BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER of Public Infrastructure Hon. Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd has expressed concern with the continued rock falls along Old Road Bay ahead of what is described as an active hurricane season.
The region is expecting over 11 storms for the season and Liburd is not happy as the threat to Old Road Bay remains.
Speaking recently with this publication, the Minister criticized the former administration for not having the problem rectified after being in office for 20 years.
“I am concerned that for 20 years an administration served the people and did nothing to Old Road Bay.
“I am even more concerned, because a member from my constituency, a young man, died across Old Road Bay from that rock fall and so I am concerned. Each time that I hear the rain fall I quiver, but that is why we are taking steps to rectify the issues that are normally going on down there.”
Minister Liburd indicated that very shortly they would have an engineering solution for that problem.
This comes as he announced that consultants are now on the ground – they being geologist - to look into the project.
The government has indicated that several ideas were under consideration to rectify rock falls at that stretch of road in the Old Road area.
Some of the recommendations were costly, including reclaiming part of the Caribbean Sea to outwardly extend the road.
But the government, through the Infrastructure Ministry, had decided to do a stabilization project which is expected to minimize the falling of rocks.
However, the experts are now carrying out studies, according to the Minister.
“The slope stabilization at Old Road Bay has seen studies started already to determine the best engineering solution to that problem at Old Road Bay. So, that is ongoing.”
Additionally, when work begins, it is expected that contractors would be engaged in undertaking that aspect where the threat of vehicles going over the cliff would no longer exist.
