Sinanan: San Fernando Waterfront launch no election gimmick

MARVIN'S PHOTOS

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan turned the sod on Friday for Phase 1 of the San Fernando Waterfront Redevelopment project, which he described as the largest development project every attempted in the history of TT.

He denied that the project, coming on the eve of a general election, was “a mamaguy” by the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) to garner votes.

“This is real. San Fernando will finally see growth,” Sinanan said, pointing out that contractors were already on the site for the first phase – the Lady Hailes Avenue Widening project.

The Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency (PURE) unit of the Sinanan's ministry has been tasked with the design, construction supervision and project management of the Rienzi Kirton pedestrian overpass, a boardwalk and bike path along King's Wharf, and the Rushworth Street extension connecting the Lady Hailes Avenue and the Lady Hailes Avenue widening project.

PURE's programme director Hayden Phillip said the total cost is $70.49 million and construction is expected to take a year.

Sinanan said in addition, over $1 billion has already been awarded in contracts for apartments and 1,000-car parking lot and work is scheduled to begin from Saturday.

He said the overall development, which San Fernando West MP and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said has 30 identifiable projects, will lead to a construction boom over the next five years, creating employment and business opportunities. Al-Rawi foresaw the project yielding at least 15,000 jobs.

Sinanan said while every administration has talked about this great waterfront project and sod ws turned on the site by almost every MP preceding Al-Rawi, the project never got off the ground, “because there was never a real intention to follow through on this project.”

He said government agreed that San Fernando was lacking in infrastructural development and decided to do something about it.

“What is coming to San Fernando will be on par with any developed country in any part of the world. San Fernando will be getting first class facilities.”

He said the San Fernando project is but one of a package of infrastructural development projects earmarked for the entire country.

“Very soon we will be faced with general election and I cannot tell people who to vote for. All I can ask for is to do the right thing, because we will want all of these projects to continue,” he said as he gave an overview of the range of development taking place across the country, including a marina for Tobago and a new airport building, which is under construction.

He said next Monday the bridge at Cross Crossing, San Fernando, which is one of a package of 96 programmes under the major bridge and landslip scheme, will be opened. Within the next two weeks, the sod will also be turned for the Moruga port.

“When we turn the sod this time, we will see construction taking place the next day.

"This is no mamaguy. The port in Moruga will become a reality, and just like San Fernando, that part of the island will see growth. When you build a port, everything develops – job creation, new businesses.“

He said Cabinet recently granted approval for negotiations to begin with a contractor for the development of the port of Galeota and alongside this, the PURE unit will ensure the road to Mayaro would be of an international standard.

“In La Brea we are now negotiating for the dry dock facility that will create thousands of jobs. Side by side with that is the highway from San Fernando to Point Fortin. Four major highways are happening at the same time, port facilities, interchange, road paving programmes, major bridge and landslip programmes.

"When last did you hear about corruption or mismanagement or cost overruns or things like that?” Sinanan asked.

He said many doubted the Curepe Interchange could happen or felt the proposed port in Toco that would link Tobago and Trinidad at their closest point was a pie-in-the-sky project, but that is happening.

"When we start (a project), we are going to finish.”

He said this was San Fernando's time to enjoy world-class facilities that have been earmarked for the area.