Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says by eliminating poor quality work by state agencies such as WASA and private citizens alike, the country can save a lot of infrastructural problems down the road.
He was speaking to reporters yesterday during a tour with MP for La Horquetta/Talparo Maxie Cuffie, Longdenville/Talparo Councillor Ryan Rampersad and ministry officials in the Talparo region where residents have been affected by damaged houses and landslips along Todd’s Road.
Cuffie said the constituency had some of the worst roads in Trinidad, and roads in Mundo Nuevo, Tamana and Mamoral were examples.
Hinds said, “I recognise immediately though with the advice of the experts around me that some of these problems are man-made...They can be avoided if we would be more efficient in the way we conduct our affairs, starting with the eyes and ears of the Regional Corporation.”
Those who are paid in the corporation to pay attention to cracks, he said, must do so. He also said attention must be paid to “the application of the rules and laws to govern construction of houses, road reserve, where we put water lines and WASA when they put water lines.”
Standing near a section of the Paltoo Road which collapsed, Hinds said there were allegations that it had to do with poor quality work done by WASA. He said he learnt that WASA was attempting to provide water to the people when a bad line ruptured and caused “serious damage” to the road.
He said if everyone in T&T put a little more heart, soul, mind and time into what they were doing, and ensure it was done properly and efficiently, it would save a lot of problems.