Sinanan rejects UNC floodgate neglect claims

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan has said claims by Oropouche West MP Dave Tancoo that floodgates located at Tulsa Trace, Woodland and Central Trace being neglected, are false.

In a statement, Sinanan said Tancoo's claims "are both false and malicious in nature."

He explained the ministry's drainage division undertook work on those floodgates under a development programme which began in January 2019.

He said, "At the Tulsa Trace Pump Site, works commenced on the upgrade of the Tulsa Trace Pump House and Gates in October 2019. The scope of work includes installing one new 30,000 GPM pump, as well as installing two new sluice gates and a trash rack."

Sinanan continued, "So far, the pump has been manufactured and is awaiting shipment to Trinidad from the foreign supplier." He said, "The two sluice gates have been imported and are currently at the site, one has been installed and the other is in the process of installation." Sinanan the works at Tulsa Trace are ongoing and are 60 per cent completed.

He was hopeful that upon delivery of the pump, work at Tulsa Trace will be completed in August. "The project had been delayed due to shipping issues related to the covid19 pandemic." Sinanan said work at the St John’s Trace, Avocat Gate Site started in January. He said seven sluice gates there were refurbished and motorised as part of the project.

"The electrical supply to this site was upgraded to fully motorize the gates. Works are 99 per cent completed." Sinanan said all of these gates are fully operational.

"Testing and commissioning are currently being done prior to handover. This project was delayed due to multiple issues caused by the covid19 pandemic."

Sinanan said work at the Trinidad Point (Woodland) Gate site, started in July. "The scope of works includes the refurbishment of 14 sluice gates and motorisation of ten out of the 14 sluice gates. The electrical supply has been upgraded. Works are ongoing and are 50 per cent completed." Sinanan added this project was also delayed due to the pandemic.

"In addition to the upgrade to existing pumps and gates inventory programme, the Drainage Division, under its Desilting Works Programme for fiscal 2020-2021, has scheduled ten projects in the electoral districts of Oropouche West, Oropouche East, Fyzabad and Siparia all of which are adjacent to each other and would bring relief to the residents of the Oropouche Lagoon and environs."

He said he was prepared to answer a question on Tancoo on these matters in the House of Representatives on April 9 but "the Opposition benches (at that time) were empty." The UNC boycotted the House on that day over covid19 concerns.

Sinanan said Tancoo should "take into account that Trinidad and Tobago is facing an unprecedented national crisis." He added that of fanning "the flames of chaos with untruths and the foreboding threat of loss through flooding" Tancoo could better spend his time "offering more leadership and reassurance to his constituents during this difficult time as more families deal with the death of loved ones and the loss of wages."