SASCHA WILSON
Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
Rural Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi said yesterday that it will cost $6 million to build a new bridge for residents of St John’s Branch Trace in Avocat Village, Fyzabad.
While assessments were conducted by his ministry and the Ministry of Works and Transport, Al-Rawi said the issue is that the land the bridge was built on is privately owned.
Since the bridge collapsed on July 10, residents have been using small boats to get across and onto the main road to go to work and exit the area. They have made numerous calls for the ministry to work speedily to bring relief to the residents.
However, Al-Rawi said he was shocked the Siparia Borough Corporation never “once catered” for the bridge under their PSIP (Public Sector Investment Programme), or wrote a letter seeking assistance until the bridge collapsed.
“It does not belong to the taxpayers, so therefore, we now have to treat with how does the taxpayer spend $6 million on private land. And that’s an issue,” he said.
“We looked at whether Bailey bridges were possible but ... the one or two that we have, in the event that there is a large impasse, North Coast, something happens on that end where large commuting populations are affected.”
When contacted, Siparia Mayor Doodnath Mayrhoo said the council was hindered by the fact that the land was owned by a private company. He urged Al-Rawi to contact the oil company to get permission to build the bridge.