FLOODGATES in the low-lying constituency of Oropouche West have still not been repaired as promised and constituents continue to live in fear of floods.
Member of Parliament for the area, Davendranath Tancoo said in a press release on Thursday that Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan in 2019, stated that $30 million was allocated to repair floodgates in Trinidad but there was no evidence of that money being used in Oropouche West.
Tancoo is challenging Sinanan to explain where the $30 million went.
He said, “During rainy season, the damaged gates serve as a dam, preventing adequate run off, trapping water behind it and causing water to back up and flood the surrounding areas. During high tide the reverse happens, whereby salt water flows upriver from the Gulf-of-Paria bypassing the nonfunctioning gates, entering and damaging agricultural lands, crops and livelihoods of farmers. Pumps associated with these floodgates are also missing or nonfunctional adding to the already bad situation.”
In February this year, Tancoo submitted questions to the Minister of Works for response in Parliament on behalf of concerned constituents asking that he provide a status update on the floodgates located along the Cunapo Channel at St. John’s Trace, Fyzabad, the Tulsa Trace Picnic Site along the Three Mouth River, Penal and in Woodland, Oropouche West.
According to Tancoo, these questions were supposed to have been answered on April 9.
The Parliament was advised that the responses to the questions were prepared and the government was ready to answer but failed to do so, because the Opposition MPs did not attend Parliament due to Covid related concerns.
Tancoo said “One month later, Minister Sinanan continues his silly game of hide and seek, refusing to account to citizens about when this promised work will be done. If he had the answers, why has he not provided it?
“Heavy rains over the last few days have already shown that these areas will be badly flooded unless these floodgates and pumps are urgently addressed. There are many in Oropouche West who feel discriminated against by Minister Sinanan and the Government.
“Many have not yet received compensation for floods in the last three years and now they are forced to brace for more flood damage.”
