Cumberland Hill collapse threatens nationwide communication

IF LEFT solely for private broadcasters to fix, the collapse of the road on Cumberland Hill, Trinidad and Tobago's major communications transmission hub, will lead to disastrous results for the State, including national security, the police and fire services, all of which use it.

On Thursday, another landslide was discovered further up the hill, two days after heavy rain left the road completely fractured, saturated and unusable.

The TT Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) issued a statement on the same day, saying, "As of today, the road is impassable and is physically broken."

Security officers for one broadcaster have reportedly been unable to patrol the hill with their trucks and instead have had to trek up it on foot.

Transmitters at the top of the hill are used by private communications companies, media conglomerates and emergency services, all of which would be directly and immediately affected in the event of a power outage, for example.

While the Ministry of Works and Transport is responsible for maintaining major roads, smaller roads are typically maintained by the respective city or regional corporations.

In the case of Cumberland Hill, that responsibility falls to the Diego Martin Regional Corporation.

A number of the hill's users told Newsday that the regional corporation has typically responded to requests for upgrades, reported to cost around $2 million, by saying it does not have the funds.

Former TTPBA president and managing director of Caribbean Lifestyle Communications Ltd Kiran Maharaj told Newsday that in the case of an emergency, the site would be reachable only by helicopter.

"If a truck cannot go up there because electricity goes, the communications will come down," she said. "If something happens to one of the transmitters and the structure, how do we go up to do repairs?"

When power goes, the transmitters switch to using diesel-powered generators. However, they hold a limited supply of diesel, usually lasting a few days.

The road collapsed on Tuesday at the spot where a landslide occurred on August 3, causing a need, not only for long-term upgrades, but immediate repairs.

Despite occasional minor repairs, the road itself, which is accessible via Fort George, had actually been deteriorating for well over a decade.

The TTPBA, which represents private broadcasters, issued a statement on Thursday lamenting the condition of the road and saying the body, along with other private entities with installations at Cumberland Hill, had always maintained the road to the best of their ability.

The statement said in 2018, in light of worsening condition of the road, the TTPBA escalated a request for assistance to the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Ministry of National Security.

"At that time Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan asked engineers at MOWT to conduct an evaluation and make recommendations for restoration of Cumberland Hill," the statement read.

The first phase of the engineers’ report addressed areas of the road which require immediate attention.

The TTPBA said the National Security Ministry and other entities with installations at the Cumberland Hill transmitter site contributed financially towards the first phase, and works were completed in July 2019.

"Since then, in instances where there have been fallen trees and minor deterioration the TTPBA has had to continue maintenance and in one urgent situation we got help from the Diego Martin Regional Corporation."

It said in 2019, after initiating and completing Phase One repairs, TATT formed a committee which has had several meetings "with no definite outcome regarding Phase 2 – Rehabilitation of the Hill, nor the ongoing need for maintenance."

The association made an urgent plea to all users of the hill, both private and public, "to lend urgent assistance to mobilise the necessary equipment and personnel for both clearing of the current landslide and rehabilitation of Cumberland Hill."