Fix the flooding, our roads — residents demand

According to Charles, the main cause of flooding in Williamsville was because of the overflowing of the Guaracara River.

He was speaking to the media during a tour of the constituency by Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan.

“This river comes from as far as Rio Claro and through Tabaquite into Williamsville. With Williamsville being the lowest lying areas, we have the most flooding here,” Charles said. He added that water flows from many tributaries to the Guaracara River and this results in flash flooding anytime it rains.

Sinanan said flooding in the area was not new but he and his ministry were developing plans to deal with the problem.

“While there may be ways to deal with certain issues on flooding, where clogged drains are concerned, we intend to deal with the issue of flooding on the whole in Williamsville on a long term basis,” he said.

He also said there may be no immediate relief for the residents of the area.

He also sought to assure residents that his technical team will review a comprehensive drainage plan for this area. “What we found here is that the river definitely needs cleaning. I have spoken Drainage Division to look at it and deal with the issue of the clogging of water courses in this area,” he said.

The minister’s tour began at the Williamsville Community Centre and to Kent Road, Reform Village and Harmony Hall.

He listened to the complaints of villagers on clogged drains, broken bridges and bad roads in Williamsville.

Charles said residents wanted a comprehensive flood mitigation plan for the entire course of the Guaracara River.

He said this plan should examine the all impediments to river flow and ways and means in which this could be rectified within a time frame.

Charles also said that the residents of Reform Village have been calling for the roadway from Harmony Hall Junction to Williamsville to be paved and he also spoke to the minister about the other roads in urgent need of fixing.

He identified some of the roads as Garth Road, St Croix Road, Manahambre Road from St Clements Junction to Princes Town and the main road from Palmyra to Princes Town as well as Lengua Road, Papoorie Road and Jaipaulsingh Trace in Barrackpore.