By Sue-Ann Wayow
PEOPLE living in south Trinidad and Oropouche West in particular continue to be placed at risk by driving on roads in desperate need of repair.
This is according to Member of Parliament for the constituency Davendranath Tancoo who once again called on Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan to have certain roads fixed in San Francique.
In a press release on Tuesday, Tancoo and local government councillor Doodnath Mayrhoo said that they have repeatedly raised the issue with Sinanan “who continues to ignore the frustrated pleas of residents.”
The main road, they want fixed starts at the corner of Pluck Road and Santa Cecelia Trace.
The release stated, “This is a main road used by thousands of persons daily. The minister is fully aware of the situation for years now and instead of taking the issue seriously, has chosen to engage in cosmetic patching of what is clearly a structural issue requiring proper attention.”
Mayrhoo said homes and vehicles were being affected and the tolerance of residents was running low. Tancoo said it was not an issue of lack of state funds but that of political will.
He said that the Procurement Regulator told the PNM government that about $5.2 billion was lost to corruption every year in state contracts because of the failure to fully implement the Procurement Legislation.
The MP said, “In one year that $5.2 billion could have fixed every single landslip and road in Oropouche West, Fyzabad, Naparima with billions left over to fix the drainage in these areas to prevent flooding. Instead, the state is asking taxpayers to pay property tax, VAT and higher fuel costs to finance the corruption.”
Both Tancoo and Mayhroo challenged the Minister of Local Government Faris Al-Rawi and the Minister of Works and Transport to visit the area and explain to the residents why works have not yet been done.
