An early morning landslide on the bustling Lady Young Road in Morvant, yesterday caused traffic to back up for miles and left hundreds of drivers frustrated. For almost three hours, motorists using the two-lane roadway, coursing from the St Ann's Roundabout in Port-of-Spain to the Morvant Junction, were stuck in a gridlock as the Ministry of Works tried to remove tonnes of rubble that blocked the two lanes.
Six trucks and a tractor from the Ministry of Works were dispatched around 8.30 am to clear the soil, slate and rocks that covered the roadway which became impassable. The clearing left vehicles and workmen covered in dust, as well as drivers furious. Approximately 30 truckloads of rubble were removed to the ministry's storage area in Barataria.
Commenting on the matter yesterday chairman of the Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODPM) has called for more proactive measures to be taken in the area to avoid a recurrence. He said the ODPM plans to meet with Government on the matter. "There must be a more sustainable development of the hills. We have to start doing things properly now," he said.