Transportation woes for Mayaro

SEETA PERSAD

Commuters in the remote south eastern districts will experience greater difficulties in getting transport, as the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) has decided to suspend services beyond Rio Claro.

In an advisory sent to Mayaro MP Rushton Paray, the corporation said owing to the continued deterioration of the Agostini landslip on the Naparima Mayaro Road, bus services will be suspended on the Rio Claro / Mayaro leg of the service.

Contacted for a response, Paray said during December there are more people travelling to and from Rio Claro to Mayaro and back as they prepare for the Christmas.

But, he said, “Following the heavy rainfalls that accompanied hurricane Bret in June this year, the landslips in Agostini further deteriorated,” adding that his office has written to the Minister of Works and Transport to fix these landslips on numerous occasions.

“I raised this matter in Parliament, (and) letters were written to various state agencies, the minister and even the Prime Minister on this particular road,” he said, adding that he had been told work on Agostini Lands will start in early January 2018.

Paray said the Ministry of Works in Rio Claro had told the MP’s office itmonitored the landslips daily and minor remedial work would be done as needed in the meantime. Paray has since asked T&TEC to help by lighting the area of the depression as a safety measure for drivers unfamiliar with the area, and said the Traffic Management Branch had installed several road warning signs telling drivers to be cautious.

“We will continue to engage all the necessary stakeholders to ensure action is taken as promised taking into consideration the negative economic impact on the country,” Paray said, adding that the landslips on the Naparima Mayaro Road from Tableland, New Grant, Mafeking, Rio Claro and Mayaro need to be addressed urgently.

“The roads from New Grant to Guayaguayare needs rebuilding,” he said, adding that people are calling for the highway to Point Galeota.

In the coming weeks, PTSC will run on a restricted schedule from San Fernando to Rio Claro at 6 am,11am and at 3 pm with the afternoon schedule being at 5 pm and 7pm.