Lee Anna Maharaj
Reporter/Producer
leeanna.maharaj@guardian.co.tt
As parts of the world observe National Pothole Day on January 15th, some citizens of Trinidad and Tobago are calling on authorities to address the numerous potholes on the nation’s roadways.
Pothole Day was first recognised in the United Kingdom in 2018 to highlight the challenges faced by motorists and citizens.
Guardian Media visited the streets of Port-of-Spain and Aranguez, where several motorists shared that they had recently spent hundreds of dollars on vehicle repairs caused by potholes.
Kenton Joseph, of Woodbrook, revealed he spent over $1,000 repairing his car after hitting a pothole on Charlotte Street near the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Despite the road being recently repaired, he still had to bear the expense.
“As I was going up Charlotte Street, bam! I dropped into a hole. I didn’t even see the hole at night. I just dropped into it. I heard the tyre burst and the air escaping… I had to get the tyre repaired and change the rim. It cost close to $800 for the original rim, and tyre repairs cost me more than $100, so at the end of the day, it cost $1,000,” he said.
Joseph added:
“We have probably the last and only remaining pitch lake in the world. I think our roads should be a lot better. What I see is they only repair the roads when there’s a particular purpose— for example, elections or Carnival coming up. But generally, they just don’t seem to care about the driving public or regular road maintenance in Trinidad. We are paying taxes to have the roads properly maintained, so when these things happen, who can I go to for compensation for badly maintained roads?”
Guardian Media also spoke to Gonzales as he was driving along White Street in Woodbrook, which was riddled with potholes.
Meanwhile, Josiah Daniel from Port-of-Spain said he recently changed a tyre due to a pothole in Central Trinidad. The repair cost him $750. He commented that authorities are not adequately addressing the issue, as potholes often reappear soon after repairs.
Nicole, a resident of Laventille, shared that she and her neighbours frequently deal with pothole-related problems. She said, “I find we’re a country with resources for that [good roads]… we shouldn’t have any potholes.”
An Aranguez resident reported that a pothole damaged his tyre a month ago, costing him $1,000. When asked what message he had for the authorities, he said, “The citizens are feeling it, so if they could do something to address that, it would be better.”
“I think we’re paying a road tax, and they’re supposed to be using that to repair potholes,” said an El Socorro resident. “Anywhere you drive, it’s potholes.”
A San Juan resident added that she recently had to replace her shocks due to a pothole. Her acquaintance remarked:
“I think it’s ridiculous because Trinidad has enough money to fix potholes… we only get things fixed when it’s time for voting. After that, nothing. You damage your car, it costs you money, you have broken ankles, et cetera… they have to fix the potholes, and we have to speak up.”
Automotive technician and owner of Under D’ Mango Tree Tuner Ltd, Sean David Joseph, noted that he receives at least three customers weekly with car suspension issues linked to potholes.
“Full suspension on a Navara, for example, could range from $4,000 on the low end to $6,000, and that is without original parts. If we’re talking original parts, it could go up to $10,000. On the Navara and the Tiida, it could go up to about $7,000 in parts,” he explained.
Joseph advised motorists to watch for signs of pothole-related damage.
“The first thing you will notice is that the vehicle is not as stable as it should be. For instance, you're driving the vehicle, and normally it will drive straight, but you may notice that it is veering to the side that was hit— that’s one of the signs. Another sign is noise… you may notice a noise or a dip. If the shock actually bursts, you will notice a dip in your vehicle,” he said.
He urged drivers to have their vehicles checked promptly.
“I would recommend that the first thing you do after hitting a pothole is to get an assessment of the damage done to your vehicle. When people continue driving with damaged parts, it could cause accidents or even fatalities. If the vehicle isn’t properly controlled, something could happen, and someone could get killed. So, drive cautiously, be aware of your surroundings, and take care of your vehicle. Your vehicle will take care of you if you take care of it.”
Guardian Media reached out to Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan, and Local Government Minister, Faris Al-Rawi, for comments on citizens’ complaints about potholes. However, there was no response up to press time.
