Couva/Talparo/Tabaquite Regional Corporation chairman Henry Awong says it is a miracle that the Works and Transport Ministry, on the eve of a citizens-driven road repair initiative in Tabaquite, the ministry found material to partially fix the road.
"It had to be a miracle for them to find material so quick to come out here on Tuesday morning to carry out road repairs because they have been saying one cry all the time, they have no material, no equipment, and very limited manpower," said Awong who joined about 60 residents and Corporation workers in carrying out repairs at a badly damaged area along the Tabaquite/Guaracara Road yesterday.
He lamented that for more than a year residents and commuters have been clamouring for the main road, which falls under the Ministry, to be fixed.
He said the road connects San Fernando to Tabaquite and further areas like Mayaro and Rio Claro. Following a tour of the area by Work Minister Rohan Sinanan a year ago, Awong said, "So far, all we have been getting from the Ministry of Works is that they have no material, they have no manpower, they have no equipment in the Mayo Ministry of Works district in which the area falls."
With the help of kind-hearted people who supplied material and equipment, he said residents and workers got together to carry out repairs.
"The Minister of Works, apparently they have forgotten this particular area and it has been a normal thing once the PNM is in government and we are in Opposition, we tend to get nothing done in these areas." He identified other roads including Corosal Road, Brasso Tamana Road, and Piparo Road, which are in critical need of an upgrade.
Nevertheless, Awong thanked the ministry for carrying out the road repairs on Tuesday. However, he warned that if no repairs are done soon they will be intensifying their actions.
"We going to mobilise the people and we going to take serious action if nothing is done in a short period of time," he said.
Earlier this week in response to a road protest by the Point Fortin Taxi Divers Association, Sinanan said no new projects can be done until the 2019 budget is passed.