Minister boasts of 500 road, 600 desilting projects in last year

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan says significant improvements in infrastructure have been taking place under the PNM.

He made those comments at a PNM public meeting at Tropical Angel Harps Pan Yard, Enterprise, Chaguanas on Thursday night.

Sinanan said over 500 road projects had been undertaken by his ministry since last year.

"Every town and country will be connected by feeder roads to a major highway."

Sinanan said it was not a case of just paving roads.

He said that was why proper drainage needed to happen alongside road improvements.

"For the first time we have a national drainage programme."

He said, last year, 600 desilting programmes were done, with 200 being done in Central Trinidad.

Sinanan lamented that sometimes those developments did not get proper coverage by some elements of the media because there were no scandals involved.

"Positive news does not sell in this country."

Sinanan promised that the ministry would address every road in TT on a phased basis.

"That work is going on around the country."

Sinanan recalled that when he assumed office he found several projects and plans on the shelf which were never done.

He said many of them were under the former UNC-led People's Partnership coalition government.

"Some of those major projects have been delivered by your PNM government."

He cited the San Fernando to Pt Fortin Highway and the Curepe Interchange as examples of this.

Sinanan was also confident that plans to construct a port in Toco would be realised in the near future.

He said the achievements of the Government and the vision of the Prime Minister caused the PNM's opponents to tremble.

"Parties form and mash up before the election and they haven't seen anything yet."

Government Senator Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal asked the population to pay close attention to what was happening in the "UNC situation ships."

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and National Transformation Alliance (NTA) leader Gary Griffith have been at odds over remarks that Persad-Bissessar made about other political parties trying to "piggy back" on the UNC which she leads.

Griffith has said those comments had no bearing on the NTA which formed an alliance with the UNC for last August's local government elections.

Former Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP) leader Phillip Edward Alexander has recently offered to join the UNC but is refusing to do so if the UNC maintains its alliance with the NTA.

Sagramsingh-Sooklal said that was a case of "dirty linen on the road."

She added that only the PNM offered a "future of stability and not insanity."