Minister: Moruga's bad roads being addressed

Referring to Moruga as a "challenged area" owing to massive and continuous land movements, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan has assured that the Government is aware of the infrastructural issues and is addressing them.

"In Moruga, we have a major road programme ongoing. We have spent close to $250 million already in that area. But it is a challenging area. We started a programme with 23 landslips. So far, we have completed about 50 landslips, and we still have another 23 - 25 landslips," Sinanan said.

"It means that landslips are being formed almost every day in places like Moruga. It is because of the soil type in that area."

He spoke to media personnel on Sunday at Golconda Connector Road, San Fernando, where work is being done as part of the national road rehabilitation programme.

Sinanan recalled that, on Thursday, he met with the director of the Programme for Upgrading Roads Efficiency (PURE) and was told that assessments were done for the Moruga area.

Like Moruga and other villages and settlements, the people have been living there for many years.

Sinanan added, "I do not think that when the people built, they anticipated the type of weather patterns that we are getting now. We have to revisit how and where we build.

"In Moruga, I have had reports that the major part of the problem is water from WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority), people’s roofs and how they dispose of their wastewater. All of that contributes to the slippage of the land."

The Penal Rock Road, which runs from Penal Junction to Basse Terre Village, Moruga, is plagued with landslips. Work is ongoing on one of the major landslips in Santa Maria Village, and residents are hoping that other major ones are also repaired, fearful of being cut off from the rest of the country.

"Right now, cars still cannot pass to go towards Penal. The other option to get in and out of the community is through Basse Terre Village. To reach Basse Terre is pressure because most of the road has already caved in," a resident told Newsday.

The Moruga Road that runs from Princes Town to Grand Chemin Village, Moruga, as well as the La Lune Road, are also plagued with landslips and bad roads.