QUESTION OF MAINTENANCE?

Were the recent landslides which blocked the North Coast Road and with it easy access to Maracas Bay due to a lack of maintenance, the slash and burn policy of persons utilising the hillsides for the building of homes and the planting of crops, or a combination of these factors? In turn, why was the road, the main artery for six decades to and from Maracas Bay, allowed along with surrounding hillside areas, to deteriorate to such an extent that the roadway has been blocked all too often by landslides which tend to occur following on particularly heavy rainfall? Additionally, parts of the road have on occasion collapsed as well. And this despite extensive maintenance work having been done on the North Coast Road, one of the country’s principal tourist and internal visitor attractions, when the Miss Universe competition was held here a few years ago.

The road was blocked with fallen trees, dirt and huge boulders following on recent heavy rainfall prompting acting Director of Highways, Roger Ganesh, to remark that the situation was worse than had been expected. The Ministry of Works he explained, released funds on Wednesday for a repair programme to prevent further land slippages. Given the history of land slippages along the North Coast Road, aggravated by the selfish denuding of adjacent hillsides by squatters and others, then Ganesh and indeed the entire Ministry of Works will forgive us if we entertain doubts that this can be achieved without accompanying corrective action, vis a vis slashing and burning of the hillsides. But even should the Ministry of Works be able to effect what would be a virtual miracle why is that the Works Ministry and all the other Government Ministries in this country always have to react to situations?

Meanwhile, since earlier measures were instituted over the years to “prevent” land slippages is it that the work done was inadequate? If indeed it was inadequate what is it that makes the Director of Highways (Ag) confident that the current thrust will be successful? We ask the question because, in addition to the North Coast Road, the Lady Young Road and several other hillside arteries are today under threat. Are we managing our roadways system, with specific reference to principal and/or single arteries, properly? Do we have the expertise which, provided that the necessary funds are released and equipment and materials acquired, would be able to handle the work required to prevent the landslides and with them the needless blocking of our roads? At the same time does Government have the political will to deal with the reckless slashing and burning of our hillsides, which as was pointed out earlier, have been contributory factors to landslides?

Only recently senior Ministers pointed understandably accusing fingers at large housing developers and lowly squatters as the major reasons behind a great deal of our landslides in addition to flooding in low lying areas. What has been done since to give official effect to dealing with the concerns expressed? What follow through action, if any, has there been by officials of the relevant Government Ministries? Had there been, there is the possibility that the clear tragedy of the 60 landslides along the North Coast Road and some of the flooding which took place since the pronouncements may never have taken place. Will we still continue to talk much with little or no follow through action?