Moruga MP pleads for good fix for Mandingo landslip

MP for Moruga/Tableland Michelle Benjamin hopes that when stabilisation work starts on the major landslip at Mandingo Road, Princes Town, the technocrats do the job correctly to ensure none of the affected homes became damaged.

“We (constituents) are asking the ministry to be mindful that there are homes on the verge of collapse. One-lane traffic could put the residents at a disadvantage in the sense that their homes would be affected by the heavy machinery and the vehicles passing,” Benjamin told Newsday.

“If the work is not done properly, it could cause further damage to properties. A similar exercise was carried out in Lengua Road some time ago, and to date, the initiative fell apart. We do not want that happening in this project.”

On Friday in Parliament, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said the ministry is engaging with a specialist affiliated from the University of the West Indies to analyse the soil type. Out of the results, officials would be able to pursue solutions for the medium and long-term.

In the interim, the ministry would try to restore one-lane traffic by shoring and piling. Ministry officials, Sinanan said, know this will not hold without doing the necessary geo-technical surveys.

Speaking on the issue during a motorcade in Moruga on Saturday, the MP said the affected community welcomes the initiative. She claimed that initially they were told there the ministry did not have funding for the project.

Sinanan has dismissed this claim saying this ministry has not been able to identify any official making that statement.

Since December 22, the ministry officially closed off the road, which became impassable due to continuous land erosions. The movements destroyed a three-storey house and are threatening several other homes.

The owners of the destroyed house, which residents said is still crumbling, moved out in December 2019.

Chairman of the Princes Town Regional Corporation Gowrie Roopnarine said the road falls under the Works and Transport Ministry's purview. Like residents, he is hoping that the ministry fulfils its promise to fix the road.

“Other officials and I met with residents. After we heard the minister, we are hoping the work will be done soon. We are hopeful they would do what they said they would do. I know it is a huge project,” Roopnarine said.

He also said continuous land movements at the Naparima/Mayaro in Craignish Village, Princes Town, have left drivers complaining about its deteriorating state.

The chairman said officials, who included people from the corporation and the ministry, did some work on Friday to improve its condition as a temporary fix.