By Sue-Ann Wayow
CHAGUANAS Mayor Faaiq Mohammed is calling on Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan to focus on outstanding roadworks in the borough.
In press release on Monday, Mohammed said it seemed as though Chaguanas was forgotten.
He said, “From the vast proliferation of potholes, dilapidated manhole covers left in a total state of disrepair, towering bushes on the road verges, some even taller than trees, and the blatant neglect of water courses, not to mention the total lack of investment into infrastructure to alleviate the heavy traffic in Chaguanas.”
Mohammed said for the past six years, Chaguanas, that is United National Congress (UNC) dominant were either “invisible or it’s political victimisation.”
He said, “The burgesses of Chaguanas have been treated unfairly by the Minister of Works. Resources and funding have not been allocated equitably and fairly to us in the borough of Chaguanas. I therefore call upon the Minister of Works and by extension the Government to use their access to funding and their advanced GPS technology to locate the borough of Chaguanas as there is an abundance of outstanding work to be done on our roadways, pavements, the water courses as well as the necessary infrastructure to alleviate traffic in the central borough.”
Some work done but more could be accomplished
President of the Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce Richie Sookhai told AZPNews.com, “It is not as bad as before but we still have more to do.”
He said with the expansion of the roadway along the Divali Nagar site, traffic was alleviated greatly especially now with the closure of schools and some businesses.
Sookhai said, “There are still a lot of underlying issues that still plague Chaguanas and the rest of Trinidad and Tobago at large. Flooding is not as severe as in the past but it is still an issue, traffic is still an issue. Infrastructure yes, there is a lot of infrastructure work to be done.”
Private entities have been stepping up to assist in repairing some of the potholes, he said.
He singled out Xtra Foods Supermarket who has been assisting in that aspect adding that while the challenges of the State were understood, especially at this time, organisations who have not been as severely impacted by the pandemic could also lend a helping hand.
Attempts to contact Sinanan by AZPNews.com proved futile.
