministry of Works and Transport with the aim of undertaking the required work.
