The much anticipated Couva Interchange will be completed by next August as the Government moves to eradicate traffic congestion on the outskirts of the Central borough. So said Works Minister Jack Warner as he toured parts of the Couva South constituency on Tuesday. Warner, who visited Indian Trail, Rivulet Road and Basta Hall said the initial completion date set by contractors was June 2012. "However, I believe that Couva Interchange will take 11 to 12 months to be completed. When the dry season comes in we should be able to work faster," Warner said. He added that the Government would have to construct four lanes on the Rivulet Road because it could not take the traffic flow.
He also noted that designs had been completed on the Tarouba Link Road and actual physical work will begin in ten days. Asked about his priorities for the next fiscal year, Warner vowed there would be construction of more roads, more bridges and more box drains. He said the San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway, Princes Town Highway and construction of the Mamoral Dam would also begin in the new fiscal year. Asked whether the decision by Finance Minister Winston Dookeran to defer the budget for October had affected construction plans, Warner replied: "Not at all. The works we planned to do in September are on stream and it should not have a negative impact at all."
With regards to night-time work in non-curfew areas, Warner said initially contractors had indicated that they were not equipped to do night-time work. "They are in the process of buying lights and so on. We are talking to them about increased cost and we expect that night-time paving will begin within another week or two. Right now night work is taking place in Diego Martin and Port-of-Spain," Warner said. Asked to comment about budget expectations, Warner said this was not under his portfolio. "No, I'm not going there. That is not my remit. I know the minister is working assiduously on it and by the first week in October we shall have the budget," Warner revealed. Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said he planned to take Warner to other parts of his constituency to examine poor roads, traffic congestion and deplorable drainage.