Sinanan: MOWT plans 400-500 de-silting jobs

MINISTER of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said on June 3 his ministry was aiming to do 400-500 jobs to de-silt various watercourses this fiscal year, once funding is available.

He spoke at a sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, at the Red House in Port of Spain, which gave his ministry $155 million extra to its original allocation in the budget.

Couva North MP Rudranath Indarsingh asked about a line item on a $20 million allocation towards the rent/lease of vehicles and equipment.

Sinanan said the item referred to de-silting programmes done by bonded contractors, under bonded rates, who must use different equipment at different times for particular jobs.

"The director of drainage put forward a programme of work that we would like to get done. Based on the allocation of funding, those jobs are re-prioritised and the level of work to go on depends on the funding that we get."

The allocations to the ministry are matched to the jobs to be done, he related.

"Our ambition is to do close to 400-500 projects this year, but it is all based on the availability of funding."

He promised to forward opposition MPs the details of jobs to be done.

St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen and Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh each asked about works in their constituencies in Bamboo and Edinburgh respectively, but Sinanan said their named projects were not de-silting but cleaning underground drains.

Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram asked about a $58 million allocation. Sinanan said that was for countrywide projects, including road rehabilitation, bridge repair, fixing road slips, cleaning underground drains and everything to do with his ministry's Highways Division. He promised Ratiram to do as many projects as he had funding for.

Tabaquite MP Anita Haynes asked which projects would be completed this year with a supplemental allocation of $58 million and initial allocation of $100 million.

Sinanan said in her constituency about three projects were earmarked, which he promised to send to her in a list with highlights.

Haynes said, "Don't worry. I know my constituency very well and would not need your highlighting."

Replying to a question from Naparima MP Rodney Charles, Sinanan said, "Yes, work is going on around the country and the Guaracara River is one that we pay a lot of attention to.

Sinanan added, "We are now in the second stage of the drainage programme – that is where these projects will be rolled out. We have already completed the first phase, so we are on target to have our programme completed before the height of the rainy season."