IDB funds to build Toco Road

On Saturday, upon his return home after a 12-day trip abroad, Rowley told reporters of this positive outcome of his recent meeting in IDB head, Luis Alberto Moreno, in Washington DC, who has committed to funding the road and port. “So keen is the bank to assist in getting this project done that the bank has undertaken to provide us funding to deal with the activities taking place now, in preparation for that project coming on stream,” he said.

Rowley said IDB funding will be in place ahead of construction, unlike the funding of the building of the Point Fortin Highway (under the former administration).

Replying to questions, he could not give a start date for construction of the Toco initiative.

“These projects have a gestation period. There are things you must do. We are in the process now of hiring a consultant to do the route alignment. That should take a few months. Once it is done we’ll be in a position to have an estimated costing. We’ll invite contractors to begin to break ground.” Pressed by Newsday for a ballpark figure, he declined to speculate but said it will be “a significant sum”. It will lent under the IDB’s standard terms and conditions, including concessionary terms, moratorium, and an open and transparent procurement process.

Dr Rowley underlined this latter point by saying a parliamentary committee has just finished mulling the Procurement Bill, which he expects to be passed by the House of Representatives last Friday.

Regarding public calls for an increased speed-limit, Dr Rowley said this would be addressed by the Ministry of Works and Transport, while offering his own view that different roads should have different speed limits, saying a highway speed would exceed that on the Eastern Main Road, and both would exceed the 20 miles per hour or so required in a school zone.