THA officials tell JSC:Tobago facing infrastructural challenges

TOBAGO House of Assembly (THA) officials told members of the Land and Physical Infrastructure joint select committee (JSC) that Tobago is facing several infrastructure challenges.

During a virtual meeting on Wednesday, THA Division of Infrastructure, Quarries, and Urban Development (THA-DIQUD) technical advisor, Dr Ellis Burris, said the division received reports of 408 landslips last year compared to 51 in 2020.

While efforts are being made to improve the reporting of landslips through digitisation, Burris is concerned that should Tobago receive heavy rainfall, landslips could occur and cut off communities in different parts of the island.

Bad Rock was identified as one of the areas where this could happen.

JSC member, Senate Vice-President Dr Muhammad Yunus Ibrahim, asked what was being done to address this problem.

Burris said there is collaboration with the Works and Transport Ministry and engineers attached to DIQUID on these matters.

In response to questions from Government Senator Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal, Burris identified human resources and equipment as additional challenges faced by DIQUID in dealing with infrastructural issues.

He said there are vacancies for engineers and site supervisors.

Many of these people retired and their posts have not been filled.

Burris said this was particularly so with posts which are filled by public service officers.

He added that the problem is being addressed in the interim by hiring people on short term contracts to fill these vacancies.

In terms of equipment, Burris said, "We need a fleet of new equipment. What we have here is no good."

He claimed that in some cases, some pieces of equipment have to be cannabilised in order to keep others working.

DIQUID specialist civil engineering officer Kevon Trestrail identified unplanned developments as one of the contributing factors to landslips in Tobago.

Division adminisrator Armand Jackson said best efforts are being made to prioritise infrastructure works for the 2023-2024 period. He noted a significant challenge here is funding.

JSC member Symon De Nobriga empathised with the DIQUID officials as he recalled similar challenges in his former role as Diego Martin Regional Corporation chairman.

Later in the meeting, PURE programme director Hayden Phillip told JSC members that the Works and Transport Ministry has been experimenting with different types of road surface mixes to improve the integrity of road repair works.

He cited the St Helena bypass road as an example where such works have been successful.

"We have reached a long way and we have a long way to go."

Secondary Road Rehabilitation and Improvement Company Ltd chairman Herbert George said several factors cause landslips. These include undercutting of slopes and changes in the gradient of slopes.

Rural Development and Local Government Ministry deputy permament secretary Peter Mitchell said there were some repairs which local government corporations can do on their own.

Outside of those works, Mitchell said there is collaboration between the ministry and the Works and Transport Ministry on how larger infrastructural works can be done.

Agriculture Ministry director of land and water development, Rodney Ramkeesoon, said the ministry has made requests for drone technology to help it identify agricultural access roads in need of urgent works.

He was optimistic that funding could be made available for this initiative in the next fiscal year.