BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. Ian Liburd has disclosed that one of the critical projects that has to be soon completed is that of the Old Road Bay, where rocks continue to fall on the carriageway.
The Minister made that declaration, among others, while responding to questions from media practitioners at a recently held function, where he explained that “we can’t have that situation”, which has been in the same state for over 20 years where “cars have gone over onto the Bay and people have died”.
For several years there have been much talk about finding a solution to the problem in that accident prone area.
“It is critical for us and we would focus on that as well in the entire process of the island main road development. It would be included in our fiscal appropriation on our Capital Expenditure estimates,” he said.
Over the past four months, Minister Liburd has been speaking to the media on solutions to a number of problems, and just recently he disclosed that the Government had decided on three proposals to fix the falling of rocks.
The first involves a partially benching approach which would capture the rocks as they fall. This seems to be the most prudent of measures that has the Government’s support.
Another proposal could see works being carried out over the hill, of which Minister Liburd noted is a very expensive venture.
“I doubt that we would take that on right now although that would open up part of the interior there,” Liburd posited.
The third proposal could see the Government moving “to reclaim some land seaward” so that the road would go outwards.
He described that proposal as being an “exorbitant undertaking” that would cost the Government a lot of money to carry out.
“We are just about finalising which option is best and I suspect that we would use the partial benching option,” the Minister declared.
Many bus and taxi operators as well as members of the public have complained about their safety when using that thoroughfare during the rainy season.
Remedial work in that area is expected to commence in the first or second quarter in the new year.
