$100M flood prevention works begin next month

Cabinet has approved a $100 million programme for the desilting and widening of all the watercourses in Trinidad and Tobago, Works Minister Franklin Khan announced. Speaking at Thursday’s post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall, Khan also said he “truly sympathised” with the residents of Caparo, who are the victims of persistent flooding. “But where do you choose to flood — Caparo or Chaguanas?” he asked. He explained that because the town of Chaguanas was constructed on the banks of the Caparo River, any dredging of that river will lead to the total flooding of Chaguanas. Khan said the dilemma had been caused by the fact that engineering principles did not define settlement patterns. He said Government was committed to building the Mamoral Dam which would be completed in three years time.

Until then, heavy rainfall would continue to cause some flooding in Caparo, he said. About the $100 million programme, Khan said it would start in January. It would involve the walling and paving of all rivers and tributaries coming out of the Northern Range — Beetham Estate Drain, East Dry River, Diego Martin River, Arouca River, Maraval River and La Horquetta River and all their tributaries. He said $20 million will be spent in the North, $17.1 million in the South, $11.3 million in the East and $13.2 million in Central. He said part of the money would also be used to do a comprehensive drainage plan which was started in 1994 and which would entail a major review of the Millette Drainage Plan.

Khan said he knew his ministry had come in for some bad press within recent times, but the flooding issue involved many issues and required a holistic approach. He said he expected to meet Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis to discuss how to curtail some of the development taking place in the southern plains of the Northern Range. Khan said, “contrary to popular belief” there were major drainage programmes taking place on the ground and it was because of these programmes that the flooding situation was not worse this year. He said the dry season would be a very active period for the ministry.