Councillor wants bad roads repaired in south

RESIDENTS of Ramsaran and Tennant Streets, Woodland, who protested for water last Friday, have received a truckborne supply. They were also due for a scheduled pipe-borne supply earlier this week, but councillor for the area Doodnath Mayrhoo said there had not been a “peep” from Works Minister Rohan Sinanan about the deplorable state of the roads.

Mayrhoo said Sinanan had failed to respond to the plight of thousands of residents who travelled from Siparia to San Fernando, daily risking their lives as they passed over six landslips which threatened to isolate the community.

“Not one word from Sinanan. He has not responded to our call or letters from the residents, councillor or MP Vidya Guyadeen-Gopeesingh.

We are waiting and watching, and if it means residents have to do another protest to get some kind of action, we will.”

Both councillors have since been interviewed by police about last Friday’s protest.

Mayrhoo said one of the landslips, near the San Francique Presbyterian school, had made the road level drop approximately ten feet from its original height and if unattended it would threaten the stability of a church which stood close by and surrounding houses.

“It is getting worse. It is like a sink-hole.

“On this same stretch of road, not too far away, the People’s Partnership started work on another landslip.

That work stopped in 2015 when the People’s National Movement was voted into office.

Dangerous H-beams have been left standing on the road, narrowing it to one lane, and also posing a risk to drivers and other road users.”

Mayrhoo said he recently saw Sinanan and reminded him about the landslips.

“He told me landslips would be addressed in order of priority.

“If that isn’t a priority, the condition that road is in, then I don’t know what it has to become to be a priority.”

When contacted Sinanan said that he would not be pressured into action by protests and reiterated that road works would be done on a priority basis when necessary funding was available.

On the water situation, Mayrhoo said the Thick Village pumping station did not have the power or capacity to pump water to the Woodland area, and when water came once a week and residents on the lower level started filling their tanks, the pressure dropped, making it impossible for those at higher levels to get water.

As the country continues to experience a harsh dry season, WASA is continuing with a schedule to service its customers.

For further information or assistance, customers can contact WASA’s Customer Call Centre toll free at 800-4420/4426.