Four years after Sea Lots residents, 28-year-old Haydee Paul and her two daughters Akasha, seven, and Shakira, eight were killed after a car ploughed into them while walking along the west bound lane of the Beetham Highway, Government turned the sod for the construction of a TT $10 million Sea Lots walkover.
The facility is expected to be completed in five months.
The deaths, which occurred in February 2013, triggered violent and fiery protests from angry residents who demanded a walkover.
When completed, the new walkway would facilitate the safe and efficient movement of pedestrians across the Beetham Highway. A pedestrian walkway leading into the Central Market compound would also be built.
Following the fatal crash, then National Security Minister Jack Warner had promised to build a pedestrian crossing bridge between Pioneer Drive and Production Drive so Sea Lots residents would no longer have to cross the dangerous Beetham Highway.
Ryan Rampersad, one of the three who survived the accident, was emotional yesterday as he said the much needed walkover would save the lives of many, especially children.
“It is a good thing they building the walkover because it will help people. They (motorists) could take their time and drive but they like to speed and it makes no sense speeding because look what it did to me with speeding,” Rampersad said, his speech slurred.
He remained hopeful, however, that one day he would be able to walk again, despite experiencing intense pains in his legs, especially during cold weather.
Following the accident Rampersad was left paralysed and to date he is confined to a wheelchair.
Rampersad, a father of two, sued the driver and Motor One Insurance Company, in a claim for damages as he suffered intense brain damage, was confined to bed, could barely speak and had to be fed intravenously after the horrific accident.
He was awarded TT $800,000 in damages by the San Fernando High Court.
Amanda Lalla, who was also a victim of the crash, echoed Rampersad’s sentiments that the walkover would greatly facilitate children.
During the accident one of Lalla’s legs was broken in two places and she too has still experienced immense pain.
“I also had a fractured skull and up to Friday (last Friday) I went for a test for my brain. I cannot walk so good,” Lalla said.
On the long delay in starting the walkover Works Minister Rohan Sinanan said there were challenges with the land.
“When I came into the ministry there were problems with the land. I told the engineers ‘if you all can’t sort out the lands just start to dig and the owners of the land would come forward.’
“That started to drive the project and we realise the land was not a problem. This project should have been done a long time ago,” Sinanan added.
