Sinanan: Works Ministry tackling flooding in Barataria, Couva

WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan says a contract was recently awarded for work to alleviate flooding in Barataria/San Juan and efforts to do the same thing in Couva.

He was responding to questions from Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein and Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh in the House of Representatives on November 18.

On flooding in Barataria/San Juan, Sinanan said drains in the area are being regularly cleaned and regular maintenance work is being done on the Malick River, which has been a problem when it comes to flooding in the area

He advised Hosein, "There is also a scheduled project to clean the downstream of the Malick River to the outfall of the Caroni River."

Sinanan said this project will ensure faster run-off of water from the Malick to the Caroni, reducing flooding in Barataria/San Juan.

Hosein told Sinanan some areas of his constituency had flooded even more in spite of work being done to alleviate flooding there.

Sinanan reminded Hosein of the phenomenon of climate change causing significant rainfall in short spaces of time.

He promised to familiarise Hosein with areas in Barataria/San Juan where the ministry is doing flood-alleviation work.

In response to Indarsingh's questions about flooding in Couva, Sinanan said much of this was caused by manual cleaning and the mechanical failing of drains along the Southern Main Road (SMR).

The ministry, he said, has done work from Isaac Junction along the SMR to the Couva business district to alleviate flooding, and a second phase is scheduled to take place in the current financial year, pending the availability of funding.

"The area is being assessed, since drainage-upgrade work may be required in addition to routine cleaning, due to the increased development in the area which has increased the volume of surface run-off. This will be part of a long-term development work."

Indarsingh claimed Sinanan made similar comments in the House last October but nothing happened. Opposition MPs thumped their desks as Indarsingh asked, "When will the mamaguy end?"

He withdrew this comment after Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George told him to.

Sinanan said the ministry receives requests from MPs, business chambers, non-governmental organisations and other entities for help to deal with flooding, and does its best to deal with all these requests, once funding is available.

In response to another question from Indarsingh, he said the ministry continues to offer assistance to the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation (CTTRC) to improve a road which falls under the CTTRC's jurisdicion.

Later in the sitting, in response to a question from Mayaro MP Rushton Paray, Housing and Urban Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis said 57 out of 122 homeowners at the Housing Development Corporation's (HDC) El Guayanapo development have received the deeds to their properties to date.

She added that similar issues at the HDC's Mora Heights development should be sorted out within the next year.