Replacement beams for the North Stand have been purchased and fabricated and the structure will be completed on or before February 2. In addition, an internal investigation has been launched into theft of beams from the construction site.
Tourism Minister Randall indicted this at yesterday’s Senate sitting. He was replying to questions from Opposition Senator Wade Mark about reports that construction of the stand at the Queen’s Park Savannah had been halted due to the theft of beams.
“The National Carnival Commission has advised that the replacement beams have been purchased, fabricated and the North Stand will be completed on or before February 2, 2023,” Mitchell said.
“An internal investigation has commenced as well as a report has been made to the police and the police are conducting inquiries.”
In response to questions about the damaged 42-inch transmission line in Santa Rosa which was recently repaired, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said the repairs had proven to be extremely challenging.
He said the damage wasn’t due to sabotage but investigations showed it was caused by riverbank earth shifting and movement over time.
A rupture was discovered on January 19 on the line which transmits water from the North Oropouche Water Treatment Plant in Valencia. The line runs cross-country through Valencia along the Churchill Roosevelt Highway to Piarco and serves communities from Brazil to Malabar. An emergency WASA repair crew was dispatched to repair the ruptured main to ensure restoration of supply to120,000 customers.
“The damaged section of pipeline, which was partially submerged by the Mausica River, had to be removed and replaced by a section of steel main. During repair works, a masonry rubble wall on the eastern side of the river collapsed onto the work area further dislodging the 42-inch transmission main,” Gonzales told the Senate.
“Additional heavy equipment had to be brought to the site to assist with the additional works such as slope stabilisation and removal of reinforced concrete footing to access the main. A section of the retaining wall and footing had to be removed. The footing was made of reinforced concrete and measures about ten feet by six feet by 2.5 feet. The actual pipeline repair was completed, and water fully restored at 8.30 pm. (Tuesday).”
In response to a question about COVID 19 deaths, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the ministry looks at deaths over time and for the past four reporting periods, deaths were one, one, two and one. He said there wasn’t a sustainable trend of increasing deaths and there hasn’t been any increase in that trend over time.
Commenting on a bulletin about 11 deaths, Deyalsingh repeated that there was no prolonged increase.
“One week doesn’t a trend make,” he said.
Finance Minister Colm Imbert piloted a supplementation bill for $800 million for the Energy Ministry and $15 million for the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The latter included US$282,000 for health plans for staff at T&T’s embassies in Washington, China and elsewhere.