SOD-TURNING: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, second from right, and Works Minister Jack Warner, second from left, shovel gravel to signal the start of the National Roads Rehabilitation Programme in Rio Claro yesterday. Looking on, from left, are Sieunarine Coosal, chairman of Coosals; Stacy Roopnarine, Minister in the Ministry of Works, and Cheryl Blackman, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works. —Photo: TREVOR WATSON
Minister of Works and Infrastructure Jack Warner has assured Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that the $400 million National Roads Rehabilitation Programme that was launched yesterday will return value for money.
Speaking at the launch held at the Sumarsingh Complex, Rio Claro, Warner said:
“I promise to you the people of Trinidad and Tobago and to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar that I will ensure good return on our investment as the People’s Partnership government moves to develop the infrastructure of our nation and take this country into the 21st century.”
Persad-Bissessar, who called upon both Warner and Minister in the Ministry, Stacy Roopnarine, to be watchdogs over what she said is one of the largest road rehabilitation programmes in the history of this country, said:
“We charge Minister Warner and Stacy Roopnarine to ensure that the supervision of these projects is such to give us quality work within time, within budget and in a transparent manner.”
The programme is projected to cost $400 million and take on a total of 203 projects across Trinidad and Tobago.
Persad-Bissessar, who noted the attendance of members of Parliament on both the government and Opposition benches at the launch, said the programme was that important.
Persad-Bissessar said hundreds of miles of road will be upgraded and landslips and bridges will also be repaired. “I am advised that during this period over 3,000 people will find direct employment and another 1,000 or so will earn indirect revenue through micro-economic enterprises,” she said.
In phase one, she said, “contractors at all levels will be included”. She also called on contractors to give quality work.
She asked for patience on the part of citizens as the work, which was started in Tabaquite last evening .
Source (Trinidad Express)
