The Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development and Urban Renewal has responded to concerns over the pothole-filled roads in the country.
The President of the National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT) Godfrey Ferdinand, told St Lucia Times this week that the situation on the Canaries to Soufriere stretch represented a disaster waiting to happen.
And the Ministry’s Communications Officer Miguel Fevrier agreed.
“We agree with a lot of what Mr. Ferdinand said in that it is a disaster waiting to happen. There is little to no room for error when traversing those roads. The vehicles get damaged after going through potholes. There is poor visibility, especially when it rains, and it is almost impossible to see those potholes,” Fevrier told reporters.
“Since November 6 we have been engaged in emergency repair works which have been exacerbated by the heavy rains before then and from November 6,” he recalled.
Fevrier said the Ministry had initially scheduled repairs for this week to the Canaries to Soufriere stretch.
But the Communications Officer noted that because the Ministry had started but not completed the Babonneau area last week, it was unable to get to Soufriere this week.
Nevertheless, Fevrier disclosed that the Ministry would be conducting maintenance and potholing work on the West Coast starting Monday, including the Massy-Cul de Sac area, which he acknowledged was in a ‘terrible condition.’
He also provided a list of road maintenance, and potholing work crews have done so far this year:
NORTH:
Julian Hunte Highway: from Choc to Pigeon Point & Cap Estate Gate (Gros Islet to Cap Rehabilitation is currently ongoing)
- Vieux Sucrieux
- Monchy-Desrameaux-Riviere Mitant (Riviere Mitant Bridge currently under construction)
- Corinth Bypass
- Babonneau to Paix Bouche, Chassin to Boguis, continuing Choc to Cabiche today
- City, Faux a Chaud
- Barre De L’isle
- nd Bisee
- Des Glo to Bocage
- Two contractors will start Cul de Sac to East Coast Road tomorrow
SOUTH:
- Soufriere to Diamond
- Myers Bridge to Soufriere
- Mini
- Soufriere Town: Cemetery to Fond Benier
- Right now: Soufriere to Fond St Jacques
- Today and Tomorrow: Choiseul (Victoria to Leriche)
- New Development
- Vieux Fort Industrial Estate
- Praslin – Desruisseaux Highway
Fevrier assured the public that crews would get to areas needing attention as the weeks go by.
The Ministry will, from Monday, also put out a weekly potholing and road maintenance works schedule.
“Our potholing teams, our road maintenance teams, have been working overtime,” Fevrier asserted.
In this regard, he told reporters that crews have been working on Saturdays and Sundays in some areas.
“I would like to reassure the public – we understand. We are drivers ourselves. We see the condition of the roads. We are not ignoring it. We do have schedules and we will get to those areas when that time indeed has come for us to get there,” Fevrier explained.
He told reporters the Ministry does not want to do a partial job, but wants to finish one project in an area before moving on to another.
“This may be a reason for the delay coupled with the inconsistent weather,” Fevrier said.
Storeeeee
Pothole Nation…
Mr Fevrier good effort, St Lucia would have preferred hearing from the Minister or the P/S or the Chief Engineer.
The Prime Minister must take responsibility for this disaster. The PM needs to be less thin skinned, he becomes defiant when criticize. We cannot be boasting about bumper tourism season and be comfortable with the volume of Taxis and Coaches traversing the west coast road daily in this deplorable condition. Bush and potholes have taken over the roads. Is that what we are marketing ?
We are spending large amounts of money promoting St lucia overseas and we do very little to welcome and accommodate our visitors.
Why is it only now that the government has seen it fitting to sub contract the potholing works ?
The Ministry has made it a practice of ensuring the roads used by the PS and those of the most powerful members of cabinet are always given priority for maintenance instead of the most critical ones.
There is need for an overhaul of the technical department at the Ministry of Infrastructure, a whole bunch of lazy and incompetent people.
When will the proliferation of scraped and abandoned vehicles lining up the roads and streets of St Lucia be addressed by the government of St Lucia? It is most shameful to see these in the city of Castries. Where is the Mayor ?
SLP wake-up stop protecting the victory and provide meaningful representation. “SLP did not win the last election ,UWP lost….”
Be patient the pothole crew soon come to your community. By the time they come around the pothole in the other areas need to be re-potholed. Ti boutique government!
When incompetent contractors are awarded projects because the person in charge is more concerned about getting a cut we will always have mediocre work. Time to rid us of those vermin who enrich themselves from project money
Like is only VF industrial estate roads that needs repair . Continue govt 4 the north . Tik tok tik tok . Tanto tanto
We don’t eat roads its okay
Wow..you pay highest price for gas…parts are expensive…mechanic rob….we completely finish.
How many passports were sold from 2016 to 2021?
Now SLP how many passports have you sold already?
We need to know
Vieux Sicrieux? Which part exactly because the disaster of a broken piece of the road at a corner near a precipice has not been addressed for over a month.