Give us roads that saywe have a pitch lake

THE EDITOR: I recently read of the interest in our asphalt by China and that a Chinese delegation toured the pitch lake recently. I ask whether a more pressing priority would not be to use some of our asphalt to bring improvements to roads in TT which are all broken down and potholed.

We are often regaled with news of new highways to be built and existing highways to be widened. But don’t our leaders recognise that all our non-highway roads are disaster areas that inflict great hardship on pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike?

I consider this neglect of our roadways to be a gross insult to citizens, and I beseech the leaders of this country to divert their attention from grandiose new road construction for a while and develop a proper plan to restore the existing roads. I want a new approach, with astute monitoring and evaluation of all repair works undertaken. This is because I recognise that some people are getting a lucrative living from pretending to maintain roads.

There are certain potholes that are repaired over and over by the same team with such frequency that one can only wonder whether planned obsolescence was not a guiding strategy.

The Mon Plasir Road in Cunupia was recently rehabilitated after years of abandonment. However within a short space of time the road has once more become impassible. I say this with the knowledge that roads built by the Americans during WWII remains in perfect condition today.

I have concluded that road repair activity in TT is smothered by corrupt practices and must be improved. I call on the Government to demand some kind of warranty from contractors that will make them responsible for all repair work over a period of five years.

However, we cannot be blind to the atrocities of WASA, a state organisation that destroys our local roads and seems to be absolved from any responsibility to repair the damage it inflicts. Fitt and John Streets in Montrose are two prime examples of this callous attitude on the part of WASA, and by extension the government minister responsible for the authority.

Furthermore, some local engineers in their wisdom decided that utility tunnels should be best located under the local roads, without any consideration for the well-being of citizens. These trenches remain depressed for years afterwards, even after attempts have been made to have them filled. In addition, the manhole covers are often several inches below the road surface which can be a hazard as drivers try to evade them.

I am calling on the Government to show some mercy for the hard-pressed and tortured citizens of TT and take decisive steps to make our local roads the kind of showpieces that a country with a world famous pitch lake should have.

Remember your election promises to improve the quality of our lives, and take note that all this talk of diversification becomes mere rantings if we do not have proper road infrastructure.

DAVID SUBRAN
via e-mail