Chaguanas Mayor worries about extended highway works

CHAGUANAS Mayor Faaiq Mohammed hopes that two collapsed bridges in his borough will be repaired on time.

Mohammed says this is vital to protect the borough's economy, especially as the project to widen the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway has been delayed.

The Chaguanas area is notorious for its traffic and it only worsened with the $65 million project to widen the highway between the Chaguanas Flyover and Chase Village.

Speaking to Newsday after the opening ceremony of the Ministry of Gender and Child Affairs' Women's Village at Saith Park, Chaguanas on August 23, Mohammed said this was further complicated by the traffic deviations because of the Bridal Road bridge reconstruction and, most recently, the collapse of the Perseverance Road bridge on July 31.

Work is ongoing on the bridges and based on media reports and advice reaching Mohammed, the Ministry of Works and Transport said they would be completed and reopened by the end of the month.

Looking around at what he believed was a sub-par turnout to the ministry's event, Mohammed said this was the effect of the traffic.

"This was well-advertised. This is in the heart of Chaguanas... you're not seeing that level of foot traffic you're accustomed to seeing when there is activity here.

"If we have these three issues prolonged, definitely our local economy; our business sector will decrease. Business activity will definitely decrease because traffic is one of the major deterrents to commerce. You would know that. You will tell yourself: 'It have traffic there, I not going there, I'd go somewhere else.' That is what you're seeing right now in Chaguanas."

President of the Chaguanas/San Fernando Taxi Drivers' Association Kevon Philbert described the news of the delayed works as "terrible."

He said drivers have been feeling the brunt of the congestion, with many being able to ply only one trip for the day. He said some taxi drivers were working for extended hours, which takes a toll on them physically.

"We understand, at the end of the day, we have to adjust ourselves to progress but this was carded for a particular timeframe."

He said he hopes when the work is completed, the heavy price being borne by drivers will be worth it.

Newsday was unable to reach Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce president Baldath Maharaj for comment.

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan said on August 22 that the highway widening project would be unable to meet its August 24 deadline because of quality control standards not being met by one of the contractors, Junior Sammy Contractors Ltd, requiring it to redo some of the work. The work is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 if the weather permits. He said the extended timeframe would not cost taxpayers.