Amid growing public frustration over the poor state of Saint Lucia’s roads, Infrastructure Minister Stephenson King has called for patience.
He said road rehabilitation is taking place in response to road deterioration over the past eight months, especially with poor weather conditions which have not assisted the road maintenance programme.
“What I would tell the general public is to be patient, to understand that we have to be prudent in our spending. We cannot afford to do road repairs or, as we call it, potholing, during the rainy season. That is a science. You cannot just go spending taxpayers’ money and wasting it away,” the former Prime Minister told reporters on Friday.
And he explained that the road programme is gradually unfolding.
“If they look around, they will see as we speak that we have intensified our work in terms of potholing throughout the Island – on the West Coast, we’re on the West Coast today. We have been on the East Coast. We are going back on the Castries Gros Islet Highway sometime next week just to do some what I call, superficial work in terms of preempting the expansion of potholes,” the Castries North MP disclosed.
In addition, he noted that crews are conducting work in communities.
“We have been doing quite a bit,” King, also responsible for Transport, asserted as he gave a breakdown of road rehabilitation and reconstruction.
“In the new financial year we anticipate that there will be an increase in the allocation for road repairs, meaning maintenance work in potholing etc. We are increasing that and that in itself will help in the overall maintenance and management of roads in Saint Lucia,” he told reporters.
Be patience until 2050…??? just asking
We were promised Gais Bais Road to be done in January by Mr King himself when he visited our area. Numerous text messages later via us and him and January came and went, now we are being ignored. Disgusting behavior by our government. At least have the decency to reply. Instead of making excuses which only makes the roads more dangerous. These excuses are costing a fortune in damaged vehicles. How long must we wait? Perhaps when someones house burns down or lose of life due to the emergency services not being able to reach the residence. SHAME ON YOU and the other MP’S who visited. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ALL ARE.
Those thin crust roads have very limited lifespans. They can’t stand the rigor of everyday traffic. Instead of constructing more of the same, a paradigm shift might be in order. Has anyone entertained the idea of getting better quality roads? They cost a little more, however, they last longer…a savings to the government and drivers. I am aware that party supporters are going to revolt if they don’t get the contract. We must break away from that ball and chain.
Are we condemned to the same cycle of poor quality roads, broken suspensions and meaningless apologies?
Be patient while our vehicles are deteriorating. You think we have the millions you have or is previledged to have an SLG to drive that you don’t have to pay maintenance for.
Patience when the pot Holes Destroying .otir Vehicles Suspension parts and Tires.The parts and Tires are so Expensive .It’s a Disgrace to Motor Vehicle Owners in St.Lucia
Well people should be patience because damm it people we don’t eat roads.
You Very True and Correct be patient
Very True and Correct be Patient until 2026
The massade road to cap estate is not even 2 inches thick…the joints have humps which means heavy vehicles will destroy it in no time…the mixture is of very poor quality…a porthole handheld sprayer is being used to spread the tar and its a mess…visitors laughing at the prehistoric work in 2023
Be patient..you can’t waste taxpayers $$$$$. True we are paying double tax to buy parts and gas. Never trust a two-face politician.
No problem King you can’t patch toads in rainy season you plug it today and by weeks end forget it. How can asphalt dry when it’s wet??? You think these fools that are making the most noise don’t know this. The roads are bad yes we ALLLLLLL AGREE but don’t waste our money’s to please politicians .
I wonder where the EIGHT months come from???? Gais Bois Road has been deteriorating for the last FIVE years that I know of…. We started our campaign Way back before the Eight months. We have worked our way up from local representatives to the top of government. There are plenty of unanswered Messages on our phones and False promises of work being commenced, then nothing. We will get back to you within the week, NOTHING again!!! Our road does not have potholes as such. It is a meandering river that has scoured out RAVINES !!!!! Maybe when someone is in desperate need of the emergency services and they succumb, someone may do something. As weel as the possible human and house side, our vehicles are costing a fortune in wrecked tyres suspension and so forth. So much for a delegation visiting our area and agreeing that the road is at best Dangerous…. One way in and one way out equals, we get cut off and have been. I would like to invite any of the journalist to come and see for themselves and they can see our correspondence and video for themselves. The offer is there………..
Mr. Minister, there are things that do not warrant patience and road repair is one of them. The science you are invoking also says that there is asphalt you can use in rainy weather. It is called ‘cold patch’ asphalt. The ‘cold patch’ asphalt can be used in rainy weather to seal potholes while the ‘hot patch’ asphalt can be used in fair weather. Don’t you have engineers to direct you on dfferent asphalt grades? Mr. Minister, get the roads repair and stop the excuses.
King you’re on that job for almost 7 years, what patients are you asking for? You should of hit the road running. You hit the road but up to now you can’t get up.
I have to laugh, Marigot road used by tourist coasters and locals alike- half done, promises to finish or fill pot holes, nothing done, road is now collapsing on one side they say they have run out of money and cannot complete, yet they can build a sidewalk on the millenium highway, no doubt at great expense, how many will walk it??
lets do some tilapia rearing in those pot holes to help them get some money to fix it because they never have money to do nothing. Thats the 1st things comes out of there mouth, the economy is growing and tourism is increasing, but yet our core infrastructure is collapsing.
When is time to pay road tax I ask the government be patient.
All you change the govrrnment because they made roads a priority now all you crying to fix the roads. I will give Chas his crown while he is alive. Chas did a damn good job in ensuring that the roads were in a proper state, after all he understand tourism very well. The taxi drivers would have been happier and the tourists and all we would have appreciated a proper road network but all you foolish St Lucians didnt see that.
Now you crying to fix the roads. Too late!! Wait.. people eh eating roads..
The best ever Minister of Infrastructure and transport. He has even served Infrastructure under 2 different PM. Clearly the people of La Clery thought he performed well and voted for him again. Clearly the PM believes he performed well under UWP so he re-instated him. Clearly we all like what he is doing cause there is no Petition or Protest to remove him. So, in the meantime between as he says. BE PATIENT.
If he is a patriotic citizen of St. Lucia he and all other politicians should contribute 10% of their paycheck for road works. Reason being we the voters guarantee their paycheck for five years and beyond.
If there is one Minister that shouldn’t be making such a statement it’s King. You are a few months short of being on the job for 7 years and the roads under your care have gotten into that state. You gave Rayneau the contract to build the St Jude’s highway about 3+ years ago. He did half of it less than a year ago. What is happening to the other half. Will it be done in 2026. Your bridge you opened last year when will we be passing over it. Yes the Cul de Sac bridge stated 4 or 5 years ago. Please tell us that there were cost overruns caused by the previous administration like you always do, when it was your responsibility. We are being patient but don’t test St Lucians patience too much.
St lucians let’s hit the streets in protest against this slp administration.ya’ll wasn’t patient to be elected
2 inches of asphalt? Sidewalks in UK have 6 inches. Roads have minimum of 8 inched.
2inches i think it might be less.. then a 40ton truck will pass on it…