WORKS and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said a recent assessment of roadways in Trinidad and Tobago has shown that "31 per cent of the roads that fall under the ministry's purview are in poor to critical condition."

He made this point during his contribution to the budget debate in the Senate on Monday. Sinanan said the ministry continues its efforts to fix roads in dire need of repair. He added this is done in cases, even when the ministry is not the agency responsible for the maintenance of those roads.

As an example, Sinanan said the ministry's PURE unit is currently doing work at Evans Street in Curepe, a critical link in the community. He added this road falls under the purview of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation.

Saying people in different parts of TT with roads in need of repair do not care which agency is responsible to maintain and fix those roads, Sinanan said this underscores the need for a conversation about proper management of roads and the possible creation of a roads agency for that purpose.

He also said it stressed the need to build new roads as many of TT's existing roads have either reached their capacity or are close to doing so. Sinanan said money has been allocated in the budget for the ministry to do repairs on secondary and agricultural roads.

In response to claims made by Opposition Senator Wade Mark earlier in the debate about a proposal in the budget to offer 10,869,565 ordinary shares in First Citizens Bank (FCB) for sale, Sinanan reminded Mark that "it was he in a different place..when the members were called upon to account for their actions..he intervened and did not allow a member to account for his action at that point in time." Sinanan added, "The same FCB..the same directors...the same CEO at that time."

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