Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) chairman Daniel Solomon said contingency plans were well in place in the event of any disaster at the Red Bull Flugtag event in the area last Sunday. The event, held for the first time in T&T, attracted some 40,000 people and caused miles of traffic gridlock. There were also reports of two drownings and robberies in the area. Solomon, speaking in CNC3 last night, insisted that plans were well in place to avert any disaster that may have occurred at Williams Bay, Chaguaramas. "It was totally planned out. We had contingency plans in place. The army and the Coast Guard were on standby as well as our full security complement."
Solomon said the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) was also on standby. "Any incident could have been easily handled," he said. Noting it was a fantastic event, Solomon said the clash with St Peter's Day celebration in Carenage caused a problem. "There's one way in and one way out," he said. Solomon said the CDA planned to talk to the relevant authorities about addressing the problem which may arise for future events in the area. He said they were looking at the water taxi doing a possible route from San Fernando to Pier One, Chaguaramas, and the widening of the road. ODPM CEO Stephen Ramroop confirmed they were on standby and had a contingency plan in place. He said they were not included in the overall planning of the event.