OROPOUCHE West MP Davendranath Tancoo and Avocat/San Francique North councillor Doodnath Mayrhoo called on Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan to ensure that a longstanding landslip at Santa Cecelia Trace in San Francique is fixed.
They warned Sinanan that if no relief came to residents affected by the landslip, there could be protest action on his doorstep.
Addressing the media at the site of the landslip, with some of the residents around him, Tancoo said, “This government continues to mamaguy the people of South Trinidad.”
He opined that Santa Cecelia Trace was perhaps “the worst part of the roads of our network, we already have a bad network throughout Trinidad and Tobago.”
Tancoo compared the state of the road to the sea conditions at the Dragon and Serpent’s Mouths at the northern and southern ends of the Gulf of Paria respectively.
“We have nowhere to pass. Vehicles have been stranded, embanked. People have had to come and push off vehicles when they were stuck on the roadway. It is absolutely unacceptable.”
Tancoo recalled that since Sinanan visited the area in May, nothing had happened to date.
Tancoo also showed copies of letters between the Rural Development and Local Government Ministry and the Siparia Regional Corporation about one house along Santa Cecelia Trace which had suffered structural damage because of the landslip.
He claimed there was an attempt to classify that house as a ruinous structure so the Works and Transport Ministry would not have to compensate its owners for damages caused by the landslip.
[caption id="attachment_964668" align="alignnone" width="1024"] San Francique residents walk through a damaged portion of Pluck Road on Tuesday. Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
According to Section 176 of the Muncipal Corporations Act, an engineer assigned to a local government corporation can classify a structure which is unfit for use or occupation. Such structures are defined as ruinous. Directives can subsequently be given to the owners of such structures to demolish, secure, repair or rebuild part or all of that structure.
Tancoo and Mayhroo said the road where the landslip had occurred falls under the purview of the Works and Transport Ministry and not the Siparia Regional Corporation.
Tancoo wondered how Government could want homeowners whose properties have been damaged by the landslips to pay property tax.
“What tax are you going to come and charge them?”
Tancoo lamented the difficulties faced by residents to get access to any kind of public transport because of the deterioriating condition of the road.
“How are they going to compensate people who now have to travel, walk half a mile this way or that way to get a taxi?”
Tancoo also expressed concern about businesses in the area which have lost customers because of the poor condition of the road.
“These are professionals, business people and home owners who have been victimised because of the Government’s insincerity. They are abandoned.”
Tancoo was convinced that reasonable efforts by the r
